Thinx

Key takeaways

Thinx belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Thinx to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Thinx from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Thinx is a New York–based company that sells period underwear, an undergarment designed to be as absorbent as traditional feminine hygiene products. Since 2022, Kimberly-Clark has had a majority stake in the business.

History Thinx was founded in 2011 by Antonia Saint Dunbar, Miki Agrawal, and Radha Agrawal. In 2018, Thinx released a new line called (BTWN), which offers period underwear for teens and tweens. In June 2019, Thinx released Thinx Air, a quick-drying version of its underwear. As of 2021, Thinx has released its first activewear collection, which includes leggings, cycle shorts, training shorts, and leotards that are available in multiple colors. The four-piece collection functions like other Thinx underwear, but the gusset design is longer and shaped differently to accommodate active lifestyles. Miki Agrawal stepped down as CEO in 2017, after a former employee alleged that she had engaged in inappropriate office behavior. Maria Molland took over as CEO, and under her leadership, Thinx was placed on shelves in Target and Walmart. In 2019, Kimberly-Clark made a minority investment in Thinx, and in February 2022, it acquired a majority stake in the company. In May 2022, Maria Molland stepped down as CEO, and the company appointed Meghan Davis as its new CEO.

Lawsuits In 2020, lawsuits were filed against Thinx alleging misleading marketing following an independent test of the company's products that revealed the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a type of chemical found in consumer products and linked to numerous long-term health risks. The lawsuits called into question whether Thinx marketing claim that its products were "organic, sustainable and nontoxic" was deceptive. In May 2022, the lawsuits were combined into a proposed class action, and the company reached a settlement in the case in November. In January 2023, the terms of the settlement were announced to consumers, which included no admission of wrongdoing and the company agreeing to pay up to US$5 million to consumers. Thinx also put out a statement alleging that PFAS are not part of the product design and going forward, it would ensure PFAS are not added to its products. On January 29, 2024, CEO Meghan Davis announced on a company-wide Zoom call that 95 of the 109 staff members would be losing their jobs on May 1. Five of the laid-off employees were offered positions as employees of Kimberly-Clark, Thinx's parent company. Later reporting indicated the number of employees integrated into Kimberly-Clark was a less striking thirty-two.

Products Thinx underwear comes in a range of styles from boyshorts to thongs and includes two patented technologies. One is to absorb different amounts of blood, and the other absorbs different amounts of urine. The underwear has been reported as being antimicrobial, moisture-wicking, absorbent, and leak resistant. In 2019, Thinx launched Thinx Super, which is a double-absorbency product that claims to hold up to four tampons' worth of flow. The underwear cost about $35 per pair. Thinx introduced a pair that cost $17 in order to better compete with new lines of period underwear from large brands like Aerie and Hanes.

Marketing Thinx earned a reputation for its controversial ads. In October 2015, Outfront Media rejected Thinx's subway advertisements due to the fact that the ads used the word "period" and included suggestive visuals of food. Following a social media outcry, the ads were finally allowed to be shown. In 2016, Thinx received attention for featuring trans male models in its ads for period underwear. In November 2016, Thinx launched an ad referencing the Donald Trump Access Hollywood tape. The San Francisco subway banned the ads due to the use of the word "pussy". In November 2017, they created a "PMS truck", a truck visiting three cities, allowing visitors to step inside to shop for Thinx products and talk with brand representatives regarding period health. In 2019, Thinx rolled out a national ad campaign featuring a young boy getting his first period with the tagline: "What if we all had periods?" and subsequent campaigns focused on reducing period stigma by showcasing men. These ads were banned by several TV networks including CBS for being "too graphic". After 2019, employees noticed that Thinx's marketing direction changed, featuring fewer images of people in underwear, and treating periods like something to hide. In 2022, a television showed a mom starting to demonstrate tampon use to her daughter before a sister interrupts the scene with Thinx underwear, saying "Mom won't have to show you how to use them." Employees felt that Thinx's advertising no longer destigmatized menstruation.

Reception TIME named Thinx period panties as one of the best inventions of 2015. Fast Company named Thinx one of the most innovative companies of 2017, pointing to founder Agrawal's promotional campaigns and her application of "high-tech merchandise, considered design, and a rule-breaking philosophy" to launches of new products. In 2019 Thinx leaders signed a letter condemning the abortion bans being put into place across the country.

See also Menstrual cup Period underwear Tampon Lunapads Pantyliners

References

External links Thinx Official Website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Thinx

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Thinx claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Thinx before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Thinx ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Thinx

In research: Thinx appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Thinx in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Thinx is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Feminine hygiene, Feminine hygiene brands, Incontinence, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Thinx outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Thinx in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Thinx means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Thinx out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Thinx in simple terms?

Thinx is a New York–based company that sells period underwear, an undergarment designed to be as absorbent as traditional feminine hygiene products. Since 2022, Kimberly-Clark has had a majority stake in the business.

Why does Thinx matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Thinx?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Thinx.