No matter if it be cloth or silicone pads, menstrual cups, or period underwear – choosing reusables is one way of lessening environmental impacts. At WashU, the Go Green for the Red program provides free reusable products while supplies last.
Respondents expressed a strong interest in receiving additional information on reusables through puberty and sexual education programs, as well as open text responses indicating this desire. Furthermore, participants raised various issues concerning cups such as learning how to use them comfortably, detailed product info needs, costs as well as concerns and challenges related to product purchases.
Comfort
Millions of girls and women across the globe depend on temporary solutions like rags, pieces of mattress or disposable pads to absorb menstrual flow – this practice can be dangerous to health as well as unhygienic and indecent.
Reusable menstrual products offer an economical, eco-friendly and convenient alternative to disposable period products. Although initially more costly, over time these reusable options provide significant cost savings over traditional ones; additionally they require less maintenance, are easier to carry, and can even be worn during work or school days.
Participants were recently asked to nominate the top three features that they considered most essential in a menstrual product, and the results revealed that participants most commonly preferred reusable menstrual cups and underwear as their most comfortable and effective choices, particularly when combined. Furthermore, college educated cis women were found more likely to use such products.
Cost
One of the primary barriers to using reusable menstrual products is cost. Reusable alternatives have a higher initial investment cost; however, over time they will save money and be more eco-friendly than traditional pads and tampons. When purchasing them through Trade for Aid, your purchase directly supports women needing menstrual supplies in conflict zones or refugee camps.
Young adults placed emphasis on comfort, effectiveness (protection from leakage) and environmental sustainability when selecting their product of choice. Current users of reusables were more likely to prioritize these factors over those unfamiliar with them.
Life Cycle Assessment was used in this study to estimate and compare the environmental impacts of different menstrual products across three countries. Based on various use scenarios, combination products including cups with pads/tampons plus underwear had minimal global warming potential (GWP), fossil resource depletion, land use impacts as well as disposal effects (eutrophication/ecotoxicity/acidification scores were highest).
Environment
Professor Susan Powers conducted research showing that an individual who menstruates will use between 108 to 504 period products over their lifetime, using disposables 108-504 times; using menstrual cups can reduce this number significantly by half or more.
Our study revealed that most participants who used reusables cited comfort and effectiveness (protection against leakage) as key criteria when choosing menstrual products; however, environmental sustainability also played an integral part for some participants.
Not surprisingly, this result is no surprise when one considers that an LCA of various menstrual products shows that menstrual cups have the lowest environmental impact compared to other reusables – especially when used properly by switching between using menstrual cup and pads on heavier flow days. Therefore, it is vital that people understand their flow and select an ideal menstrual product, along with accessing relevant information regarding these reusables.
Hygiene
Reusable menstrual products differ significantly from disposable pads that come packaged in plastic and contain harmful chemicals, by being composed of natural materials with no synthetic additions or leakages of harmful substances when wet – ideal for swimming and camping activities! Furthermore, their silence makes them great companions when used while doing activity like hiking and camping.
Reusable period products like cloth pads, menstrual cups and disks have become more and more popular with women and girls due to their environmental and cost benefits. It is essential that these menstrual products be regularly washed according to care instructions to maintain hygiene.
Recent qualitative research found that participants perceived menstrual cups to be clean, comfortable, environmentally-friendly products which provided better care for their bodies than non-reusable options like tampons and disposable pads. Reusable products also required less maintenance and replacement frequency compared with their non-recyclable counterparts; yet many participants wish they had known about this option sooner – and more information regarding reusable menstrual products had been included as part of puberty or sexual education at school.
