Nike Unleashes Its First Menstruation-Friendly Apparel To Pull The Plug On Leaks

The time of the month can be a big, bloody inconvenience for those who work out regularly, and Nike wants to put a stop to it, period.

While the sportswear giant can’t get rid of the physical discomfort that often comes with menstruation, it does have the technology to stop leaks. Since 2019, Nike has been working on a proprietary material with its in-house Sports Research Lab. The resulting component is ‘Leak Protection: Period’, an ultrathin and absorbent liner to catch rogue bleeding.

The special material, first appearing in the Nike One Short, features a two-layer laminate gusset that sponges up, wicks, and retains blood through an anti-leakage membrane. It’s been put through synthetic menstruation and tested on athletes for “thousands of hours.”

The shorts further impede seepage with an invisible built-in brief and a supportive seven-inch inseam. Nike says it created 30 prototypes of the garments before landing on the ideal fit for comfort and movement.

“Fear of bleed-through is real—and not just through the teen years, but through the entire journey of menstruation,” explains  Lisa Gibson, Senior Project Manager, Nike Apparel Innovation. “Nike Leak Protection: Period is for people with periods across all life stages, designed to give them an added layer of confidence so they can feel secure during all forms of sport and movement.” Gibson believes the technology “will change people’s lives” too.

The Leak Protection: Period material isn’t designed to replace your go-to menstruation product, but it serves as a “backup” and an added layer of support for your pad, tampon, or period underwear without creating bulk.

Although menstruating is a natural phenomenon, it can also be distracting and make people feel extra conscious when they work out. Gibson tells POPSUGAR that teenage girls are dropping out of sports “twice the rate” of boys, and the anxiety of bleed-through is partly to do with it.

In recent times, sporting teams have redesigned their uniforms to get rid of white shorts so as to address these monthly pains, The Athletic reports. The Orlando Pride women’s soccer team, for one, introduced black shorts to its secondary kits last month to empower members to keep playing.

Next in line to sport Nike’s period barrier is its Pro Short, which will be worn by 13 partnering federations at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Nike’s One Leak Protection: Period Short, available in straight-size and plus-size options, will reach select retailers and its online store beginning April.

[via POPSUGAR and The Athletic, images via Nike]