The story so far… 1 year on.
The Inspiration behind the brand
Back in June 2024, I was sat at home with my partner, discussing the possibility of returning to the sport I love, Hockey, following the birth of my second little girl 7 months prior.
You’d think having a C section that my main concern would have been my abdominal muscles not being fully recovered or my physical fitness not being to the level needed but they wasn’t on my mind. My main cause of anxiety was postpartum leaking that so many women struggle with as the pelvic floor muscles weaken during/following child birth.
This led to my partner and I conducting research into the challenges women face when participating in sport and wow did we fall into a rabbit hole. Not only did I find other women with the same issue as me but I realised that leaking for many reasons was keeping girls/women out of sport.
I very quickly came across three statistics that ignited fire within me to make a difference. They were:
51% of girls drop out of sport by the age of 17 (Always Confidence and Puberty survey, 2016).
‘60% worry about leaking during PE’ - one of the biggest concerns/barriers for young girls participating (Youth sports trust, 2023).
‘7 in 10 girls avoid exercising during their period’ with ‘62% fearing leakage’ (Women in Sport, 2022).
It was during this time that I came across GB Hockey player Tess Howard’s research into inadequate kit for women and her successful campaign for England Hockey to allow shorts to be worn as well as skorts. Providing players with a choice, focussing on comfort, practicality, expression of identity and the importance of playing sport over kit restrictions.
I was now on a mission to develop an inclusive skort and short, with the same design so teams can maintain a professional look regardless of player preference, and yes, you guessed it, with a leak proof protective gusset inside the undershort.
Developing the products
Now, this was an underestimated challenge, with lots of highs and lows. It’s been a journey to say the least.
My first stumbling block was producing a CAD/TECH pack which is in really simple terms, a set of specifications that you need the manufacturer to abide by to produce your garment.
I didn’t know what a CAD or TECH pack was before this or how much detail / experience was needed to produce detailed specifications to manufacturers, in the hope of minimal errors when it comes to production.
It was very clear that I needed assistance in this area, seeking an individual who cared as much as me about my project and also had the skills to assist in a CAD/TECH pack. This is when I found Lily.
I am still so thankful for finding Lily, someone with over 10 years of international design, production and brand experience. Lily graduated to specialise in Performance Sportswear Design, before going to work at brand powerhouses Umbro and Nike. She also has experience working with MyProtein, Hera and Martini Racing.
The CAD/TECH pack was completed and the hunt was on for a manufacturer.
Following discussions with a shortlist of manufacturers, we chose the one. I thought the hard work was done, how wrong I was.
Hundreds of emails, months of fabric testing, multiple sampling rounds, minor corrections, understanding how manufacturers work and not to mention the dreaded three letters… ‘M.O.Q’.
But, we got there and I could not have dreamt of the final product being of such high quality when I first started this project.
Launch
On 6th June 2025, we launched the pre order of our inclusive skort and short. A very proud moment and I know it sounds cliche but it really does feel like the start. I have a new set of skills to learn and I can’t help but feel this journey is going to be full of constant learning, setbacks and great highs.
The mission will always remain the same, to create sportswear that assists girls/women participating in physical education and sport. I truly believe that my first set of products can help achieve this.
- Sarah - Founder/CEO of Hapola