Did you know that 1 in 4 girls around the world drops out of sport during adolescence, with one of the key reasons cited being fear of leakage whilst on their period?
adidas is helping those who menstruate stay in play by setting out to tackle one of the greatest taboos in the sports world with their latest product innovation.
The new TechFit Period Proof tights use adidas’ Flow Shield Technology to help protect against leaks, giving athletes the confidence to stay in play during their cycle. This product is specially designed to keep more menstruators in sport because they feature an absorbent layer to help protect against leaks when worn with a personal hygiene product such as a tampon or pad. Overall, the product has a wicking layer, absorbing layer, and leakproof layer that work seamlessly together to provide protection, while a bonding frame holds each layer together, keeping the tights in place.
Along with this innovative new launch, adidas looks to normalize the conversation surrounding periods by partnering with leading sports research scientist, Dr. Georgie Bruinvels of Orreco, and physical education teachers around the world to break the taboo and create educational materials and practical lesson plans to help those better understand how to navigate their cycle and create real change.
“We started designing this collection from the inside, out. We knew it had to be comfortable and breathable, but most importantly, it had to serve its purpose of helping to protect against leakage. The biggest challenge we faced in bringing the TechFit Period Proof Tights to market was the testing. It was incredibly rigorous and went through several rounds because we had to be sure our product could deliver. Our ambition with this product is to keep more people in sport by giving them the confidence to train on their period. We’re so proud of what we were able to achieve, and look forward to introducing more product innovation in this space.” – Kim Buerger, Senior Product Manager – Women’s Apparel at adidas.
adidas is committed to making a real difference in the sports world as this launch is part of the brand’s upcoming lineup of innovations being released this year to better service all women in sports through the Watch Us Move campaign. In a commitment to revolutionizing its product offering and services to help support the needs of its diverse female community, adidas knows that the first step to making meaningful change is understanding what physical, emotional, and societal barriers exist to sports participation, which is what brought this idea to life.
In order to sustain the conversation and give the topic global recognition, adidas will be turning to its network of athletes to share their own experiences of training and competing on their periods, including Team GB athlete and Olympic medallist, Jazmin Sawyers, and WNBA player, Layshia Clarendon, who is currently the New York Liberty guard.
If you’re interested in learning more or trying them out for yourself, the collection is available in Canada at www.adidas.ca/en/stay_in_play, in stores, and via the adidas app.