Leak-Resistant Lingerie Could Revolutionize ‘That Time of the Month’
November 20, 2012 by admin
Filed under Latest Lingerie News
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Name: Dear Kate
One-Line Pitch: Leak-resistant underwear for women.
Why It’s Taking Off: Provides peace of mind for menstruating and pregnant women.
Ladies, we’ve all been there. In the middle of class or on a date. While wearing white jeans at a Memorial Day barbecue. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get seamless backup protection on the days of your period, or during a pregnancy — just in case?
Meet Dear Kate, a line of leak and stain-resistant underwear for women. They’re designed to provide an extra layer of protection on days you’re having your period or while pregnant. (Pregnant women’s growing fetuses often increase pressure on the bladder, leading to accidents.)
Each pair is lined with three layers: a bottom, liquid-resistant outer layer, and two absorbent and wicking inner layers. Together, they can hold up to three teaspoons of liquid comfortably, as shown in the video demonstration below.
Such underwear, you’d think, couldn’t be very fashionable or comfortable — but Dear Kates happen to be both. Without examining the tags, you’d have no idea there was anything special about them; the fabric is just as thin and flexible as the silky, nylon/elastane blends you’d pick up at Victoria’s Secret. Dear Kates are made out of a nylon/lycra blend; the lining is microfiber.
Pairs, which are now available for pre-order, are priced between $28 and $38 and come in a variety of styles, including classic bikinis, low-rise “hipsters,” high-rises and thongs. A matching bralet and bodysuit are also available for $42 and $108, respectively, on Dear Kate’s website, and in select boutiques across the U.S. and Canada come early December. More styles will be released in the spring.
Each pair can be cleaned using a machine washer and hung out to dry.
CEO Julie Sygiel (featured in the branding video below) developed the leak-resistant fabric as part of a class project at Brown University, from which she graduated with a chemical engineering degree in 2009. Sygiel launched her first line of performance underwear, dubbed Sexy Period, in 2009, which has since undergone a rebranding and re-emerged as Dear Kate. The all-female company is headquartered in Providence, R.I.
According to Sygiel, Dear Kates address a big problem few women speak about. More than 60% of women will suffer from “overflow” in a given month, and spend an average of 30 minutes hand-washing their stained underwear in that same month, she discovered during an initial round of surveys. Switching to Dear Kates will also keep an estimated 730 panty liners out of landfills each year, assuming you’re going through two per day, she adds.
“Dear Kates were invented for those days when the last thing you want to worry about is an embarrassing mishap,” Sygiel says. “We can’t reschedule your time of the month or train your unborn child, but we can make life safer for your favorite dress.”
