IMPACT REPORT 2025
An update on what we've been up to, and where we're heading.
We’re on a mission to fuel confidence, resilience, and joy through sport.
We are driven by a belief that every girl and woman deserves the freedom to play, move, and compete without limitations. As a purpose-driven brand, we design products that challenge outdated norms and solve the very real barriers that too often force girls out of the game. We are not just rethinking performance wear. We are imagining what it means to feel confident in your body, every day of the cycle.
Through our Girls in Motion Foundation, we’re taking that mission further by helping eliminate financial and emotional roadblocks that keep too many girls out of sports. By supporting local programs and young athletes, we are building a future where confidence, strength, and access to movement are not a luxury. They are a right. Because when more girls move, compete, and lead, the impact reaches far beyond the field.
Keeping Girls In Sports
We are deeply committed to helping young girls and women stay in sport, because the barriers they face are both physical and emotional. Studies show that nearly 1 in 2 girls (48 percent) drop out of sports during puberty (Women’s Sport Foundation, 2022), with menstruation cited as one of the top reasons. Research from the UK’s Women in Sport charity found that 7 in 10 girls feel self-conscious playing sports during their period, while 6 in 10 avoid sport altogether during menstruation (Women in Sport, 2022). Mental distress, anxiety, physical pain, and fear of embarrassment all contribute to this dropout trend, with long-term impacts on confidence, body image, and physical health.
Sources:
- Women’s Sport Foundation — Keeping Girls in the Game: Factors That Influence Sport Participation (2022): https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org
- Women in Sport (UK Charity) — Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls (2022): https://www.womeninsport.org
- Plan International UK — Break the Barriers: Girls’ Experiences of Menstruation in the UK (2018): https://plan-uk.org
We believe that no girl should have to sit out, feel ashamed, or lose her sense of belonging in sport because of her period. We are working to change this reality by providing performance-driven leakproof underwear that allows girls and women to move confidently, without distraction or fear. But we know product innovation alone is not enough. That is why we launched the Girls in Motion Foundation, a dedicated initiative that provides free gear, education, and support to youth sports teams and underserved communities across Canada.
Our mission extends beyond product. We are continuously partnering with female athletes, coaches, and sports organizations to create social change movements that normalize conversations about menstruation in sport and equip girls with the tools and knowledge to stay in the game. Together, we can help foster a generation of young athletes who move, train, and compete without fear or limitation.
Girls in Motion Foundation
The Girls in Motion Foundation is our ongoing social impact initiative at Athleticus Research™. Through this program, we provide free access to leakproof performance underwear to girls and women experiencing financial barriers or period poverty. It’s one of the ways we’re actively removing obstacles to sport and supporting confident movement for all.
This foundation directly supports:
- Youth athletes at risk of dropping out of sport due to lack of period support.
- School programs and community teams in undeserved areas.
- Partnerships with coaches and organizations to distribute gear and education.
We’re not just building product.
We’re building a movement that ensures every girl can move, train, and play without limits.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Move freely. Tread Lightly.
At Athleticus Research, we believe empowering girls and women in sport should never come at the expense of the planet. That is why we are committed to designing performance-driven products with a mindful approach to environmental responsibility. Every pair of our leakproof underwear helps reduce the staggering amount of waste generated by disposable period products, which are predominantly made of plastic and can take centuries to decompose in landfills.
To date, our community has helped divert tens of thousands of pads and tampons from waste streams. Each pair of our CORE:TX™ Leakproof Underwear replaces hundreds of single-use products over its lifespan. This also saves significant amounts of water and energy that would otherwise be used to manufacture disposables. In addition, all of our packaging is 100 percent compostable, which significantly reduces the need for plastic mailers and helps us reduce secondary packaging waste with every order shipped.
We take a thoughtful, small-batch approach to production and intentionally avoid the waste and environmental toll associated with fast fashion cycles. As we grow, we remain committed to continuously improving our materials and processes. Our goal is to ensure that girls and women can trust our products not only to support their performance, but also to help protect the planet they move through every day.
