We want to radically change the way we think about underwear. Rather than asking people to change their habits throughout the month, we design a range of products that match the body’s needs. From leaks to bleeds and dry days, Hala underwear is designed to provide comfort through whatever life brings, be safe to use, and fit many different body shapes well.
We’ve reimagined underwear, so you can feel at ease and no longer have to choose between what works and what feels good. Four main principles are guiding our decisions throughout our product development:
Comfort
Our designs are developed in-house by us – women with discharge and periods. We know on our own bodies what does not work with existing period products and underwear, and our design process starts there. What issues do we face, and how can we create products that mitigate these things.
Designing products with a comfortable fit is really important to us. If it’s not comfortable, it won’t be used, and it really shouldn’t be uncomfortable to bleed every month or to have other leaks, or to just wear regular underwear with bad fit. We aim to make underwear that feels like second skin: no tight seams, breathable fabrics, and efficient absorbency.
We also believe that comfortable underwear should not be limited to a narrow segment of body types, so we spend a lot(!) of time on thoroughly developing a large size range, testing our products on various bodies (Hala Discoverers), and going through many sample rounds, fittings and adjustments. It took us 2.5 years to develop our first collection!
Functionality
It’s the sewn-in gusset that does all the magic. The inner fabric layer next to your skin is super soft and fast absorbing, and it transports the liquid to the middle layer(s) of the gusset. These fabric layers are specifically chosen to be highly absorbent, and the amount of layers depends on the level of absorbency. Finally, there’s the outer gusset layer, which stops the liquid from leaking through.
Simply put on your leakproof underwear and go about your day. After use, rinse in cold water if bloody, and then wash along with your regular washing cycle. Easy!
Oh, and the best thing? Our unique gusset design is developed with a minimum of synthetic materials. This means absolutely no plastic close to your skin or in the absorbent layers.
We also have a range of underwear for everyday use. Our Super Light absorbency is developed with a perfectly shaped gusset and material that absorbs discharge quickly and keeps you dry all day. No leakproof layer here, just underwear for everyday use, but better.
Each of our styles comes in a range of absorbencies for any day of your cycle and any season of life.
Safety
To us, safety means safe to wear, safe for the manufactures, and safe for the planet. This is why we only use fabrics that are as a minimum GOTS- or OEKO-TEX-certified, which ensures that the products are free from a vast number of harmful chemicals.
We avoid polyester and other synthetic materials as much as possible, because, well, it’s plastic. Its production is harmful for the environment (hello fossil fuels) and sheds a ton of microplastics when washed. What’s more, polyester materials breed bacteria and produce unpleasant odours as a result. To combat this, polyester is often treated with silver to keep it bacteria and smell free, but silver is a heavy metal and is harmful to the environment and potentially also to humans. Shocking, right? So, why is it used so much? Well, it’s cheap and fast drying. Seemingly perfect for leakproof underwear.
But we demanded more. We made it a primary goal to develop leakproof underwear that contains only the absolute functional minimum use of synthetic fibres, and we managed! We only have a very thin polyester lining in the outer gusset layer (not by the skin), which is film-laminated and ensures the leakproofness, and 8% elastane in the shell fabric, which ensures that your underwear keep their shape after wear and wash and can be used again and again. Other than that, the fabrics used for Hala underwear are TENCEL™ micromodal, which is made from regenerated cellulose (derived from wood fibre), as well as the natural fibres hemp and cotton. And guess what? It works like magic!
Style
We want as many people as possible to be able to choose a pair of underwear in the style they usually wear, but with the added benefit of leakproof protection. For our very first collection, we went ahead and designed no less than eight different styles! From boxers and full brief comfy styles to more cheeky high-cut styles and thongs.
More than that, we always work hard to ensure a great fit for various body shapes and sizes. Our size range covers size XS to 4XL, and we test our styles on many different body types, adjust, then test again and again and again.
We prioritise quality fabrics, clean lines, and simple yet effective design details, such as our bound seam edges that follow your curves instead of cutting right into them.