If you recall, I started off 2018 with a post all about hypocrisy and being honest about what I could be doing better sustainability-wise. I admitted that even though I advocate for using less single-use plastic, I was still using single-use plastic period products every month even though I knew of other alternatives. Fortunately for those of you looking to make the switch, I have since explored the realm of sustainable period products and I’m ready to review some of our options…
~ LET’S TALK ABOUT PERIODS ~
Firstly though, I want to begin by talking about period poverty. I don’t want to jump straight into talking about sustainable alternatives for something that some people struggle to afford regularly, especially in the UK.
According to research by Plan International, 1 in 10 girls in the UK have been unable to afford sanitary products and according to a study completed by Always, we now know that over 137,700 children have missed school due to period poverty, specifically.
Period poverty is a huge issue globally and it becomes even more complicated to face when you add the taboo of periods into the picture. So, before I talk about sustainable alternatives which ultimately, can be more expensive to invest in initially, I want to highlight campaigns and charities which are helping aid women, girls and period-having people who can’t afford even the most basic sanitary products because all of us deserve to experience our periods in a comfortable and hygienic manner…
Free Periods // Bloody Good Period // Always #EndPeriodPoverty
~ FACTS & FIGURES ~
For those of you who are fortunate enough to afford more sustainable alternatives or are interested in making the change in the future, I’m here to help! It’s important to understand why making the change is all so important though, so, let’s start with some facts and figures.
Over 3.9 million sanitary products are flushed down the toilet every day in the UK and that’s not including what is left to go to landfill. That figure is scary enough in itself without taking into account that most of these sanitary products are made from either plastic or harmfully bleached and treated cotton, which as we all know, is neither beneficial to the planet or our bodies. Click here to read more about the harmful materials often found in period products – it might shock you.
As we should all know by now, the phrase ‘throw away’ is essentially meaningless seeing as there is no ‘away’; everything always ends up somewhere and that somewhere is our planet.
For me, with just about everything now, I would rather know that I’m doing my part to avoid the negative impact of that at all costs, especially if it helps me avoid any affects to my health at the same time.
That’s why I made the switch and why I believe, if you are able to, you should too. There are many different options to choose from and below, I’m going to highlight my three personal favourites…
You may notice that I haven’t included any internal-use sanitary products within this guide – that’s simply because I don’t personally use them and I wouldn’t be able to provide an honest review. However, I have linked some products which some of you may be interested in, at the end of the post.
~ COTTON PERIOD BRIEFS* – THINX UNDERWEAR ~
Trust me, I was a sceptic over reusable period underwear. Ever since I started having periods, I’d always used sanitary towels (and dabbled in tampons but never quite found they worked for me) and relied on the ability to strip away what I was wearing and refresh when it felt fit, so, the idea of not doing that throughout the day made me feel a little uncertain and honestly, a little uncomfortable.
However, I am now a changed woman. Admittedly whilst writing this, I am only half-way into my first day of wearing the Thinx Cotton Briefs (funnily enough, reviewing period products means waiting a few weeks even though you already own them; who would have thought?) but it’s safe to say, I am happily surprised by how good they make me feel.
With sanitary pads, I find myself readjusting and fidgeting all day because I’m concerned about where my flow is really going (we’ve all been there, right?), so, this makes a care-free change.
Thinx is one of the leading brands for this sustainable option and I’m really happy that they recently introduced organic cotton underwear not only because I want to avoid plastic materials as much as possible but also because breathability is a big Must when it comes to ‘down there’.
Although unfortunately there isn’t too much information about their ethics and factory, I believe that it’s important to embrace an option of sustainable sanitary wear that avoids throw-away plastics and unnecessary waste, especially in such a comfortable way. I’m already contemplating adding more to my underwear drawer…
~ REUSABLE SANITARY TOWELS – BLOOM & NORA ~
Before I tried out reusable period underwear, I was starting to balance out my single-use period products with reusable versions and once again, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy they were to adjust to.
If you’re used to ‘ordinary’ pads and sanitary towels, then I would think turning to a reusable option would be a fairly smooth transition.
I own the Bloom & Nora reusable sanitary towels but there are many different options on the market. What makes their sanitary towels slightly different though is that they’re partly composed of bamboo fleece.
I would say that reusable sanitary towels of the clip-on variety are a nice way to bridge the gap between wearable period underwear and traditional options and they are, fortunately, really quite easy to wash and maintain (I own two and have managed my period fairly easily by hand washing them in turn).
Now that I’ve had a taste of what Thinx has to offer, the movement and fidgeting that I experience with these is now even more noticeable but that may just be caused by the size of my underwear and the size of the pad.
If you’re looking for a quick fix and want to dip your toes into the reusable, washable and all round, far more sustainable period product water, then I highly suggest reusable sanitary towels if you can’t quite make the leap into a fully wearable option.
~ ORGANIC BIODEGRADABLE SANITARY PRODUCTS – NATRACARE* ~
Trust me, if the idea of reusable sanitary products doesn’t quite float your boat, I understand. Fortunately, there are single-use options out there which aren’t quite as toxic and damaging as the rest. Before I purchased any reusable items, I was trying out organic options where I could. I am actually really surprised by the growing selection found in supermarkets these days!
In all honesty, I still have a big selection of plastic based period products stocked up and in my opinion, it’s best to use them up rather than ‘throw them away’ wastefully. But when I’m through with them and I am still in need of products for in-between days and for when all of my reusable sanitary towels and pants are in the wash, brands like Natracare are what I will look to.
For a lot of us, the week or few days of bleeding that we experience aren’t the only days when we need some added underwear protection and luckily, Natracare offer products for those days too.
Natracare is great as all of their products are completely plastic free, from the actual products – whether they be sanitary towels, tampons or liners – to the packaging.
The organic element means you’re avoiding any nasty chemicals coming into contact with your skin or entering your body (as well as avoiding harmful pollution further down the line).
~ SEARCH “@tollydollyposh” UNDER GIFS TO ADD THIS STICKER TO YOUR INSTAGRAM STORY ~
Fun GIF right? If your period is becoming more sustainable each month, then feel free to proudly embrace that all over social media. It’s time we break the taboo around periods and talk about them more openly. We all need to become more comfortable with them, whether we experience them or not.
Other options for sustainable period products include the likes of menstrual cups, which are a perfect option for those of you who prefer internal sanitary products to keep your period neat, tidy and manageable.
There are also new products on the market such as the DAME, which is a reusable tampon applicator so you can avoid using throw-away plastic but continue to use tampons comfortably. I’ve linked some options below…
DAME Reusable Tampon Applicator // OrganiCup // OHNE Organic Tampons
What do you use to make your period more sustainable? Suggest your favourite products in the comments!
(This post is not sponsored or paid for but it does include gifted products from THINX and Natracare. All thoughts and opinions are my own. You can read my full PR disclaimer here.)
