Pads (commonly referred to as sanitary napkins) are narrow pieces of cloth designed to adhere directly to underwear and absorb menstrual blood more safely than tampons.
Girls and women inevitably use disposable pads more frequently than necessary; it would make more sense for these to only be used when necessary, yet that often doesn’t happen.
1. Higher Absorbency
Pads (or sanitary napkins) are disposable feminine hygiene products designed to collect menstrual blood in an absorbent material and keep it from leaking through your underwear or staining your pants, helping reduce odour while remaining comfortable during your period.
Plastic pads typically boast high absorbency index ratings; however, some contain toxic materials like dioxins and furans which have been linked with health concerns like abnormal growths in uterus muscle or fibroids formation as well as skin irritation due to chemicals released into the environment that irritate skin cells.
These products also often contain chemicals that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when manufactured, which are then absorbed through skin absorption into respiratory systems during wear and deposited back into water streams when they’re improperly disposed of; pads and tampons thrown into trash bins or open fields become part of landfill waste, taking 500 years or longer to decompose completely.
2. Better Hygiene
Pads help protect against infections due to improper menstrual care, including bacterial vaginosis (BV) and cervical cancer. Girls who have access to sanitary pads are less likely to miss school and work due to taboos surrounding periods or inadequate supplies.
Disposable menstrual pads are rectangular pieces of absorbent material designed to attach directly to a girl’s undergarment, catching their flow and protecting from leakage. Also referred to as sanitary napkins, pads come in different sizes and styles – some feature paper strips with sticky adhesive backing while others have wings that fold over edges of underwear to cover edges more completely.
Contrary to tampons, which contain high concentrations of plastic that release chemicals into the environment, sanitary pads are made from biodegradable materials like water hyacinth. Although sanitary pads offer environmental benefits, their cost often prevents rural and poor women from accessing them; studies show that providing girls with free sanitary pads as part of puberty education can decrease menstrual hygiene costs while expanding access.
3. Comfort
Pads provide comfort during menstruation by being available in various thicknesses and absorbency levels, tailored specifically to your needs. Some are thinner for light bleeding (panty liners) while thicker versions such as maxi pads may be needed during heavy periods. Some also come with wings to keep them secure under your clothing and some even feature antimicrobial treatment to combat unpleasant odour.
Additionally, modern pads feature enhanced ergonomic designs and materials, making them more comfortable than before and less bulky; previous versions had diaper-like thickness which caused friction and itching under the skin; for this reason some girls opt not to use pads but prefer cloths for period management instead.
Pads leave an enormous carbon footprint due to the plastic in them and may take decades or even centuries for biodegradation – this poses an immediate threat as their chemicals harm both human health and environmental sustainability.
4. Eco-friendly
Over 20 billion pads and tampons are consumed annually, creating tons of waste that ends up in landfills or sewer pipes, often with plastic cores that take hundreds of years to biodegrade.
Utilizing 100% organic cotton sanitary pads that do not irritate, biodegrade quickly, and contain no synthetic fibres is one way to reduce period-related waste. Furthermore, brands like Saathi use tiered business models to subsidize menstrual products for rural women in India where only 36% use menstrual pads (Borunda 2019).
Bamboo instead of plastics can provide an eco-friendly option when it comes to period supplies. Lil Lets’ organic cotton sanitary pads are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard, while their bamboo wadding comes from edge-grown plants which have been sustainably harvested without pesticide use and do not contain any SAP or other chemical additives – an ecological solution!
