Extensive research delivers leggings breakthrough, Berghaus claims
Outdoor brand Berghaus has launched ZonalAdapt, a textile technology specifically for legwear. The company said the technology is “engineered to adapt to the way women’s bodies move and change”.
Berghaus said ZonalAdapt is the result of an 18-month project that has been informed by extensive consumer insights.
Its research suggests that more than 50% of women avoid wearing their favourite clothes owing to feeling bloated at times, while 70% feel restricted in the leggings they can wear when their bodies fluctuate. Women report feeling self-conscious when bloated, two-and-a-half times more than men.
More than 100 women, anatomists and scientists “tested and shaped” the new products to work out the best way to adapt leggings “to the unique needs of a woman’s body”, the company said.
In workshops and during hikes, Berghaus had honest conversations with women about bloating, gut issues, cramps and comfort, which became the foundation for design decisions.
What emerged was that there is a zone from mid-torso to upper thigh where discomfort can hit women hardest. In garments, this affects waistbands that dig in, leggings that roll down and fabrics that chafe.
Led by head of innovation, Rosie O’Sullivan, Berghaus set out to engineer leggings and trousers that support the natural shifts in women’s bodies, without compromising on performance.
Products to have come out of this work so far include Farren leggings and trousers. Both products incorporate key features that adapt to the way women’s bodies move and change, Berghaus said.
This includes what the brand has called a “responsive waistband”, which maps the abdominal muscles with a front panel that redirects pressure from the stomach during bloating. This offers greater balance, support and relief without compromising fit.
Another feature is a series of targeted compression zones. These activate the leg muscles and stimulate lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness and fatigue. This keeps leggings in place without relying on a restrictive waistband.
There is also a lumbar support panel, which grips the lower back to create support at the base of the spine and hold the leggings in place without adding pressure to the stomach.
The Berghaus Farren products are made with Lycra Adaptiv fibre, composed of 78% polyamide and 22% elastane. This fibre choice is conducive to garments that adapt to the body’s shape, Berghaus said, “delivering stretch, support, and comfort that responds to every movement”.
