Imagine: you are with a group of women hiking rim to rim of the Grand Canyon. Six hours into the hike, a beautiful day, surrounded by gorgeous nature— but no restrooms, no privacy, no shade— nothing but seven miles of canyon around you. One of you won’t wear comfortable tights—she says, “I cannot pull them up and down when I need to go!” Another has no choice but to pull her shorts down, and one chooses to sit out the hike altogether.
Yes, this is the 21st century— we sent a man to the moon, but a woman on earth has no way to pee. A basic bodily function. You think: this struggle is not right. At this point, you say “There’s just got to be a way.”
You just stepped into the shoes of Debbie Mercer, founder of Zip Hers. Debbie is a pioneer. As a passionate marathon runner and a lover of the outdoors, she perceived a need in the world, and through her undying commitment and hard work, she’s made it a reality.
Her journey began with a question: is there a garment that is comfortable and allows a woman to pee while not exposing herself? She worked with a local seamstress to bring the idea to life and was then introduced to a woman who designs ballet costumes. They worked well as a pair: a costume designer who was adamant about apparel looking good and fitting well and Debbie, whose focus was always first on functionality. They were eventually able to create a version which launched in 2019 and continues to grow in popularity today.
Why pants that let women pee?
Debbie has always firmly believed that “Women help women”. Throughout her life she volunteered at nonprofits that helped women discover their self-esteem and self-confidence, for example, by fighting back against drug addiction. For her, women were out there embracing an active life— hiking, biking, rock-climbing and more— but were still struggling to manage a basic body function with ease, safety, and dignity. These pants were really not about a business at all. It was as simple as men have it and women don’t: that is just not right. And, I am going to fix it.
Zip Hers Pants
Trials and tribulations?
Debbie was uncompromising on her product’s ideals: to be durable, sturdy, and provide protection for women in outdoor environments—a pair of pants that would make sure the scene in the Grand Canyon never happened again. She worked over the next few months to make it into a reality. Her work with the local seamstress was by no means simple. They went through several different versions of the product from velcro, to snaps, to buttons, to fold overs, and many more. Eventually, they came up with the idea of the zipper because it was the most durable one. But, even then the challenges were not over.
They had produced several pairs and had started selling before they realized that the zipper was often faulty and would fall off. Thus, they went through several different trials, working hard to find friends who would test them and give her feedback. Even then, they faced the challenge of finding a manufacturer. They had to get someone who was willing to take a chance on such an unknown product. They were restricted to finding someone with the right mind: an out-of-the-box thinker, a woman, someone who could see why these were so necessary. Eventually, they found one in Houston and have more recently expanded to Indonesia in their last round.
Throughout this entire process, Debbie and her husband were funding the project and all its trial and error. This truly came out of her pure passion and commitment to helping women.
How did you get the word out?
Debbie has no full time employees but she has an off-and-on apparel designer and a social media manager who helps with the development and socializing of the product. Because of the unique nature of what she is doing, there are roadblocks. She explains that while her Facebook page is filled with great comments, there are often negative comments from women, often those who are not active or sporty, who don’t understand the product’s value and degrade her efforts. They have never faced this issue in a marathon. They have never been last in a group hike because of simply needing to use the restroom. They have never been scared to drink water because they couldn’t and didn’t want to have to use the restroom.
Lack of awareness about this issue that women athletes face has created an uphill battle where she must convince not only men but also women who don’t understand the product, yet hate it. Furthermore, she discusses the continuing stigma around women’s issues specifically relating to bodily functions. Many people don’t want to talk about it. Even as they continue to combat these challenges, Debbie puts even more emphasis on the positive. She is extremely thankful for all the warm comments and support she has gotten from customers who have valued this product and who have benefited from it in the way she hoped for. She is grateful that Zip Hers pants have fulfilled their role as a tool of empowerment—to allow basic bodily functions to not pull a woman down from experiencing hiking adventures and long-distance runs.
What does the future look like for Zip Hers?
Zip Hers is ambitious and wants to serve every woman who needs these pants. They are working to expand into specifically outdoor retail stores where they believe their product will be best received. They are also working on a new line called Adaptive Minds. This line would go beyond activewear—occupational therapists had reached out to Debbie to create a line for women in wheelchairs so they can better take care of their medical needs. One of her biggest goals is to get this product into rehab centers and hospitals and eventually expand to disabled athletes as well.
What is your message for future generations?
It starts with a passion. These ideas require stepping into unknown territory which is bound to be wrought with uncertainty and fear. There are times when stuff isn’t working, where others aren’t believing in you, and it is easy to get frustrated and want to quit. But, if the passion is there, that is the best fuel you have to get you through the hard times. There are still challenges in today’s society for women but we are light years ahead compared to 10-15 years ago. She believes that now is a great time for women to step into this space as more organizations want to support women and are willing to set aside money to fund women’s projects. Ultimately, she firmly believes that as you each explore your own journeys you “can’t let the fear guide you, you have to continue to have faith that what you’re doing is good, and it’s smart, and it’s helpful, and that it will turn out okay.”
References
- Linkedin.com. (2023). LinkedIn. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-mercer-054a31224/?trk=people-guest_people_search-card [Accessed 14 Jun. 2023].
- Zip Hers. (2023). Zip Hers – Outdoor Active Wear for Women. [online] Available at: https://ziphers.com/ [Accessed 14 Jun. 2023].
