I used to hide spare trousers everywhere: in my car boot, desk drawers, even in my church bag. 

One cough and that familiar warm panic spread. It's humiliating yet incredibly common: up to 50% of women over 50 experience bladder leaks, climbing to 75% after age 65. 

Disposable pads seemed like the answer until the maths hit me. I was spending around $1100 each year on pads that still bunched, smelled, and left me feeling damp. 

Industry wide, women spend about 20 billion dollars annually on disposable leak supplies. 

But money isn't the only cost. 

Every discarded pad adds to the staggering 300 pounds of plastic each woman leaves behind, plastic that remains in landfills for up to 800 years. 

I wanted leakproof comfort without the landfill guilt. That’s when I found Vera Undies.