As the menopause draws nearer and we have to deal with symptoms such as pesky hot flushes that take us by surprise at work (especially during important meetings or events) or night sweats that interrupt our sleep and leave us tired and irritated, we all find ourselves asking this crucial question: how do I keep functioning as normally as possible? The solutions that immediately come to mind may be of a medical nature, but here's another possibility – what if the answer is as simple as the right clothes?

This was the simple idea that Become was built on, the idea of using cutting-edge fabric technology to make it easier for menopausal women all over the world to not just keep functioning but to face this period of change with assurance. Moreover, we are a versatile range of menopause clothing, designed and made for women by women, tested and proven to help you stay cool, dry, and confident. 

How does Become work? 

As you enter the perimenopausal and menopausal years, the changing levels of oestrogen in your body can affect your hypothalamus, the section of your brain that regulates your body temperature. Confused by these fluctuating hormones, your hypothalamus sends the wrong messages to the rest of your body, causing you to suddenly feel hot and often sweat profusely. As it tries to regain balance, your body temperature will then drop to compensate for overheating, leaving you feeling cold and clammy.

Understanding this process is the fundamental factor that makes Become clothing different from other cooling clothing brands and activewear. Our unique fabric uses a combination of complex yarns as well as our signature Anti-Flush Technology™ to keep you cool and dry when your body is overheating, and warm and comfortable through the chill that follows. The fabric has four key features that make this possible.

• It cools the skin

Silky and lightweight, our fabric is made using a flat thread and knitted on a cross section, creating a greater surface area for excess heat to be transferred away from your overheating body, with tiny channels in the material that help the heat escape and facilitate faster cooling. This incredible fabric is seamless, breathable and feel fresh against your skin, helping you stay comfortable at all hours.

• It wicks away moisture

Our fabric is layered with two innovative coatings, the first of which is responsible for wicking away excess moisture and works just like your skin does. When your body temperature is high, your skin helps cool it down by producing sweat, which draws heat away from the skin as it evaporates. Our Anti-Flush Technology™ mimics this natural phenomenon, helping your body cool down as it evaporates the excess moisture away.

• It releases heat back when you need it

While the first is all about cooling you down, the second of our innovative coatings has the opposite job – it absorbs the excess heat your body gives off during a hot flush and stores it, releasing it at the opportune point when the post-flush chill hits. This incredible technology not only keeps you feeling comfortable and warm when you need it, it also helps your body maintain a more stable temperature.

• It helps keep odour at bay

Our ingenious fabric is rounded off with an anti-microbial finish that is traditionally used to control odour in extreme sportswear. This technology acts as a barrier between the fabric and any bacteria on your skin, thus sealing off the odour source while it allows the sweat to wick away, keeping you and your Become clothing fresh as a daisy all day long.

Tried, tested, and proven to work

Of course, you don't have to just take our word for it. Become's range of clothes for the menopause has been tested at every stage, from four rounds of prototype testing with women from diverse walks of life and at different points of their menopause journey, testing the products' fit and function. We got doctors and athletes to try them and give us their feedback, then we took it even further.

We had our Anti-Flush Technology™  independently tested by two leading German institutes – the Hohenstein Institute, one of the world's leading research centres in the field of clothing and textile technology, and Inside Climate, a company that specialises in heat and humidity management in the apparel industry. Reassured that our technology works, we then participated in an independent study by the University of Leicester that focused on the effects that wearing a vest top had on 59 real women’s hot flushes and night sweats. 91% of the study's participants found our vest tops to be effective at reducing sweating, and 80% of them said they would recommend it to others. Read more about the study here.

What about activewear?

You may well ask, "why can't I just wear activewear that have wicking capabilities?" If you're someone who already has a lot of sportswear or activewear in your wardrobe, you might think this would do the trick. However, not only does this present a style problem (because, for example, you can't wear activewear to work), it will not be as effective because these fabrics are not designed to manage the heat and perspiration of a hot flush.

When you work out, the heat that your body generates is distributed throughout your body, and sweat is released over a longer period of time, say 30 minutes or more, and your activewear wicks away this moisture gradually. During a hot flush, however, you could expel a lot more heat and sweat in focused areas within a relatively short amount of time, perhaps as little as 5-7 minutes. Standard activewear technology can't wick away so much moisture that fast, nor can it keep you warm through the chill that follows. Become, on the other hand, is specifically engineered to deal with this amount of moisture whilst helping regulate your temperature. And best of all, you can wear it anywhere, from work to home and even the gym.

Beating the flush with style

The thing is, there is no cure for hot flushes. Some women are luckier than others and never experience this uncomfortable symptom, but if you are someone who does, then the reality is that, even with medical intervention, hot flushes can only be managed. You may find that medical solutions work for you, or you may prefer more natural methods of management, but even though these reduce the frequency or intensity of your hot flushes and night sweats, they do still occur (and take you by surprise when they do). There are lots of things you can still do to beat the heat, and equipping yourself with the right clothing is one of the best ways to keep your body cool and your anxiety at bay.

Stay cool all day long

You may find yourself experiencing hot flushes during the daytime, especially during the summer months when being indoors can feel stuffy and warm. Or you may find that they are brought on by stressful work environments or busy days, no matter the season. Become's range of t-shirts and camisoles are super versatile and can be worn with everything from your sharpest business suit to your comfiest jeans. And of course, our range of Anti-Flush briefs and shapewear will also help keep you cool and comfortable throughout the day.

A cooler work-out

One of the greatest ways to ease a lot of your menopause symptoms is exercise, be it your usual gym routine, a yoga or pilates class, or simply a run. While nobody expects you to exercise without breaking a sweat, a hot flush at the gym or a group class may leave you feeling uncomfortable, and the chill that may follow will not help you feel better. Become's range of Anti-Flush vest tops and short-sleeved t-shirts are great for working out in and can even take you straight from work-chic to workout-mode – just slip out of your work trousers and into a pair of our workout-friendly leggings and you're good to go.

Just chilling

Hello weekend! Time to sit back and ease away the stress of the week, preferably without a hot flush getting in the way. Why not put on a pair of our relaxed fit Anti-Flush leggings and head out to the park, get the shopping done, or just unwind? Or, maybe you want to pair one of our camisoles with that new summery skirt and go out for a drink with the girls. Endless possibilities.

A cool night

No matter how cool you stay throughout the day, the night sweats may come along and leave you tossing and turning all night. There are lots of things you can try to keep night sweats at bay, but a good starting point would be to slip into one of our Anti-Flush nightdresses and let it keep you cool, comfortable, and fast asleep until your alarm goes off. Or, if you prefer to sleep in a vest and shorts, that's possible too. Of course, if your bed is your sanctuary, you can go beyond the Become clothing range and try our cooling bedding range for an even better night's sleep.

For more advice and information on how to manage your menopause, visit our Meno Guide here.