Nike launches leakproof period shorts ahead of Women’s World Cup

Nike is to launch its first leakproof product line to help women stay active when menstruating.

The new Nike One leak protection period shorts aim to recreate the much-loved Nike One short with a leakproof barrier.

The updated product features an absorbent liner that helps protect against period leaks, along with proprietary material technology that, Nike says, went through “significant validation and wear testing”.

Periods can be a barrier to sport and movement for teens and adults — physically, mentally and emotionally.

In a 2019 survey of young girls, Nike found that by the age of 14, girls were dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys their age.

By 17, 51 per cent will have stopped participating in sports altogether. While insecurities and discomfort surrounding menstruation are not the only reasons for the rapid dropout rate, those concerns play a critical role, the survey has suggested.

“Fear of bleed-through is real — and not just through the teen years, but through the entire journey of menstruation,” says Lisa Gibson, Nike’s senior apparel innovation project manager.

“Our goal was to create a product that provided leak protection that could be worn alongside a preferred menstrual product of choice, whether that’s a pad, a tampon, a cup, without the added bulk.

“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. It’s an innovation that we believe will change people’s lives.”

In recent years, athletes have been more vocal about the lack of period-conscious sportswear available to them, and those concerns have only just started to be addressed.

A former athlete herself, Gibson says the product has been an incredible passion project.

“I think about how this would have changed my engagement with sport and movement if I had this when I was 14-years-old,” she explains.

“I am thrilled that this technology is going to be out there. I truly believe it is going to positively impact the way people engage with sport and movement.”

The new period shorts will be available from early April at nike.com and select specialty stores. The kits will be worn by 13 different countries at the upcoming Women’s World Cup.