Pampers diapers, a product distributed by Procter & Gamble, is pictured on sale at a Ralphs grocery store in Pasadena, California January 21, 2014. Procter & Gamble Co, the world's largest household products maker, reported lower quarterly profit on Janua
Pampers diapers, a product distributed by Procter & Gamble, is pictured on sale at a Ralphs grocery store in Pasadena, California January 21, 2014. Procter & Gamble Co, the world's largest household products maker, reported lower quarterly profit on January 24, 2013, hurt by unfavorable currency movements and lower gross profit margin. Picture taken January 21, 2014. Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

There’s nothing sexy about wetting your underpants because you can no longer hold it. However, there’s also nothing funny about it, as incontinence is considered a global health concern.

For Kiwi-based company ConfiTEX, it’s high time to educate the public on the growing problem of incontinence, not only in Australia but also across the globe. Just recently, the company specialising in underwear fashion technology has launched a line of textile-based underwear to break the taboo surrounding incontinence.

According to the company’s website, the idea behind the sexy incontinence knickers started with small conversations involving the owners’ friends and relatives. “We first began this journey because several of our family and friends had the courage to talk to us about the issues they were facing with bladder and bowel control (medically termed incontinence),” the company.

Mark Davey and Frantisek Riha-Scott, the company’s co-founders, noted they were disappointed with the existing incontinence underwear on the market; hence the idea of producing sexy, anti-urinary incontinence underwear came to mind. The ConfiTEX incontinence underwear line’s goal is simple: to introduce a set of products that will help consumers face incontinence without losing confidence due to unattractive and conspicuous underwear.

“Incontinence undies [on the market] have such horrendous designs, and I thought I could help,” Riha-Scott told the Herald Sun. “Even women with bladder problems deserve to look sexy and fashionable and being able to look great can really restore people’s confidence.”

Aside from having no plastic and pad, the revolutionary underwear is made from a special material capable of absorbing liquid looks like regular, sexy lingerie. According to the company’s CEOs, their product will also help elite athletes — marathoners, cyclists and swimmers — doing long-distance events, as their respective sports do not allow them to have toilet breaks.

Comfort-centric underwear is very much in demand today. In Canada, a luxury underwear brand has also released a line of men’s briefs that promises to give ultimate comfort without sacrificing aesthetics.

Naked Brand Group, Inc. uses the micromodal cotton technology to give its products the ultimate fit and comfort every man needs. The company said that wearing its micromodal products is "close to wearing nothing at all."

“We believe it’s what’s inside that really counts. Luxurious fabric like nothing you’ve ever worn before, smooth, flatlock constructed seams, and a hidden waistband so comfortable you will forget it’s even there,” the company states on its website.

According to European Urology, urgency urinary incontinence, or UUI, affects millions of men and women worldwide. Its multinational study reveals that the annual cost-of-illness estimate for UUI in Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom is €7 billion.

In Australia alone, more than 4.8 million Australians experience bladder or bowel control problems. According to the Australian Continence Foundation, UUI affects up to 13 percent of Australian men and up to 37 percent of Australian women.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au