The Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) and outdoor clothing company Astrid Wild are launching a collaboration to develop underwear for women, as well as pregnancy adaptations to the uniform system. This was announced by the Swedish Armed Forces in a press release.
The Swedish Armed Forces state that a robust and resilient defence requires all personnel to have equal conditions to carry out their duties, where functional and durable personal equipment is essential.
"Women should naturally have the same conditions as men to operate and carry out their mission in the Swedish Armed Forces. We now need to find the way forward for a sustainable solution. We are therefore very pleased about the collaboration with Astrid Wild," says Kent Nysten, coordinator of the project and resource manager at the Swedish Armed Forces Support Unit, in the press release.
The project will run for three years, with the goal of developing a design solution that can serve as the basis for future procurement. The work is based on user-driven product development, where female employees within the Swedish Armed Forces test and evaluate the garments in the field.
Astrid Wild was founded in 2019 and focuses on outdoor clothing adapted to women's fit and needs. According to the press release, the company currently has customers in 40 countries, with the Nordic region and Germany as its largest markets.