Expecting mothers are being added to the list of athletes Nike is catering to, with the launch of the Nike M line -- the brand's first-ever maternity line that's designed to support women through various stages of pregnancy and post-partum.
With the aim of understanding how the body grows and changes throughout pregnancy, Nike underwent three years of research and development, collecting and studying over 150,000 scans of different womens' bodies. From there, the brand was able to collaborate with 30 athletes, testing 70 different fabrics and materials.
The end result, is a line that emphasizes science and maternity apparel, offering tights, a sports bra, a tank top and a fleece. Each of the items were designed with technical abilities, like breast pump incorporation, moisture management, extra padding and more.
Image Credit: Nike
What's Driving This Trend
- Maternity Sportswear
- The creation of sportswear for expectant mothers represents a trend in the fashion and fitness industries towards increased inclusivity and diversity, with huge potential for growth in sales.
- Science-based Apparel
- The development of apparel using scientific research and body scans presents opportunities for innovation in the sportswear and medical industries to create more tailored and effective products.
- Technical Maternity Apparel
- The incorporation of technical abilities such as breast pump incorporation and moisture management into maternity apparel is a trend that addresses the specific needs of expectant mothers, and could lead to further innovations in the fashion industry.
Who This Affects Most
- Fashion
- The creation of maternity sportswear represents a potential innovation opportunity in the fashion industry to provide greater inclusivity and accessibility, while also fulfilling specific needs of consumers.
- Fitness
- The development of science-backed maternity sportswear provides a growth opportunity for the fitness industry to cater to a wider range of consumers and their specific needs during pregnancy and post-partum recovery.
- Medical
- The scientific research and development of maternity apparel offers potential for disruptive innovation in the medical industry to create more effective and tailored products for expectant mothers.
