Nike Releases Leak-Protection Shorts (No, They're Not the Same as Thinx)

ICYMI, England's women's soccer team debuted new kits that swap out their signature white shorts to blue, a move that unfortunately took a lot of lobbying to achieve. Players' concerns over bleed through sparked the conversation, and rightfully so. Who the hell would wanna play any damn thing on their period in white shorts???

The redesigned England Lioness kits are about more than just a color swap, each team Nike outfits will also include shorts with new leak-proof lining the Swoosh has dubbed Nike Leak Protection: Period.

​These aren't like Thinx or other absorbent underwear, Nike's version is designed to be a second layer of protection against leaks, so a tampon, pad, or cup would still be necessary. Nike describes the tech as a "two-layer laminate gusset and liner that absorbs, wicks and holds blood with a membrane that acts as an anti-leakage barrier."

"Fear of bleed-through is real — and not just through the teen years, but through the entire journey of menstruation," says Lisa Gibson, Senior Project Manager, Nike Apparel Innovation, and a key player in developing this new 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. It's an innovation that we believe will change people's lives."

The first item in the Nike One Leak Protection: Period is a mid-rise biker short in pale blue, black, and coral in girls, women's, and plus size ranges for $50-$68 USD. Shop the shorts via Nike and select stores.