Whether you're an avid gym bunny who spends your weekends on city trails and running in the countryside, or a fitness novice who doesn't know their dumbbells from their YBells, we can all agree that the right clothing can make all the difference, no matter how you break a sweat.
Over 13 million women have said they’d like to do more sport and physical activity according to a study by Sport England, and recent research by the Nuffield Health Healthier Nation Index shows that 40% of women cite embarrassment as a barrier to exercise. To help try to change that, Nike has created comfortable, functional clothes after doubling down on their women’s innovation investment to better understand both the female body and women's needs.
One of the most advanced pieces in their new 2023 line is the Nike One Leak Protection: Period Short, which is made with a laminate gusset and a discreet, highly absorbent liner to put your mind at ease as you embrace sport as a daily practice. While there may be many reasons you don't want to work out when menstruating, leaking doesn't need to be one of them anymore. When wearing alongside tampons or a menstrual cup, the nifty added source of protection can help put your mind at ease so you can do a squat without a worry.
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Using cutting-edge 3D CLO technology and testing over 30 prototypes, the built-in brief was perfected to work with the contours and movements of the body. The same innovation is used as an extra source of protection in the base layer of the Nike Pro Short, a part of their 2023 World Cup kits. If it's good enough for the Lionesses, it's definitely good enough for us...
Another feature throughout the latest collection is Nike's commitment to sustainability, with Nike's Senior Product Director Flavia Cervantes noting that 'it's all about how can we find the best quality while also using sustainable materials'. 'You can buy a lifelong product that is also good for the planet, and feel good about your purchase,' she adds.
As stated in the company's FY22 report, currently 97% of Nike's waste is diverted from landfill, with 72% of their waste being recycled. Most of their design that have launched this year are made with an average between 50 and 75% recycled materials, using earth-friendly dyes to the tiniest details of embroidery made with recycled thread. This commitment to tackling climate change ties in with the Period Shorts (which is also their first ever menstrual product) being something you'll never have to throw away, even if you end up leaking onto the material.
Featuring heavily in their recently dropped line are supportive bras and leggings with clever pockets, which come in a refreshing number of size options too (many items are available in sizes up to 4X/UK 32). Cervantes notes that 'there's been a huge push internally and a big investment in our research development, insight gathering, materials, innovation and fit'.
From the company's research of what women want from sportswear, one of the issues it frequently heard was how many women are 'shoving their phone, keys, money, and even nutrition in their bra before going on a run’.
Enter a revamped version of the iconic Swoosh Bra, which is fitted with three three mesh-lined pockets for extra storage needs. Gone are the days of an iPhone falling out of your cleavage and awkward running belts hitting your midriff. Each new bra offering (including the sleek Indy, the minimalistic Alate and the Flyknit 2.0, which come in a record 30 sizes) is also available in different support levels, so you don’t have to sacrifice your favourite style for practicality.
The Nike Go Leggings similarly provide a compressive locked-in feel with their innovative material InfinaLock, made with a dense structure helping to ensure your leggings stay in place. For something more lightweight, there's the buttery soft Zenvy Tight which still feel supportive but you'll easily forget they're on. Which, quite frankly, can be the key to whether you have a good workout or not.
Another exciting new collection is the Nike Trail line, designed specifically with city women in mind. Here’s where the beauty of the packable Trail Jacket comes in, which can be – hence the name – packed up into itself making a neat little parcel. There’s a safety whistle attached too, which you can remove as you wish (an element that nods to 84% of women having been harassed while running). When paired with the matching Trail Short with storage built into the liner, the packed up jacket is compressed against the skin and therefore doesn’t drag your shorts down while you exercise. Just another added bonus that makes this collection make us want to move.
