Australian underwear brand Step One has just launched its first-ever range of period underwear.
The new range covers three styles, including a thong, a bikini brief and a full brief, all featuring three layers of protection. This includes a top layer of “naturally hygienic” wool jersey, a polyester/cotton knit blend bonded with a TPU membrane in the second layer and a bamboo outer shell that is 95 per cent viscose made from bamboo and 5 per cent elastane.
Claire Edwards, Step One’s head of marketing and communications, said the move into period underwear was guided by customer insights, as well as growing demand for functional and sustainable solutions.
“Step One has always been known for comfort, innovation and purpose-led design, so expanding into period underwear was a natural evolution based on feedback from our community and the market’s shift toward reusable, performance-based alternatives,” Edwards said.
“As a proud member of the Fashion Forever Green Pact, innovation sits at the forefront of our business. This category allows us to offer a reusable product that aims to help reduce the environmental impact caused by single-use menstrual items.”
Step One’s menstrual underwear move joins a raft of players in the local market, including the likes of Modibodi and Boody, among a raft of international incumbents.
According to Next Move Strategy Consulting, the global period underwear market size was valued at US$133.8 million (~A$203 million) in 2023 and is predicted to reach US$357.7 million by 2030 with a CAGR of 15.1 per cent from 2024-2030.
The period care market in general across Australia was valued at $630.0 million in 2020, and is projected to pass just over $1 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 5.3 per cent from 2021 to 2030. This is according to Allied Market Research, which added that period underwear would exhibit the highest CAGR of 7.4 per cent during 2021-2030, owing to the rise in awareness and market penetration of reusable products.
Edwards said that the team are approaching this category the same way the brand was built, focusing on comfort, fit and transparency.
“Rather than chasing trends, our goal is to create genuinely functional products that feel like everyday underwear, with added capability,” Edwards said. “Our in-house developed absorbency technology integrates seamlessly into our existing viscose made from bamboo fabrics, meaning customers do not have to compromise on softness, breathability or silhouette.
“What sets our design apart is our custom absorbent core knit, which combines absorbency and waterproofing in a single layer. Some products on the market rely on multiple bulky layers of terry cloth for higher absorbency, but our construction remains lightweight, breathable, and fast-drying without compromising on protection.
“We have also carried out extensive in-house testing on absorbency, comfort, and durability.”
From a back-end perspective, Edwards noted the core production capabilities didn’t need an overhaul, as the team already focus on technically designed underwear.
Step One collaborated closely across its product development, technical and sustainability teams to refine fabric innovation and absorbency integration.
“ The same design and testing principles that define all our garments were applied here, ensuring quality and performance from the outset,” Edwards said.
“This project was led by women, created by women for women. It was important to us that every decision, from fabric selection to fit testing, reflected real experiences and practical needs.
“We developed and refined multiple versions, constantly testing, editing and stress testing the product until we achieved the right balance of comfort and performance. We also invited friends, family and existing Step One customers to trial early samples and share their most honest feedback.
“That direct, ongoing feedback loop with our community and production team helped us create a product that truly delivers on comfort, confidence and performance, designed to make women’s lives easier in a meaningful way.”