You can help end plastic pollution simply with your period product choice! Tara has tried and tested all the products to help you make an informed decision about what flows best with your menstrual flow whilst saving the planet.
There’s an interesting shift going on at the moment in period products. We’re moving away from single-use, plastic-wrapped pads and tampons and towards reusable period products like moon cups and period underwear.
An article in National Geographic explains that “over the course of a lifetime, a single menstruator will use somewhere between 5 and 15 thousand pads and tampons, the vast majority of which will wind up in landfills as plastic waste”
Researcher Ann Borowski says “I don’t want to contribute 40 years of garbage to a landfill just to manage something that shouldn’t even be seen as a problem” and we couldn’t agree more.
Over the years I’ve been searching for the perfect sustainable alternative for me, and whilst there’s no one size fits all, here are some of the products I’ve used that are more sustainable than your average pad or tampon.
Plastic free tampons
I discovered Daye, which comes with water-soluble wrappers, sugarcane applicators, recycled packaging and CO2-neutral deliveries.
Many of the most popular tampons contain dyes and other chemicals that we shouldn’t be putting inside us. Daye period care is free from nasties — no dyes, pesticides or fragrances, because they don’t belong in your vagina.
If you’re looking for a sustainable alternative to tampons that will feel familiar and be better for both you and the planet, try Daye.
Shop Daye here: https://yourdaye.com
Period pants
WUKA Period Pants are underwear that fully absorbs your period and doesn't let it leak. They’re comfortable, machine washable and great for both daytime and nighttime. I wear these to bed when I’m on my period, as it’s much more comfortable than wearing a pad.
No more buying disposable period products, your period pants will last for years.
Shop WUKA here: https://wuka.co.uk/
If you’re looking for period pants made specifically for sport, BP3 are the best ones I’ve tried. They’re seamless (so you won’t see them underneath your leggings!), comfortable and super absorbent.
Shop BP3 here: https://www.bp3underwear.com
Cups
It took me a while to find a cup that was right for me.
I tried Mooncup, which is designed by women, and made from soft, medical-grade silicone. It’s inserted in the place of a tampon and holds up to 3x the amount of a regular tampon. It’s also Vegan Society certified and free from plastics, dyes and toxins.
Get yours at: https://www.mooncup.co.uk
The comfiest cup I’ve found is from Nixit: https://nixit.com
Nixit cups are suction free and more malleable than other cups I’ve used and are therefore easier to insert and remove. They’re also made from medical-grade BPA-free silicone and the fun thing about Nixit cups is that you can keep them in during sex!
Each of these companies has robust sustainability missions and are all 100% plastic free. There are so many great options available to menstruators now, it’s a simple switch to reduce your plastic waste. I’ve really enjoyed trying and testing all of these different products and learning about companies that want to make a difference.
References:
1. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/how-tampons-pads-became-unsustainable-story-of-plastic