An increasing number of people are opting for eco-friendly feminine care products such as reusable pads, menstrual cups and period underwear to reduce plastic waste each month. By switching over, these alternatives help decrease plastic usage significantly and can significantly cut back on plastic waste production.
This research interviewed experts and collected questionnaires for analysis. The results indicate that women have strong understandings of sustainability as well as strong perceptions of themselves as an individual.
Reusable pads
Every year, 45 billion pads and tampons are discarded, most ending up in landfill or oceans. Not only can this damage the environment, but it may also pose health risks; disposable pads often contain carcinogenic chemicals like dioxin.
Eco-friendly alternatives exist for single-use feminine hygiene products. Reusable pads made of cotton and fleece material offer one option that is also hypoallergenic and free from chemicals that disrupt hormones found in other disposable pads.
Reusable pads can not only benefit the environment, but they may also help break the cycle of period poverty, in which women struggle to afford tampons and disposable pads month-by-month. This is particularly applicable in areas affected by conflict or natural disaster, where many women rely on donations of sanitary products in order to survive.
Menstrual cups
Menstrual cups are flexible funnel-shaped devices made from silicone or rubber that are inserted inside the vagina to collect menstrual blood. Menstrual cups have been around since the 1930s but recently saw renewed popularity as more eco-friendly alternatives to pads and tampons.
These cups may be more comfortable than tampons and won’t cause leakage or increase risk of rashes that often arise with their use. But it may take practice to insert and achieve a good seal; additionally, improper removal techniques could result in messy use or they must be thoroughly rinsed and sterilized between uses.
One cup can last you for a full year, which means less trips to the store and reduced plastic waste from tampons and pads. Before considering using one however, consult your gynaecologist as not all women may find them suitable; especially those prone to rashes or allergies could find one uncomfortable.
Period pants
At a time when sustainability is increasingly valued, many women are opting for eco-friendly alternatives to conventional pads and tampons such as period pants – long-term sustainable solutions to menstrual hygiene that look and feel just like normal underwear while helping to absorb heavy flow without leakage issues.
Traditional pads and tampons create significant waste, with over 20 billion disposable sanitary products going directly into landfills every year. This waste has an enormously negative impact on the environment and may take decades for biodegradation; in comparison, eco-friendly period pants offer washable reuse capability and help significantly decrease their carbon footprint for feminine hygiene needs.
Subtle underwear is discreet, so you can wear it the same way you would wear other pieces of underwear. Some brands even provide various colors so that you can find an appropriate style. They are comfortable and easy to use.
Tampons
72 million women and girls of childbearing age in the US depend on menstrual hygiene products every month to keep them comfortable during menstruation, but most end up in landfills where it takes years for these items to decompose, releasing toxic waste into ecosystems while producing microplastics harmful to health.
Reusable period products, like menstrual cups, offer an alternative. While similar to disposable tampons in that they insertion and soak up blood externally, reusable period products come with washable cloth or silicon bases which make cleaning much simpler – Cora, Aisle and Vanity Planet all make products like these that can last years before needing replacement.
There are eco-friendly tampon options made of organic cotton, plant-based materials, and biodegradable applicators to reduce environmental impact by using less synthetic ingredients such as phthalates, BPA and dioxins.
