As isolation and social distancing continues panicked shoppers are clearing store shelves of antibac, toilet roll and alcohol, but another shortage comes in form of tampons, pads and female hygiene products.
Stigma already stops many women talking and asking for these products, so what can we do amid these unprecedented times?
Firstly, don’t panic. We’re all in this together. Secondly, why not take this opportunity to try a new method? Many of us are aware of the devastating effects regular sanitary products have on the environment so why not try reusable pads and menstrual cups?
These products may seem daunting to some so utilise trying these whilst in the comfort of your own home. There are many sustainable sanitary products emerging on the market as environmental awareness increases all over the world. We’ve looked at the different options available to you.
Menstrual Cups
Menstrual cups have been around since the 1930s but have recently come to people’s attention along with environmental awareness. The cups massively reduce the waste produced from your period. They are generally made from medical grade silicon, as opposed to the original rubber cup, and can collect blood for up to 12 hours, depending on the brand.
Mooncup® are the Tampax® of all menstrual cups. They created the first medical grade silicone menstrual cup in the world. The cups are clear because Mooncup® did not want to add any artificial colourings. Not only is the Mooncup a great way of being sustainable, it’s also a good way to save money, as you can keep it for up to six to eight months and you won’t need to spend money on anything else.
The collaboration Monki X Lunette X The Cup released a menstrual cup in the effort to end period stigma, going by the slogan “Periods are cool. Period”. 5000 of their menstrual cups will be donated to underprivileged girls in Kenya who do not have the access to menstrual care and education surrounding menstruation through The Cup Foundation. The cup comes in two sizes for light and heavy flow and is now available in Monki stores and online.
The Organic Cup is free of bleach, perfume, glue, lotion and basically anything else that should not be going into your body. The organic cup has won “Product of the Year” twice and claims that a cup should last you up to 10 years. Their website gives in-depth detail on how to use a menstrual cup, including a video showing demonstrations with models. The brand also runs community projects and works with organisations. An example of some of Organic Cup’s work is an initiative called Taboo which explores the implications women and girls face across the world when they have their periods. Questions such as: why are girls in Nepal not allowed to leave their huts when they are menstruating? Why do girls in Africa miss school for their periods?
Lingerie and Reusable Sanitary Towels
Absorbent underwear has now been developed as an alternative to sanitary products like tampons, cups and pads.
Modibodi is offering period underwear using high quality, tech-savvy fabrics to allow breathing to get a lighter feel. There is a range of styles and colours depending on your menstrual flow. They have recently added a new patent-pending Modifier Swim Technology™ to wear in the water, something no other brands have done so far.
Cheeky wipes sell both period pants and sanitary towels that can be washed and reused. Their pads come in all sorts of bold colours and patterns and do up around you briefs with a popper. Just like regular pads, they offer different sizes and pads for day and night, just without the chemicals and waste!
Tampons
If you can’t bear the thought of wearing anything other than the classic tampon, then there are still more sustainable ways than your regular options. You could buy organic cotton tampons with no applicator or cardboard biodegradable applicators, this way the damage left on the planet is a lot less.
Or if you prefer the smoothness of a plastic applicator, Dame has recently released a reusable tampon applicator called the D. Dame also produce organic tampons to use inside the applicator and neat storage bags and tins for them. This year the brand has just saved their first 100 million pieces of plastic!
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