An alternative to organic tampons is DAME Menstrual Cup. Unlike tampons that absorb liquid, a menstrual cup collects it, so has far lower chance of toxic shock syndrome, and once you get used to it, is easy to use and reuse.
Never use tampons within 8 weeks of giving birth (or while pregnant). If using their reusable period pants, launder in a microplastic catcher, due to synthetic waterproof materials.
Sold in two sizes (depending on age and childbirth history), this is made from soft medical grade TPE, powered by natural biocide-free Saniconcentrates™. So you can just rinse, wipe and reuse (no need to boil or sanitise between uses).
The menstrual cup includes a cotton storage bag and a digital guide, for those new to using menstrual cups. Once bought, one purchase should last you years. Read answers to all your menstrual cup questions.
Did you know that tampons are one of the top 10 beach litter items in England? This is because many people wrongly flush them down the loo, so they miss sewage collection systems, and end up in our rivers and seas. Bad enough, but most contain plastic, which breaks down into microplastics.
If you use disposable tampons or towels (even organic), never flush them. Always safely bin, whatever eco brand you choose.
The Environmental Impact of Traditional Products
Have you ever stopped to think about what happens to a used sanitary pad or tampon? Most conventional products are made with plastic and synthetic materials, taking hundreds of years to break down.
Each month, millions of people contribute to this problem, filling landfills with waste that could easily be avoided. Moreover, the manufacturing processes release toxins into the environment, further adding to pollution. It’s time to rethink our choices in feminine care.
Switching to zero waste feminine care isn’t just good for the planet—it can be good for you too. First, many reusable menstrual products are often more comfortable than their disposable counterparts. You’ll also find that over time, these options can save you money.
Investing in a menstrual cup or cloth pads can seem costly upfront, but they last for years. Additionally, there’s a sense of empowerment in making sustainable choices, knowing you’re doing your part to protect your planet.
Reusable Menstrual Products
Menstrual cups and cloth pads are popular choices for those looking to reduce waste. Menstrual cups are flexible cups made of silicone, designed to collect menstrual fluid. They can last for years with proper care.
Cloth pads can be washed and reused, making them a great alternative to disposable pads. Both options can be customised according to your flow, ensuring comfort and reliability.
Biodegradable Options
For those not ready to make the shift to reusable products, biodegradable pads and tampons are a fantastic compromise. These products break down much faster than conventional items. They’re typically made from natural materials that are less harmful to the environment, providing a cleaner alternative without completely sacrificing convenience.
Period Pants
Have you heard of period pants? These are specially designed underwear that absorb menstrual flow. They come in various absorbencies, making them a versatile option. Wearing period panties can be a comfortable solution, providing protection while eliminating waste. Plus, many styles are fashionable enough to wear every day.
DAME is an award-winning company, founded by a couple who wanted a better world for their daughters. As well as offering organic cotton tampons (still bin them, never flush tampons down the loo), they are used with their flagship reusable tampon applicator.
Non-applicator tampons are cheaper, but can be fiddly to use! You can buy the set once, then all you do is buy tampons thereafter. The set also includes a cotton storage pouch and bathroom storage tin.
DAME reusable tampon applicator works just like a normal one, but this can can be reused. Just remove the lid, load a tampon, insert the plunger, then push through the soft petals. Then rinse under running water (or wipe clean and rinse later).
Innovative technology keeps the applicator hygiene, and it’s sold with a free 60-day return option. It’s slightly bigger than most tampon applicators, but that means it works with all sizes of tampons. Made from soft comfortable materials, it’s designed to medical standards, and does not even need to be boiled, you just rinse with cold water, then pop it back in its pouch.
This company carries out sustainability checks. And at the last count, it has so far saved over 20 million plastic tampon applicators. It also is able to offer tampons for public bathrooms for businesses, and gives back to period poverty charities.
&Sisters is one of England’s best brands of zero waste feminine care, offering organic cotton disposables, a menstrual cup and reusable period pants. The company also donates to period poverty campaigns, to ensure women and girls of all budgets can afford such items. The range includes:
The Nudie Period Cup is a reusable menstrual cup that collects (rather than absorbs) menstrual fluid, and collects the same as 3 tampons, and can be worn for several hours.
Available in different sizes (depending on age and childbirth history), it features air-release holes and an easy-to-hold Pebble pull for hassle-free removal. Super easy to use and clean, each cup includes an organic cotton case bag, when not in use. One purchase should last years. Made from medical grade silicone.
Organic Cotton Tampons are small and discreet, free of plastic (unlike the 11,000 disposable ones used by the average woman in a lifetime made with plastic).
These feature a special design for maximum absorbency and leak-free protection, and protective organic cotton to prevent shedding fibres inside the body. Ideal for sensitive skin without bleach, dyes or perfumes.
Available in several absorbencies, they are packed with paper sleeves, in plastic-free packaging. The tampons are also available with an eco-applicator, just follow instructions on the leaflet for use and disposal. Recommended by doctors to prevent thrush, bacterial vaginosis and perimenopausal dryness.
The organic cotton pads feature wings and are made with an organic cotton top sheet with breathable cotton core, and a leakproof biodegradable backsheet, made from soft plant-based material. The panty liners are good for light, and also good for people with light incontinence.
&sisters Period Pants are a good idea, but use with a microplastic catcher, as they feature a synthetic waterproof backing. Used like cloth nappies, you simply pop them in the wash after use, and use again. Period pants can be worn for up to 10 hours, and hold the same amount of fluid as 4 tampons.
They are (mostly) made from organic cotton with a PH-neutral top layer to support natural microbiome, and a bikini-style stretch design, ideal for bloaty days. After each wear, first rinse with cold water, then wash by hand or in the washing machine. Do not use fabric conditioner, bleaching agents or tumble dryers, as these will reduce absorbency.
Period pants look like normal undies, but they have sewn-in waterproof layers to keep them leak-free. These ones feature 3D anti-leak technology that combine three layers of breathable organic cotton with 4% elastane and the core has 3% polyurethane to make them absorbent. Use with their biodegradable scent-free stain remover, sold in a bottle made from recycled plastic.
How to Remove Menstrual Blood Stains
Remüvie™ Intimate Stain Remover is made from plant-based ingredients, sold in a recycled ocean plastic bottle. With no bleach, this foam cleanser is perfect to rescue clothes, mattresses and carpets from blood and other stains.
Where to Find Free Menstrual Care Products
Period poverty is the term used to describe the situations where girls and women don’t have enough money to buy menstrual care products.
This is bad in itself, and made worse by the big companies that use plastic and chlorine bleach, littering our environment even more, by giving away free versions, when they have the money to invest to transitioning over to plastic-free versions.
- &SISTERS offers free period care for those in need, plus services for business. It can create custom and refillable dispensers, to shelf-ready retail packs of their organic pads and tampons.
- PHS has details on how schools can order free feminine care (more than a third of teenage girls have missed school due to not being able to afford period products). Some public libraries also leave out free period care for local girls.
Don’t Send Plastic Disposable Pads to Africa
Don’t buy into companies asking you to donate disposables to send to African girls. Often there are no ways to safely dispose of them (and pads are often shared due to poverty, not good on a continent ravaged by HIV and AIDS).
Instead, Afripads (made locally from natural materials) stemmed from MakaPads (created from papyrus leaves by an engineer who ‘couldn’t stop inventing things)’.
Asked to visit a village to see how he could help, two women hit him over the head with a (clean) sanitary towel and told him to invent something better. So he did! Moses is no longer with his, but he has left an empowering legacy for African women.
