The period underwear market has exploded in recent years. Leading brands such as Australia’s Modibodi and the US brand Thinx are now facing a host of competitors eager to grab a slice of the fast-growing market.
Major retailers such as Big W, Coles and David Jones stock the environmentally-friendly alternatives to tampons and pads and they are also widely available online through leading e-tailers.
Basically, period underwear panties can absorb menstrual blood better, wipe away moisture, fight bacteria and are odour-free. They are also less likely to leak and are re-usable. There’s also a style to suit every taste from bikini to high waist.
Kimberly-Clark, the US multinational which owns Kleenex and Huggies nappies, introduced the first disposable feminine hygiene brand – Kotex – in 1920. So it’s a natural segue to buy a majority stake in Thinx, a pioneer of the period underwear market, to extend its reach in the multi-billion dollar global feminine hygiene market.
Founded in 2013, Thinx quickly expanded to Australia, which became its third largest market by 2019. The company sells through its own website – www.shethinx.com – and has spread the word with two pop-up shops in Sydney. Nourished Life is the brand’s official Australian stockist.
Kimberly-Clark took a minority stake in Thinx in 2019 and has upped the ante by acquiring a controlling share in the company for an undisclosed sum. The buyout gives Thinx access to the multinational’s expertise and resources, including its wide-ranging distribution network of department stores, discount department stores, supermarkets and pharmacies in leading markets such as the US, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Our investment in the success of Thinx represents a compelling strategic fit as we build our portfolio of period and light bladder leakage solutions, and we are excited for the opportunity this expanded partnership will provide for both Kimberley-Clark and Thinx, says Russ Torres, Group President of Kimberly-Clark’s North American consumer business.
“The investment in Thinx paves the road for collaboration and allows us to work together to drive category growth with our retail partners while continuing to support Thinx in direct-to-consumer channels.”