What if exercising on your period didn’t have to be uncomfortable? This is how a new wave of design is trying to make it happen.
Periods in sport are nothing new, and thankfully, making the sporting environment more comfortable for those menstruating has become at least a talking point. For instance, Olympic athletes discussed it ahead of the Paris Games, the Lionesses switched to dark shorts for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, and the Wimbledon Championships have relaxed the all-white dress code to alleviate leaking fears.
But how can the sports industry innovate to move things along even further? Dr Petra Kolic, a senior lecturer and researcher in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University, explains the impact that period products could have on exercise behaviours.
“Whether you’re an everyday gymgoer, or exercising at a competitive level, you want to be fully focused on your sporting activity – you want to release yourself in it, you want to focus on it.
“What all your props need to do, and the period props are included in that, they need to support that.”
However, traditional period products have shortcomings for exercise. “Wearing something like your everyday pad might be really uncomfortable on your skin, that plastic you feel might be uncomfortable.” She describes this as an “opportunity” for product designers to innovate, and that’s something some brands such as periodwear company WUKA have already started to do.
WUKA’s period pants are intended to be worn alone, completely replacing tampons and pads. The company was founded in 2017 and has since launched its WUKA Perform collection, which includes swimwear, shorts, and leggings.
“The WUKA Perform collection was born out of a clear gap we saw in the market: the lack of period products that truly supported people in staying active during their menstrual cycle,” says WUKA co-founder and CEO Ruby Raut. “So many women and girls told us they were skipping sports, P.E., or workouts simply because they didn’t feel comfortable or protected enough or were anxious about leaks.”
WUKA wanted to create a solution that combined period protection with gym-ready design.
“Designing period activewear is about balance — combining function, comfort, and style without compromising on performance. The Perform range uses high-stretch, moisture-wicking fabrics that are breathable and quick-drying, paired with our multi-layer absorbent technology that locks in leaks and odours,” Raut tells Sidelines.
“We had to ensure it could withstand movement from running and jumping to yoga and HIIT while staying securely in place and feeling just like any other premium activewear. Seam placement, absorbency zones, and fabric flexibility were all key.
“And, of course, it had to feel empowering to wear — not bulky, medical, or like a ‘period product,’ but like high-quality activewear you’d reach for any day of the month.”
Raut says the response has been “overwhelmingly positive” from customers ranging from elite sportswomen to teenage girls. “Many say it’s changed the way they feel about their period, no longer seeing it as a barrier to movement.”
WUKA is one company trying to create a better basis for period activewear, but Dr Kolic points out that new and innovative products are not on everyone’s radar. Adults, she says, are more likely to have the financial resources to spend on more sustainable and expensive options like period pants or cups. Though there are now schemes for schools to access free period products for pupils, Dr Kolic says schools will generally hand out pads.
“All those fantastic products that are out there, the more sustainable ones, they often don’t even reach those teenage groups.”
This is where brands could help themselves by bringing their innovation into marketing. Snuggs specialise in period underwear and recently launched a partnership with Manchester City Women, which has seen their captain, England star Alex Greenwood, become an ambassador. It’s the first collaboration between a women’s professional football team and a period underwear brand.
Dr Kolic stresses that menstrual health is very individualised – not all products will work for everyone. But products can make “potentially a very big” difference to exercise behaviours while someone is on their period.
“The same way that you’re going to wear your pair of proper trainers to go to the gym, the same way you’re going to wear specific clothing… your period products should support you.”
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