Period underwear has been a revelation after eons of disposable menstruation products that aren't good for our bodies, our wallets, or our planet.
Thinx(opens in a new tab) was one of the first to popularize reusable underwear. While it's far from the only mainstay in the market in 2021, the brand has gone to great lengths to expand their offerings over time. Take Thinx's activewear launch in January where they combined their period-absorbing tech with sleek athleisure.
Now, Thinx is making their technology more accessible with Thinx For All(opens in a new tab), an inexpensive line for Target (it's sold both in stores and online).
What's Different About Thinx For All?
Thinx For All features three styles of cotton underwear (brief, bikini, and high waist) with a choice of absorbency styles ("moderate" and "super") and colors (gray and black). Each pair is $17 and comes in sizes XS through 4X (though, sizes may be sold out online or in-store).
Moderate pairs absorb up to three "regular" tampons' worth of blood, or around 27 mL. Super pairs absorb up to five regular tampons, or 45 mL. For the same protection, cotton pairs on their online shop cost $32 and $39, respectively. This new line doesn't have the frills of the full line in the form of multiple styles and colors, but you can have the same protection for up to $22 less — more than the price of one Thinx for All pair.
My experience with Thinx For All
I've been a Thinx customer for years and have seen how both their technology and their design has developed. They sent me a moderate-absorbent black bikini to try, which comes in a coral-colored box ready for store shelves.
I was impressed upon opening: The company has mastered making absorbent period underwear discrete. Gone are the days of bulgy gussets for leak protection; Thinx For All looks like any other pair of undies.
The next question was, then, if Thinx For All was actually protective given the "thinner" material than I was used to. I wore my pair squarely in the middle of my period, so not the lightest nor heaviest time. For a truly "moderate" period day, Thinx For All provided the protection I needed with this pair. I didn't experience any leaks, "gushy" sensations, or other annoyances that come with being a menstruating human.
I'm typically a size medium, and Thinx For All was true to size. The waistband is a bit snug, but I didn't mind that. I also would hesitate to size up given that you want the pair to fit you for the best protection. Given the wide range of sizes, Thinx For All isn't only accessible through their price, but through their size offerings as well.
After 12 hours of wear (a luxury in our work-from-home age), I was surprised that not only were there no leaks, but I didn't see any blood at all. The care for Thinx For All is the same as other Thinx pairs: wash cold and hang dry, or hand wash and hang dry. I tend to do the former, but not before rinsing with cold water. When I rinsed my Thinx For All pair at the end of the day, I saw the familiar pink of blood in the sink. This was assurance that the underwear in fact did absorb my period, and did so without my noticing.
The importance of accessible period products
Menstruating isn't easy, or cheap. Period poverty(opens in a new tab) is a problem around the United States and around the world(opens in a new tab), and the pandemic has only made it worse(opens in a new tab). While 30 states still tax tampons(opens in a new tab), one in five American girls miss school because they don't have period products.
Thinx For All won't solve these mass problems alone, of course. But by cutting the cost of a pair of underwear — some by over 50 percent — the brand has made their technology that much more available. Further, by selling them in a big box retailer like Target, people who don't want to or can't shop online now have access to their underwear as well.
An information card included in the box states that the underwear will stay at "peak performance" for up to 40 washes. Even if someone used and washed one pair for each day of their period — let's say that's seven days — one pair would last for a bit over five period cycles. I'm not saying this is an ideal way to use Thinx For All or period underwear in general, but having pairs at this price point can be revolutionary to those who haven't had access to this technology before.
The beauty of Thinx For All is twofold: It gives people who've previously been priced out a chance to try the product, and it's better for the environment too. Thinx CEO Maria Molland described this duel benefit in a recent press release for Thinx For All, saying, "I'm so thrilled that this expansion enables us to get more Thinx Inc. underwear into more underwear drawers — and less period waste in landfills."
Thinx and period underwear overall has changed my menstruation experience and I believe everyone who wants to try them should be able to. That's not to say there's no competition, even at the low price.
In fact, The Period Company's underwear is slightly cheaper, at either $12 or $14 per pair. I tried their "Sleeper" overnight pair and not their briefs, so I can't do an exact comparison, but I found The Period Company comfortable and protective — if a little thick at the gusset, though I don't mind.
Add to Cart?
Thinx For All may be a bit pricier at $3 more per pair, but they also have the benefit of being available in-store. You can't go wrong with either in terms of leak protection, so whichever you choose depends on which of these factors matters to you.
As for myself, I'm excited to try more of this line from Thinx, particularly the high-waist and super absorbent styles. I can only hope that over time they expand Think For All as they have their usual line, such as including thongs or more colors. For now, though, Thinx For All is on my list for my next Target run.
