Switching to reusable or organic menstrual products such as menstrual cups or organic tampons can help stop this environmental pollution, and also cut your costs, not to mention be beneficial for your health!
Menstrual Cups – the eco friendly alternative to tampons
You might think Menstrual Cups are a modern invention, but actually the concept was invented in the early 1910s. So the idea of these cups is probably older than you are, even though most women have never heard of them.
A menstrual cup is a form of reusable, soft cup that offers a safe, convenient and eco-friendly alternative to tampons and sanitary pads.
Menstrual cups are made from either all-natural rubber or medical-grade, latex-free, silicone (synthetic, man-made), which contains no dyes, BPA, toxins or bleaches. Menstrual cups are designed to respect your natural internal moisture balance in contrast to tampons, which can cause dryness and leave fibres behind. A menstrual cup simply holds the fluid until you remove it, unlike a tampon, which absorbs the blood along with the vagina’s natural secretions, and therefore dries out the vagina and increases the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).
Depending on the size and brand menstrual cups usually hold around 15-30ml, which means that it might only need emptying twice a day. A menstrual cup is reusable and can last up to ten years with proper care, perhaps even longer. Therefore using the menstrual cup is highly environmental friendly, and it reduces the amount of tampons or pads ending up in landfill or in the sea. Think about how many tampons or pads you use each period – it could be up to 22 each month – imagine needing only one thing that is completely reusable! The savings are pretty obvious!
You can get The Keeper - approved by Therapeutic Goods Administration (AUST L 68249) - made from natural rubber from this Aussie store online: The Natural Company
[Ed: I’ve been using The Keeper for many years and it’s been liberating! Travel, sport, swimming, hiking, camping, music festivals… it’s so much easier and no environmental impact whatsoever!]
Organic Tampons
Have you ever asked yourself what tampons are made of?
Almost every tampon brand sold in Australia is made from a combination of Rayon and Viscose – used to make the body of the tampon; and then wrapped in a thin “cover” of Polypropylene/Polyethylene/Polyester to help with comfort while inserting.
Rayon-cotton is a synthetic fibre that is made from wood pulp it is highly absorbent. This fibre, as well as cotton, undergoes a bleaching process before being made into tampons and even though this process has been improved to try and eliminate dioxins, trace levels are still being found.
“Most tampons are made from a blend of synthetics and cotton; cotton being one of the most heavily pesticide sprayed crops on the planet, not to mention one of the dirtiest,” said Aimee Marks, founder of T.O.M (Time of the Month) Organic.
“Women today choose to use organic foods, beauty products and household cleaners, but up until now women have not been given enough of a choice when it comes to one of the most intimate - and vital - parts of female health!”
Shocked at the chemicals involved in standard tampons, T.O.M Organic designed organic tampons, made from 100% certified organic cotton, for women who want to use a tampon that is good for their health and the environment.
Check out the TOM Organic website for more information on this Australian organic alternative.
Natural Reusable Tampons
There is also a range of other eco friendly menstrual products available such as cloth menstrual pads, reusable tampons or sponge tampons or sea sponges – yes you read it right, sea sponges!
Sponge tampons are made from a sea sponge, which absorbs the flow much like a tampon. These are simply washed and reused, although they aren’t as long-term reusable as some other options, as the sponge naturally degrades over time. However sea sponges can be easier to use than a menstrual cup and are can be cheaper as well.
Note: Sea sponges have not been approved by TGA and therefore are not currently available for sale within Australia – they can be ordered from overseas.
Reusable (washable) tampons are another option; they are used like a regular disposable tampon but washed and reused. You can even make these yourself; there are many patterns and instructions available via the internet.
Check out labyrinth.net.au for links to patterns.
Reusable Cloth Pads
A cloth menstrual pad is washable fabric version of a disposable menstrual pad, and is usually made from bamboo or cotton. These are very absorbent and some versions even include a waterproof layer to give the same security as a disposable pad – but without the environmental impact!
Check out the moon pads website, an Aussie store that makes these.
It doesn’t matter whichever product fits you bests or you are most comfortable with, just make sure you switch to one of them if you have not already done so. There are many benefits, with probably the biggest for the environment and the future of our planet!
Have you tried any of these? Tell us about your experience! Or do you have a recommendation? Why not share it by leaving a comment below!
You can find more eco friendly businesses related to this topic in the Sanitary Products section of the Green Times Business Directory.
Written by Vanessa Kugler
Image by: Lucas Cobb via Flickr Creative Commons.
Comments
I make them out of almost any fabric I have at hand, although fleece material works really well for the outer layer, as well as silk (so they are not vegan).
I have been able to pass the pattern I use on to different people I have come in contact with including girls who live in rural Africa who usually have to miss school because they can't afford the mass produced variety of tampons. Now they are able to make their own and continue with their schooling.