We honored to share this guest blog post by the lovely Sky Wampler on sustainable period products. This is information that all women would know and understand! Please comment below and let us know your thoughts!
We all know that climate change is one of the most immediate and pressing issues facing our world today. The extinction of species and staggering statistics are no longer surprising. Many of us also know that plastic usage is one of the largest contributors to this problem. Not only are common commercial tampons and pads horrible for the environment, with their excessive packaging and plastic usage, they can make us sick. Many women are aware of the threat of toxic shock syndrome--after reading the warnings on tampon packages and hearing tales of women confined to hospital beds for weeks at a time. At present, the FDA does not require tampon companies to include an ingredient list on their boxes and many of us have no idea what harmful chemicals are included in our products. But what is there to do about it? We will continue to menstruate and we have to use the products that are available to us or risk a tremendous mess.
Recently, however, companies created for women by women have been hitting the market with ferocity and they are now offering safe and SUSTAINABLE period products for the first time in years.
Some fantastic companies to use are listed below:
Hannahpad U.S.A. Reusable Cloth pads
I can personally vouch for how amazing these reusable pads are. As someone with a heavy flow myself, I’ve always had to use copious amounts of disposable pads and tampons in order to keep it under control. These pads are a life saver for many reasons, including the fact that they do not leak. And, as if that is not enough of a reason on its own to switch over to these amazing cloth pads, they are made of 100% pure cotton with one, small, recyclable plastic snap that will hold them in place throughout the day.
Hannahpad also has 6 sizes available with 12 patterns per size, so it is easy to find the size and quantity that fit your personal needs, and to top it off, they’re pretty! They are also extremely easy to wash. I would recommend investing in their natural probiotic soap for easy and safe cleaning. Simply rinse them out with cold water, apply some soap and soak for 8 hours or overnight, rinse, and hang dry. They’re fantastic, safe, leakproof, pretty, and all around awesome. Learn more about them here
Cora Organic Disposable Products
If you simply cannot bring yourself to jump on the reusable pad bandwagon (which completely changed my life), or if you are devoted to using tampons and not just pads, I would recommend using Cora organic disposable products. This company has a philosophy of “radical transparency,” meaning they include all of their ingredients on their website for the world to see. Not only are their products natural and biodegradable, they are organic, which aids in the elimination of harmful chemicals in local watersheds and the air as a result of the fact that they do not use herbicides or pesticides on their organic cotton. I would encourage you to purchase their applicator free tampons in order to truly eliminate as much waste as possible. (It’s amazing that they even offer this option!)
Another super awesome thing about Cora is that it is a cheap monthly subscription box, allowing you to choose exactly how many tampons or pads you would like in their many different sizes, making their products utterly customizable, which, in the market today is something that I find to be simply amazing. And, if that wasn’t enough to convince you to switch to this fantastic company, they give back to girls worldwide that cannot afford period products. A list of the locations they give back to can be found here. You can learn more about them here
Menstrual Cups such as Diva Cup
Menstrual cups have been around for a little while, and while they are not naturally biodegradable, they reduce the total amount of waste used during any given menstrual cycle. They are easy to use and compatible, and they are hypoallergenic so as to allow as many women as possible to use them. (Disclaimer: I do not use these, as I had an unfortunate experience with one when I was about 13, but I know many women who love them and swear by them). They are easy to insert and easy to clean.
The way a menstrual cup works is by being inserted--similarly to a tampon--and resting comfortably in the vaginal canal to collect menstrual fluid throughout the day. When you are finished with your cup, simply remove it, dump it out, and wash it with a soap recommended by the company you choose to use. They dry quickly and don’t leave a mess. If inserted correctly, they are leak proof as well! Learn more about Diva cups here.
All in all, it is so important to protect not only Mother Earth, but our bodies as well! There is no sense in putting harmful--potentially fatal--chemicals into our bodies when there are wonderful products out there that help to keep our planet clean and happy, and help to keep our bodies that way as well! There are definitely more wonderful products out there, but these three have worked for me and have completely changed my life around and made me more comfortable with my body.
Wishing you wild love and freedom,
~Sky Wampler
About the Author~
My name is Sky. I'm an adventurer, traveler, freedom seeker, yogi, musician, and nature lover. Some of my hobbies include playing piano, singing, writing and most days you
can find me curled up with a good book in a cozy nook somewhere. I'm currently an undergrad at UVA studying Creative Writing and Environmental Sustainability. More than anything I hope to leave this earth a more beautiful place than it was when I arrived.
You can follow Sky online at https://asimplenarrative.com/ and on Instagram @asimplenarrative (https://www.instagram.com/asimplenarrative/)
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