Hi, I’m Joanne Thorpe- founder of Tweak, lifelong mover, and proud solo mum to two brilliant girls. I’ve been “that kid” who never stopped sprinting down the hallway, the twenty-something who fell head-over-heels for CrossFit, and the woman who believes comfort should never be a tax you pay for training hard or living loud. If you’re new here, Tweak is my love letter to women who move- a high-performance G-string engineered to stay put, breathe, wick, and disappear under leggings. No VPL, no drama, no compromises.
Movement made me do it
From the first time I learned what my body could do, movement became my compass. CrossFit, in particular, taught me the power of small, consistent wins- the kind that don’t need a megaphone. Between 2013 and 2017 I competed internationally, connecting with athletes across regions and testing myself in environments that demanded grit over gloss. That journey anchored my standards: if it doesn’t perform under pressure, it doesn’t make the cut. (If you’re curious, you can find little footprints of my Open seasons in the CrossFit Games archives- nothing flashy, but proof that I’ve been in the arena.)
The problem no one wanted to talk about
Here’s the unglam part: chafing. Slipping. Moisture that lingers for hours. I tried every “solution”- creams, seams, different cuts- and none of it worked once the heart rate climbed. On a particularly stubborn 20-kilometre run, I had the light-bulb moment: less fabric, smarter fabric. A thong gives you minimal coverage, but the ones on shelves weren’t built to perform. They were made for standing still, not squats, sprint intervals, or burpees. So I prototyped my own: a G-string that married that minimal silhouette with breathable, quick-dry tech and a bamboo-lined gusset to stay fresh. I tested it. I tweaked it. Then I handed it to women who trained harder than I did and told them to try to break it. That’s how Tweak was born.
Dubai roots, global standards
Tweak started in Dubai in 2017- a city pulsing with possibility and a fitness community that embraced “different” if it delivered. Those early days were scrappy and deeply personal. I wasn’t interested in making “cute underwear.” I wanted a piece of kit that worked like the rest of your gear- engineered, sweat-smart, and ruthlessly minimalist. We built our thongs with Coolon™ quick-dry outer fabric and a moisture-wicking bamboo gusset, then finished them with seamless edges and a soft, flexible waistband so you get second-skin comfort without the dig. Translation? No VPL under your tightest leggings, and a no-slip fit that doesn’t ask you to adjust mid-set.
And because “comfort” shouldn’t come at the planet’s expense, we keep pushing on better materials and smarter sourcing. Performance first, but never blind to impact.
A silent achiever (with loud results)
I’m not the loudest in the room. I’ve always believed in letting the work speak for itself: a clean rep, a solid split time, a product that earns its place in your gym bag. That’s why Tweak comes with very few promises- only the ones we can prove. Invisible lines under leggings? That’s table stakes here. A thong that stays put from warm-up to cooldown? Standard. Quick-dry that won’t hold sweat hostage for hours? That’s built in- mine typically dries in about 30 minutes after a wash or a hard session, so you’re not lugging around damp gear. (Because nothing derails confidence like feeling soggy in your kit.)
From print to platforms: why I share the story
Back in 2018, Women’s Health Middle East spotlighted parts of my journey- movement as medicine, training while juggling life, and the hunt for gear that keeps up. That feature mattered because it validated something I’d felt for years: women deserve technical solutions designed for the way we actually move, not afterthoughts painted pink. It wasn’t about hype; it was about permission- for me and for anyone reading- to think beyond the rack and build what’s missing. (The about page on our site digs into more of that “why” if you want the full arc.)
The mum factor: leading by example
These days, I’m a solo mum raising two daughters who are gloriously curious, hilariously honest, and always in motion. My job isn’t just to provide; it’s to model. I want them to see a woman who solves problems instead of enduring them, who thinks outside the box and outside the aisle, when something doesn’t exist yet. Tweak is our case study: identify the friction (chafing, moisture, VPL), design relentlessly, test without ego, and keep what works. If they learn anything from me, I hope it’s this: you don’t need to be the loudest to make an impact. You just need to ship things that help people move through life with less friction and more joy.
Built for the real world (aka your workout drawer)
Let’s break down what makes a Tweak thong “Peach-perfect performance” and not just another cute thing in your cart:
- Seamless construction that disappears under compression leggings- no lines, no ridges, no telltale outlines in a deep squat. No VPL, no BS.
- Stay-put fit that doesn’t migrate, whether you’re sprinting, snatching, or stretching. No slip, all sass.
- Breathable, quick-dry outer that doesn’t cling to sweat and a bamboo-lined gusset that keeps things fresh. All workout. Zero show.
I built Tweak for training, but you’ll catch me wearing them for school drop-offs, long flights, and coffee runs because performance shouldn’t be a “gym-only” feature. Comfort is a lifestyle, not a location.
The Tweak promise
Tweak isn’t a brand that tells you who to be. We’re here to support who you already are- an athlete, a beginner, a weekend yogi, a mum, a student, a CEO, a human who sweats and wants to feel amazing doing it. My team and I design from the inside out, obsessing over seams you’ll never see and fabrics you’ll barely feel. We’ll keep iterating, keep listening, and keep showing up with solutions that let your movement, not your underwear- be the headline.
A note to the next quiet builder
If you’re chasing your own “Tweak moment,” here’s my playbook:
- Start with the real problem (the one people whisper about).
- Test like an athlete- measure, adapt, repeat.
- Let results do the talking. The right people will hear you.
I’m still that silent achiever. I won’t flood your feed with noise. But I’ll keep putting in the reps so Tweak keeps earning its spot as your one-string wonder- the thong that treats comfort like a performance metric and confidence like a daily practice.
See you in the next set. And if you’re here because chafing, damp fabric, or VPL has ever messed with your mojo- welcome home. Your peach is in good hands.
Founder notes & receipts: Read the origin story and product philosophy on our About page; dig into the tech on our product pages (Coolon™ quick-dry outer + bamboo-lined gusset, seamless, no VPL); and yes, my CrossFit years are part of the DNA- even if my leaderboard moments were humble, the standards were not.
