For decades now, adverts and marketing for sanitary products has been based upon the idea that periods and something to be hidden and to be embarrassed about…well not anymore!
According to the AHMPA, an enormous 4.3 billion disposable sanitary products are used each year in the UK – leading to a massive amount of waste. According to the Woman’s Environmental Network, an average woman will go through in excess of 11,000 disposable menstrual products in a lifetime, as a result tampons, pads and panty liners amount to more than 200,000 tonnes of waste per year! When you consider that most disposable sanitary pads and panty liners are made of 90% plastic (tampons approximately 6%), that’s a huge amount of plastic and non-biodegradable products going straight in to landfill or worse making their way on to our beautiful coastlines and oceans. In addition, the process needed to manufacture disposable sanitary products is heavily reliant upon chemicals and resources to achieve the end result. From a health perspective, studies carried out in the United States have found a range of toxins, dioxins and carcinogens present in tampons! (Not nice!)
All of this makes for uncomfortable reading when we think about the effect plastics and micro plastic waste is having upon the planet and the environment. So, the big question…is there an alternative?
Yes there is …washable sanitary products are now in stock at Naturally Baby!
We stock a range of products including:
Tots Bots Bloom and Nora sanitary pads
Cheeky Wipes sanitary pads
Cheeky Wipes period pants
Little Lamb sanitary pads
The period pants are great for using with or without the pads, or for using with a menstrual cup for added protection. Period pants and brilliant for teenagers for added security and confidence at school. They can be changed during the day with a heavier flow or used with a washable sanitary pad if needed.
What are they made of?
In comparison to their disposable counterparts, which can be made from wood pulp, bleaching chemicals, adhesives and plastics (honestly!), washable sanitary products use materials such as natural bamboo, cotton and fleece to absorb.
The general principle with all washable sanitary products is that they are made with an absorbent inner core, between layers of waterproof backing and stay dry lining – to prevent any embarrassing leaks! They are then sewn together and instead of that tricky adhesive strip (very uncomfortable if gets to close to your nether regions), you will find a popper to secure the pad in place. Simple!
How do you wash them?
It’s really easy to keep your washable sanitary products clean and hygienic, just simply rinse them quickly in cold water and then wash on a 40 cycle (avoid fabric conditioner as it can reduce absorbency), then reshape and air dry. Job done!
Why not pop in to store and have a chat with our lovely staff about how you could make this easy swap to a much more eco friendly period!
