Women living in our environmentally-minded society now have more choices when it comes to menstrual hygiene than ever. This includes non-disposable options like reusable cups and period underwear as well as biodegradable pads which pollute less.
But are they as effective? We took a closer look at some of the top options on the market to determine that.
1. Eco-friendly
Nearly 20 billion sanitary pads, tampons and applicators are dumped annually into North American landfills. Although plastic-based menstrual hygiene products eventually biodegrade in bags after decades, their production requires immense fossil fuel energy usage resulting in significant carbon emissions – leaving behind an environmental legacy with far-reaching impacts.
New innovations are being developed to reduce the environmental impact of menstrual hygiene products. From non-disposable menstrual cups and eco-friendly period underwear, to companies creating innovative sustainable options that provide similar disposable convenience as traditional pads, there are now solutions that help mitigate this issue.
One of the most revolutionary solutions available to women today is a biodegradable pad designed by University of Utah materials science and engineering assistant professor Jeff Bates: SHERO Pad. Hand woven by rural women using banana fiber, the SHERO Pad provides thinner, more comfortable and absorbent alternatives than other traditional pads – as well as supporting local communities by creating jobs and income sources in areas where lack of sanitation causes periodic poverty. Available for purchase online and select retailers alike.
2. Comfortable
Today’s environmentally aware consumers are looking for eco-friendly alternatives to conventional products, including menstruation hygiene items such as pads. Many biodegradable pads made from sustainable materials such as organic cotton, bamboo fiber or corn starch decompose organically into harmless compounds which reduce environmental impact while eliminating plastic pollution permanently. Furthermore, their organic composition minimizes skin irritations and allergies for users.
Conventional single-use pads contain plastics and other harmful materials that contribute to polluting our oceans, rivers, and land. When discarded in landfills they can take up to 800 years for decomposition while polluting our environment with harmful chemicals. But sustainable sanitary pad brands exist which use non-toxic materials such as banana fiber, organic cotton or plant-based polymers to lower their impact on the environment while providing comfortable wearability – they’re thinner and lighter than their plastic counterparts and can fit seamlessly with any underwear style or underwear type!
3. Absorbent
Are You Searching For Eco-Friendly Sanitary Pads Or Looking to Reduce your Environmental Footprint? There are plenty of biodegradable solutions that are both sustainable and organic – like bamboo, cotton, wood pulp biodegradable plastics such as polylactic acid or PLA) or corn starch!
Renewable materials offer absorbency and comfort while decreasing waste production, typically using less energy and resources for production than synthetic alternatives.
Biodegradable sanitary napkins break down in months instead of hundreds of years, minimizing landfill waste and keeping chemicals from seeping into soil and water sources. These eco-friendly options have grown increasingly popular as consumers look for eco-friendly alternatives to conventional menstrual hygiene products which damage the environment while not offering comfortable wear for women themselves. Furthermore, they’re free from toxic chemicals and dyes, helping prevent skin irritation or allergies; such as the SHERO pad’s top layer which features raw cotton like tea bags which absorbs moisture quickly into super absorbent hydrogel layers within.
4. Compostable
Biodegradable pads can help you lower your environmental footprint. Traditional pads made of single-use plastics take years to break down in landfill sites; in contrast, biodegradable ones contain natural materials which decompose into the soil quickly, protecting our planet while decreasing pollution levels.
Kenyan woman-led enterprise SHERO Pad has provided one such solution by harnessing agricultural waste to manufacture high-performing and cost-effective biodegradable sanitary pads for women and girls in Africa at low cost. They have already helped more than one million individuals across their nation.
SHERO Pads’ main ingredient is algae, processed into an absorbent material that forms its core. Other materials used to form this superabsorbent product include bamboo fiber, corn starch and wood pulp for maximum absorbency. Furthermore, SHERO Pads are free from chemicals, dyes and synthetic SAPs, thus decreasing risk of rashes or allergies. Plus they come packaged in plant-based compostable envelopes so customers can simply toss them right into their compost pile if their municipality accepts bioplastics!
