Iceni period pants - be a warrior not a worrier

We know that periods can be a barrier to sports’ participation so we were intrigued when we heard about these new period pants from Iceni. Yes, there are lots of period pants on the market now but these are special - they have been designed by sports women for girls and women in sport and their USP is that they have been created with particular types of sport and activity in mind. There are several styles - they know that there isn’t a one size fits all for all exercise. .

We love that the brand is called Iceni, named after the tribe led by legendary British ruler Queen Boudica, an example of strength and leadership which are great qualities in any female athlete.

As mums that were passionate to help their very sporty daughters, we set out to make not only our daughters, but all those that have periods, lives easier. We believe that nobody should have to suffer the insecurities or embarrassments that period ‘accidents’ can cause. Research has shown that many girls stop participating in sport due to periods. We wanted our knickers to enable them to continue with sport and activity into womanhood, knowing that they will be completely secure and comfortable - enabling them to be a warrior not a worrier.

Francesca & Vanessa, co-founders of Iceni

Being young, the girls really didn’t want to use any types of sanitary wear which they felt were invasive or uncomfortable. The idea of period pants was born.

Our excitement was soon dampened when we realised that others were making them. Unimpressed with what was available we knew we could make better, even though we had no experience in this industry. After two years of hard work, with many ups and downs, our dream was realised with the creation of Iceni Silver – Period Wear for Sports. Unlike other brands, who have a generic pant design, Iceni underwear is tailored for each specific sport.

The absorbent layer puts Iceni ahead of those that use terry towelling, which relies heavily on its waterproof layer for protection. Iceni Silver’s unique layer has a super absorbent material that absorbs 10 times its weight in under two seconds, soaks up 20 times faster than other materials, whilst the woven in Silvadur controls odours. In addition our waterproof layer also contains Silvadur, giving the wearer double odour protection.

We are immensely proud that our product is not only eco-friendly and sustainable but is also ‘Made in Great Britain’. Unlike our competitors which are produced abroad, we wanted to support British industry; due to current COVID conditions, never before has this been so important. From design to manufacturing, 95% of the product is sourced and made in the UK. For the odd item that isn’t made here then we make a point of buying through a British company.

As an ex-England international netball player and later a PE teacher in London for 20 years, Vanessa saw her students’ confidence, performance and the fun of participating in PE being affected by periods. She also witnessed period poverty within the community - many girls didn’t attend school when they couldn’t afford sanitary wear. No female should have their education or love of sport affected in such a way. As for me, having suffered from endometriosis I knew only too well how one can be frightened to leave the house for fear of an ‘accident’. I firmly believe if I’d had something like Iceni Silver this wouldn’t have been the case.

Excited to launch, disaster struck with Covid-19. This could have affected the manufacture and production but thanks to modern technology we were able to carry on. Everything from meeting to fittings was done over Zoom, something the manufacturer had never done before. Launching during a pandemic was risky, but we believed it was worth it. Females still had periods and needed the security that our underwear offered.

We are thrilled how our product has been received, with great feedback from many world class athletes. It’s been better than we could have imagined and its fantastic to know we can help so many females of all abilities to be active, feel secure and be confident.

Francesca

co-founder Iceni

Thank you Francesca! Now go enter our competition to win a fab Iceni bundle!