THINX: Never Lose Another Pair of Underwear to Your Period Again
Lingerie has always been an important part of women’s lives. Great lingerie makes a woman feel seductive, confident and beautiful; and brands such as Fox&Rose, Pleasurements and Agent Provocateur have found success in evoking these feelings. However, less represented in this market are the lingerie brands that appeal to women for their practicality. THINX is a new brand that offers underwear designed with consideration for menstruation, aiming to provide comfort and confidence during “those days.”
Each pair of THINX underwear has a moisture-wicking, anti-microbial, absorbent and leak-proof layer. Why is this revolutionary? Because now one pair of underwear can serve the same function as stashes of feminine products. The most expensive style is able to absorb the same amount of blood as two tampons, according to its e-commerce site, which categorizes the products by absorption capacity.
The technology of THINX. Image Credit: THINX.
Weighing the costs between THINX underwear and typical menstruation hygiene products, favor falls on THINX. “A set of seven pairs, at about $200, lasts the duration of most women’s monthly cycle, and should last about two years,” Jezebel estimates. “Meanwhile, on average women spend about $120 per year on tampons and pads.”
The collection includes hiphuggers, hi-waists, sports, boyshorts, cheeky underwear and thongs, ranging from $24 to $34 per pair. They come in black or nude, with pretty lace-trimmed designs.
Image Credit: THINX.
Behind the concept of THINX is Miki Agrawal, CEO, “a social entrepreneur and proud feminist,” as she calls herself. Agrawal, who was educated at Cornell, had the idea to found the company when on her visit to South Africa she saw that some girls were unable to go to school during their periods, because these were their “weeks of shame.”
“Tampons were invented in 1931 and aside from adhesive strips and wings on pads, there hasn’t been any major innovation in 85 years,” said Agrawal. “It’s time to change that — and to change the taboo.”
Interestingly enough, the word taboo comes from Tongan "tapua," which can mean either "menstruation" or "sacred." In breaking into the lingerie sector, Agrawal acknowledged that what we consider taboo in modern society is actually a natural phenomenon.
Founder of THINX, Miki Agrawal. Image Credit: Mindbodygreen.
Behind the comfort, practicality and design of THINX underwear is also a good cause. Each pair of underwear bought funds a pack of washable reusable pads for one girl in the developing world. There, millions of girls miss a week of school every month just because of their periods.
“Sometimes when you change your underwear you end up changing the world.”
