TL;DR This post could also be named "how your period can change the world"; in which I gush about the life-changing magic of ditching pads and tampons forever; also some ideas for how we can use our privilege to serve women who don't have access to fancy sanitary items, and how empowering women helps fix the climate crisis. SO MANY WINS IN THIS POST YOU GUYS. The problem:
Most Australian women take single-use plastic products for granted during their period. That means that 3-4 times a day during your period you're using something for a few hours then chucking it (and its plastic wrapping) away. Most of us now decry the dark days when plastic shopping bags were a thing, avoid buying plastic water bottles and say "no" to single-use cutlery when we buy takeaway, but we think nothing of throwing plastic period products into landfill with alarming regularity. The stats on plastic waste and period products vary (because it involves estimating how many products get used in an average period, which is like a gross guessing game). But I've read that over 1 BILLION single-use sanitary products go into landfill every year. IN AUSTRALIA ALONE. But also, having your period is icky and messy and if you've figured out a way to manage it, changing your routine is unappealing. The solution: It is entirely possible to get through your period without plastic (if Anne of Green Gables can do it, so can we). I'm all for going back to old-fashioned ways of doing things. In many instances, this is thrifty and adorable (mending your clothes! Carrying your shopping in a basket! Home made oat milk in glass bottles!) When it comes to your period, the old way seems less adorable. (Stuffing rags or grass into our lady-britches? GRASS? Who though that was a good idea!?) Fortunately, with modern advancements in fancy fabrics and moisture-wicking technology, the new reusable sanitary products are WAY better than the options of the past. There are a number of possible solutions. I'll start with the ones I haven't tried: For pad users: modern cloth pads such as Hannah Pads. For tampon users: a menstrual cup. I haven't tried either of these two options. If you have, I would love to hear your review! Now for my favourite option... For anybody who wants to feel free and sexy during their period: period panties such as Thinx. These. Things. Changed. My. Life. There are several options available. I chose Thinx, because they have amazing reviews and are 100% vegan (some brands use wool). Their factory is located in Sri Lanka. I couldn't find an Australian-made brand, so I'm guessing that whichever brand you buy, they will most likely be shipped from a factory in Asia. Thinx FAQ: Do they work? Yes. They work at least as well as pads do. I think better. Like pads, you just change them when you need to. I occasionally feel like I need to change in the late afternoon, if I've been wearing them all day. It's not a big deal. I wear the boyshorts overnight and have no issues. But I like tampons. Will I like Thinx? I've used about 6 tampons since I started using Thinx. On the very odd occasion, I want to do an activity that doesn't feel compatible with Thinx - swimming, doing a vigorous workout, wearing white skinny jeans. So I do have a box of tampons as a backup. But 99% of the time, as a former tampon user, I prefer my Thinx. (Since I started using them, they've brought out training shorts, a leotard and a unitard to cover all kinds of active endeavours. They also have cheeky and g-string styles for lighter days, if you want to wear leggings or skinny jeans and need underwear that won't show.) Are they gross? What about washing them? I find them cleaner, less leaky and less gross than pads. I find them more convenient and less icky to change than tampons. If you're going to need to wear more than one pair in a day, take the spare pair in a ziplock bag in your handbag and put the worn pair into the ziplock until you get home. You can just throw them in the wash with your normal clothes (in cold water). If you're not ready to do a wash right away, leave them in a bucket of cold water in the laundry until it's time to do a load. They take slightly longer to dry than other clothes. How did they change your life? Since wearing Thinx, my attitude to my period has completely changed. I no longer view it as a drag. Not having to fuss around with sanitary products makes every day of my period feel like a normal day. It's freeing. Plus, the styles are so sexy that I actually feel AMAZING wearing them. Thinx have given me new powers. The other day I saw pads and tampons at the shops and suddenly remembered that other people use those. I actually forgot that the hassle of buying, using and disposing of those items exists. Thinx changed my habits overnight! So they completely accord with my personal philosophy of minimalist living and mental de-cluttering too. But aren't they super expensive? Yep. But I don't have a lot of spare cash and I would buy a set of Thinx all over again without hesitation. The amount of freedom and confidence I get from wearing them, coupled with the fact that I never have to use a plastic period product again, is more than worth it. Using our privilege: Not everybody has the means to drop $30+ on a pair of high-tech period panties or an organic cotton pad, obviously. So if you do, maybe you should. You can reduce your contribution to landfill where others can't. You could also make a donation to an organisation that provides sanitary products to people who can't always afford them. Share the Dignity collects donations of personal items for homeless women in Australia, or you can give cash on their website. AfriPads supplies reusable cloth pads to girls and women across Africa. "Education of girls" has been identified as one of the leading drivers for mitigating climate change. This is in part because the planet can't cope with our current rate of population growth, but the rate of childbirth slows naturally when women are educated and empowered. In developing countries, more education tends to correlate with women entering marriage later (or at all - education gives them other options) and having more say in when they start having children and how many they have. Women without sanitary protection are often forced to stay home during their period. Access to feminine hygiene products demonstrably increases school attendance for girls and ensures women are able to continue their higher education and/or attend their jobs. So by helping women around the world to manage their periods, we help change their lives and they help change the planet. Homework: 1. Choose a plastic-free period option, order one and try it. You won't regret it! 2. Switch your disposable options to the most ethical and eco-friendly possible. TOM Organic products are 100% biodegradable and their packaging is recyclable (BUT it is still single-use plastic). 3. Make a small donation to one of the organisations mentioned above. 4. Talk to one friend about this (if you're shy, just post the link to my blog post, or to one of the charitable organisations). P.S. None of the links in this post are affiliate links (i.e. I don't get any kickbacks for promoting the products mentioned). I raved about Thinx simply because I love them so much, and I've recommended some alternatives to explore because I'd love you to try giving up plastic products. No perks for me.
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