While tampons and pads are the most frequently used menstrual products, the environmental, financial, and physical health benefits of switching to reusable products means the number of menstruators making the switch are increasing. Scroll down for more information.
Menstrual cups are small cups made of medical-grade silicone that prevent bacterial growth and work by catching blood.
Period pants are arguably the easiest of the reusable period products to get your head around using because they are worn like regular underwear.
Tampons and pads contain deceptively large amounts of plastic, with pads being made up of up to 90% plastic, and one pack of pads having the equivalent of 4 plastic bags. Plastic wrapping and disposable applicators mean that tampons aren’t much better either.
The plastics used often end up in landfills. With the average menstruator menstruating for approximately 40 years, with 20 disposable products per month, this works out to approximately 200kg of waste in a lifetime! Alternatively, any parts that make their way into the water system create microplastics which have terrible health impacts on all living things and if incinerated, these products release toxins into the environment.
As if the plastic pollution wasn’t bad enough, disposable tampons and pads often contain unsustainable cotton. Cotton is very water-intensive to grow and is one of the most pesticide and fertiliser-heavy crops in the world. The cotton used is also often bleached leading to devastating environmental and physical impacts if disposed of incorrectly.
Menstrual cups can last up to 5 years, and reusable pads and pants approximately 4 years (with proper care). This can save a menstruator up to £5000 over their lifetime!
With a menstrual cup costing around £10 and period pants costing around £15 per pair, this initial cost is no small matter, this is where Freedom4Girls’ ‘Make the Switch’ and our corporate partners come in, relieving the initial cost, and allowing you to save each month.
Using reusable products is also more convenient, without having to rush to the shops once a month. Reusable products typically do not have to be changed as frequently as tampons or pads, as they can hold more blood. Menstrual cups and period pants can hold three times as much blood as a heavy flow tampon, only needing to be emptied or changed every 6-12 hours, compared to tampons and pads which should be changed every 3-8 hours.
Reusing period products may seem intimidating to start using, but Freedom4girls ‘Make the Switch’ is here to support you with your questions, no matter how silly or personal they feel.
Pads and tampons that are plastic-heavy create unbreathable environments, which can lead to skin irritations and infections. The chemicals used in these products can also be irritating on the skin, and be unsuitable for sensitive skin types.
Toxic shock syndrome is the result of a bacterial infection from leaving a menstrual product inside for too long. Toxic shock syndrome and other risks are most common with disposable period products that create environments perfect for infection.
If you are struggling to afford disposable period products, reusable period products can help reduce the risk of toxic shock syndrome. If you’re not able to change your pad/tampon regularly due to cost and have to leave it in for longer than recommended leading to toxic shock syndrome, when using reusable period products the fact that they’re reusable means you don’t have to worry about buying the next pack of period products!