OUR COMMITMENT
A future where no girl or woman is held back by her period, and where the choices we make as a brand contribute to a healthier planet with less waste.
Our approach to reducing waste starts with intentional design and a focus on long-term impact. We create high-performance, reusable products that offer a sustainable alternative to single-use period items, helping to keep unnecessary waste out of landfills. Every material we choose is selected with care, aiming to extend the life of our products while supporting a more sustainable future.
In 2025, we transitioned to compostable packaging, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bags in our shipments. At the same time, we strengthened our commitment to product durability, ensuring each pair of leakproof underwear can be worn, washed, and relied on cycle after cycle. By extending product life and reducing disposable waste, we're moving toward a more circular system, one where every choice supports both people and the planet.
Each pair of our CORE:TX™ Leakproof Underwear is designed to replace up to 700 single-use period products over its lifespan, helping to divert an estimated 10.5kg of waste per user from landfills. On average, a single disposable pad can take 500 to 800 years to fully decompose in landfill, while a typical user generates approximately 125 to 150 kilograms of menstrual product waste in a lifetime.
Our textiles are engineered for long-term durability and tested for up to 60+ wash cycles to ensure consistent performance over time. In 2025, we also transitioned to fully compostable mailers made from PLA biopolymers derived from renewable plant sources, reducing fossil fuel-based plastic waste from our packaging supply chain.
At our core, we believe performance should never come at the cost of health or environmental safety. That is why we are actively working to minimize the presence of PFAS, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in our products.
PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that have been used for decades to make products resistant to water, stains, and heat. However, they are known to persist in the environment and in our bodies, which has raised concerns among health and environmental experts.
We do not intentionally add PFAS to any of our products. Still, because these substances are widespread across global supply chains, trace amounts can sometimes be found in raw materials or components beyond our direct oversight. Our materials are third-party tested to ensure they meet both safety and performance standards. We also review chemical inputs regularly across our supply chain. We are working closely with our partners to screen for PFAS and to prioritize safer, more responsible alternatives.
As new science and regulations emerge, we are committed to improving transparency and making thoughtful choices that reflect our responsibility to both people and the planet.
"Finally found period gear that works for training and helps cut waste.One pair replaces so many pads. Big win."
- Jess A.
Change Begins with intentions: every material, every decision, made with purpose.
We’re deeply committed to responsible design and production. From sourcing performance fabrics to crafting leakproof technology that lasts, we work closely with our trusted manufacturing partners to uphold high standards in quality, sustainability, and transparency.
Our products are the result of ongoing collaboration across material suppliers, production teams, and fulfillment partners, each aligned with our goal to minimize waste and maximize comfort for active girls and women. We focus our efforts where they matter the most: with partners who share our commitment to ethical practices and long-term environmental impact.
Woven with purpose: Trust in every stitch
Our products are made possible through a network of trusted manufacturing partners across the globe. Today, we collaborate with facilities in Vietnam, China, and South Korea. These regions are recognized not only for their technical expertise in textiles but also for their growing commitment to ethical labor and environmental standards.
Each of our partners is carefully selected based on their ability to meet high-performance quality, maintain safe and fair working conditions, and implement sustainable practices such as wastewater treatment and material recycling.
Looking ahead, our goal for 2026 is to expand our manufacturing partnerships to include facilities in countries like Colombia, Turkey, and Indonesia. These regions rely heavily on apparel manufacturing for economic development, and we see strong potential to increase our social impact by working with factories that support workforce well-being, transparency, and cleaner production methods.
By building long-term relationships with responsible partners, we are creating a more equitable and traceable supply chain. This supports our larger mission to empower girls and women in every step of the journey, from fiber to final product.
Our mission goes beyond performance wear. We're working toward a future where no girl feels held back from sport because of her period. We believe confidence on the court, field, or track starts with feeling comfortable in your own body.
We're committed to breaking down period stigma, expanding access to leakproof gear, and investing in the communities that need it most. Our goal is to help shift the culture of sport so that all girls can rise, compete, and lead without limits.
This is just the beginning.
