As the Australian Defence Force (ADF) continues to increase the number of women in the ranks, one constant remains – most uniform and equipment items are not always well suited to the female form.
Emily Pyke, a 13-year Navy veteran and petty officer (PO) who has now transferred to the Reserves, aims to address that with a specialist range of base layers and undergarments designed to deliver comfort and protection for serving women.
“We specialise in developing protective and performance base layers and undergarments for high-risk workforces,” she told ADM.
“In my 13 years in the Royal Australian Navy, nothing available to me on the commercial market as a woman, has ever been designed to be worn in the extreme conditions of high-risk environments.”
How extreme? There is always a risk of fire, particularly aboard ships and submarines, and when the Army transitions to a Litoral Focus Force. Soldiers, including the growing number of women, may have to spend 30 days in the field, wearing heavy equipment such as body armour and carrying heavy loads.
“This is where UndaTech has come in with a solution,” Pyke said.
UndaTech offers two ranges – performance, designed to enhance performance and comfort, and fire protection.
The long term plan is to also develop a combined performance and fire safe range of undergarments, balancing function and protection regardless of the environment.
“We are seeking to conduct our trials with both the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force in 2025. The Air Force will be first with our performance-based range,” she said.
“There are a lot of fantastic innovative fabric technologies out there, and we have been successful in sourcing several technologies in partnership with our Australian-based manufacturer.”
The performance range features long- and short-sleeved shirts designed for male and female physiques. The new fabric to be trialled with the RAAF, Ground Security and Defence Capability, responds to body humidity, with the weave opening when hot to improve air flow and restricting when cold to retain heat.
There is also a range of supportive bras and period-proof underwear in both the performance and fire-safe range, inspired by her experience during Navy anti-drug smuggling operations in the Middle East.
“Some of the boardings went for days. People were doing rotations of 12-14 hours on those small fishing vessels. For a woman who is menstruating, it’s not comfortable and could become a health risk,” she said.
“But it’s the job we chose. Women have just cracked on with it for years and UndaTech is here to make it a little easier.”
Pyke acknowledges that some women may still prefer their own undergarments for such activities.
“You can’t cater everything to everyone. Our designs are about the end user and their needs so it’s important to learn and adapt our ranges to specific requirements of each workforce. We must also continue to innovate so the user remains comfortable and protected in the evolving modern-day battlespace,” she said.
Pyke founded Undatech with her wife, a 20-year Navy veteran CPO, Elisabeth Hudson.
This is not just a product range which could be of interest to the ADF. There is the vast US military and other Australian allies and partners, and global high-risk workforces including first responders.
“We recently sent products to Ukraine, donating to women serving within their special forces, with the request for some feedback. Ukraine currently have one of the highest participation rates of women in militaries across the world with nearly 70,000 women serving in their Armed Forces, and approximately 5,500 fighting on the front lines,” she said.
“A big problem for them, as in many defence forces, is that their unforms are still unisex, ill-fitting, not designed for the job. We are trying to help where we can.”