The timing could not be worse. Your bag is packed, your swimsuit finally fits just right, and your friends have been buzzing about this trip for weeks. Then your period arrives. Suddenly, the excitement of sun and sea feels replaced by a quiet dread: pads might feel uncomfortable, tampons may not feel safe, and the thought of spending the holiday hiding leaks overshadows the joy of swimming. For many Egyptian women, the choice has long been to cancel, sit out, or suffer in silence.
Heidi Heweidy, the founder of Sett Bikinis, knows this frustration intimately.
“Going on a trip or on vacation or even like a planned friend’s trip can be hard. First, the disappointment that I’m on my period and then:where’s the nearest toilet? I’m going to hide my pad with me. Looking back, it was really heavy and very difficult to be able to enjoy freedom and just, you know, beach time while you’re on your period.”
Today, Sett Bikinis is the first Egyptian brand making period-proof swimwear. The swimwear is designed for women to swim while menstruating without stress. Whether it was for sports swimming or just tanning on the beach, it is described as leak-proof swimwear that can be worn without worrying about leaks.
Heweidy does not treat it like a typical start-up.
“It’s more than a business,” Heweidy says, “It gave me a purpose and gives women back their plans.”
The “why” behind Sett
The idea started far from home.
In 2017, after moving to Australia, Heweidy spotted period swimwear by chance and bought a piece. “It changed everything,” she describes. Every trip back to Cairo turned into requests from her sister, cousins, and then friends of friends for a pair as well. Clearly, the need existed, but not the product.
Motherhood gave her the push. During a year of maternity leave, she decided to build Sett, launching in July last year with a mid-rise bikini bottom.
This summer she added a high-waist bottom and two one-piece suits. The designs are simple on purpose: easy to mix and match with one’s favorite top or to wear under a swimsuit. Fit matters, she stresses. The tech only works if the fabric hugs the body.
Inside the Design of Period Swimwear
Period swimwear is not magic—it is the result of smart fabric engineering.
According to Heweidy, each bikini bottom consists of four layers. A moisture-wicking top for comfort, an absorbent core to trap period fluid, and a leak-resistant layer that helps stop pool water from soaking in and keeps leaks from getting out and the layer of the swimsuit fabric. Big global brands describe similar builds, often adding a thin waterproof layer for swimming activities.
“It absorbs two to three tampons equivalent to fluid, so that’s 15 to 25 ml, which is a lot,” explains Heweidy.
The recommended flow level is modest. “It’s low to moderate flow only. That said, there are some risk-taking customers of mine that actually wore it on their high flow, and they didn’t have leaks. It’s very personal and subjective. But, best follow instructions for best practice, this is for low to moderate flow.”
Comfort was also non-negotiable.
“While you’re wearing it, it’s a swimsuit, but better, so you don’t feel like you’re wearing a pad. You don’t feel anything at all. It is padded, but it’s very compact. And you don’t feel it. And it’s very skin friendly. It’s really, as if you’re wearing swimwear that does not leak anything outside or inside.”
Each suit can be worn for up to seven hours out of water, or until it reaches capacity. Care is simple: rinse with soapy water, wash cold, and avoid fabric softener.
In plain terms: many women can wear it alone on lighter days, or pair it with another method on heavier ones. These terms of usage mirror how the category is used worldwide, and how health reviewers talk about it.
Soft steps in a loud debate
The bigger barrier is not the fabric, it is the taboo.
In local Facebook groups, Heweidy watched women ask, “What do I do? My trip is booked and my period has just started.” Strangers sometimes replied with shame or myths on how women could not swim on their period. Heweidy chose a softer approach: answer questions, share facts, and let happy customers talk. Word of mouth did the heavy lifting.
It is a common misconception that it is unhygienic to swim on your period. However, it is very hygienic, especially in a well-maintained, chlorinated pool or salt water. Chlorine helps neutralize contaminants, including menstrual fluid. Medical and menstrual-health sources say swimming during your period is safe and sanitary in properly treated pools.
Recent assessments led by UNICEF, WaterAid and partners highlight that in Egypt, menstrual health education and monitoring systems are still being strengthened, and stigma can limit girls’ choices and confidence. UNFPA’s 2025 policy paper also points to the need for better information, cross-sector action, and normalizing the topic.
Products like period swimwear do not fix everything, but they help change daily life in visible spaces like beaches and pools.
Trust, one DM at a time
Sett’s sales channel is intentionally personal for now: Instagram DMs and pop-ups while a website is in the works. Prices range roughly from EGP 2,000 (USD 41) to EGP 3,700 (USD 77) depending on the style.
Heweidy reads every message herself. Favorite notes include mothers of teenagers who got their first period and still made it to the pool party or the swim meet. The few negative experiences usually come down to one thing: fit.
“So far the feedback has been positive. Maybe literally two people- they mentioned that they had a leak, a very special circumstance where they actually bought the wrong size. That’s why it has to be fitting. You cannot buy one size bigger than you because the technology is not going to work. But other than that, not a single negative feedback. They love it. They express how it has changed their lives.”
One group of customers has been especially meaningful.
“Plenty of moms with teenage daughters that have had their periods for the first time are reaching out to me […] they get the swimwear for their daughters and they come back to me after seeing their daughters’ happiness, and buy another pair for themselves.”
Why not tampons?
Heidi does not shy away from comparing her product to other menstrual solutions.
“Some people talk about tampons. I mean this is something that I am planning on focusing on: raising awareness, [as] tampons are not healthy. There are toxic metals in them. There are [also] teenagers that are not able to wear tampons. ”
Research supports some of her points. A 2024 UC Berkeley study published in the UC Berkeley Public Health Journal has detected trace metals in tampons, though the health impact is not yet clear. Doctors also note that tampons can absorb water while swimming, making them less effective.
The 2024 UC Berkeley research team found metals like lead and arsenic in a sample of tampons; the study did not measure real-world absorption, but it prompted calls for clearer standards and an FDA review. Separately, 2025 research from Indiana University and Notre Dame reported PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in some reusable period products, adding to the push for transparency across the industry. These studies do not single out swimwear, but they show why consumers are asking better questions and why honest testing and clear care labels matter.
Heweidy avoids product shaming. Her message is about options: athletes who do not want to sit out practice; vacationers who want to swim with their kids; teens who want to say yes to the beach.
“It’s a swimsuit, but better,” she says. The padding is thin and compact, you shouldn’t feel like you’re wearing a pad.
More than a product
Sett Bikinis currently positions itself as a premium product.
Heidi is upfront about her pricing. “The product is the bread and butter. But the message, having a healthy, shame-free relationship with your period is for everyone.”
She has collaborated with nutritionists and mindfulness coaches on nutrition content during menstruations, managing mood shifts, and practicing self-care. In her eyes, Sett Bikinis is evolving into more than a swimwear brand: it has become a platform for menstrual health awareness.
“This is for achieving your dreams as a swimmer and not letting that stop you. It’s not just the experience of being in the water. Actually more about you being out of the water. Lounging and chilling and running around the beach. ” she explains.
Her message is simple: periods should not dictate what women can or cannot do. Sett Bikinis is her way of proving that, one beach trip at a time.
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