This post explains why you should try sustainable period products and breaks down the pros and cons of each available option.
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Periods are an important natural function of the body that about half the population on Earth deals with every month. They have been managed in various ways throughout history and cultures, but nowadays we don’t let them hold us back from our daily lives, so we use period products.
Period products have also gone through various evolutions over time. My mom tells me that in her childhood, they just used reusable cloths, and she always hated having to wash them with her sisters, as it could be a smelly and icky process. So to be fair, the introduction of single-use pads and tampons must have been a freeing and more hygienic innovation.
Nowadays, single-use sanitary products cause more harm than they’re worth. They are usually made of plastic, coated in toxic chemicals, and create a significant amount of waste. This is bad for the environment but also harmful to our health and bodies. My initial reason for finding alternatives over a decade ago was that normal period pads would always irritate my skin.
So, if you’re ready to explore healthier and more sustainable period products, this post breaks down the alternatives and their pros and cons. Remember that every body is different, so try out what works for you and your needs!
Why You Should Switch to Sustainable Period Products
There are many reasons why you should choose sustainable period products over conventional disposable ones, which can be broken down as follows:
- They are much less harmful to the environment
- They are much healthier for your skin and health
- They can save you a lot of money
Environment
Conventional single-use pads and tampons are made from plastic. This is made from fossil fuels, which produce emissions during extraction, production, and shipping, only to be thrown away after a single use. In an average pack of sanitary pads, there’s around 36g of plastic, equivalent to five carrier bags (source).
When they are thrown away, they usually end up in landfills or oceans, or are burned with other waste. An estimated 28,000 tonnes of waste comes from sanitary products each year in the UK, 4% of which ends up in the environment by being flushed down the toilet (source).
The chemicals used in many sanitary products are also toxic and can leach into water, harming wildlife and ecosystems.
Health
Putting plastic pads and tampons directly against your most sensitive skin is also not good for your health. The microplastics they shed are known to be able to invade the body and tissue in our bodies and disrupt endocrine functions, and have other toxic effects (read more here).
And those chemicals that most sanitary products are coated in are obviously terrible for your body too. Many period products can contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, parabens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful to human health (source). The fact that many people experience skin irritation from synthetic pads is a clear sign that we should not be putting these materials against our bodies.
Cost
Everyone who uses sanitary products knows how expensive they get over time, since you have to buy them every month. A clear benefit of reusable period products is that you can use them for years. You pay a little bit more upfront, but after a few months they will have paid themselves back, and you don’t have to spend another cent for years to come.
8 Best Sustainable Period Products To Try
If you’ve never tried them before, you might find sustainable period products a bit intimidating or seemingly inconvenient. But once you’ve tried them, you’ll wonder how you ever did without them! There are plenty of options, so there will be something that suits your body and needs.
Most of these are reusable period products, which are the best for preventing waste and saving money, but if they are not for you, then I have some sustainable single-use options at the end. Also, don’t be afraid to combine several options. For years, I did a combo of menstrual cup, reusable pads, and reusable period panties, though now I mainly use period panties only (since my period got lighter from my IUS – pro tip).
1. Menstrual cup
The first reusable period product I ever tried was a menstrual cup. These replace tampons since they are used as a literal cup to collect your blood, which you empty when needed, rinse, and insert again.
Menstrual cups are usually made from silicone, which is flexible and hygienic, and I never felt them when inserted. They sit in the vaginal canal, the same place as tampons, but use suction to stay in place. They hold the same or more blood than regular tampons.
There’s a slight learning curve for inserting and removing it, but nothing too complicated. My only real drawback is that it can feel a bit messier when emptying, but you learn pretty quickly how to minimise this, and you can just wash your hands.
Pros:
- reusable for years, no waste
- plastic and chemical-free
- holds a lot of blood, often more than regular tampons
Cons:
- slight learning curve
- might not fit every body as some find them uncomfortable
- can feel a bit messier than regular tampons
- not biodegradable at end of life
Where to buy:
- There are many brands around that have pretty comparable menstrual cups. Ethical Superstore carries a few: Get menstrual cups here
- DAME is a great period product brand: Get the DAME menstrual cup here.
2. Menstrual disks
Menstrual disks are similar to cups, but, as the name suggests, they are shaped like disks instead of cups. They are positioned high in the vaginal canal, resting behind the pubic bone and do not use any suction to stay in place.
I’ve never used them, but they apparently have some benefits over menstrual cups. They have a higher capacity, holding 3-6 tampons’ worth of blood. They can also be easier to insert and be more comfortable due to their position and not relying on suction. Another cool benefit is that they do not get in the way when having sex, so they can be used for mess-free period sex!
Pros:
- reusable for years, no waste
- plastic and chemical-free
- holds a lot of blood, more than regular tampons
- easier to insert than cups
- can be more comfortable than cups
- mess-free period sex
Cons:
- slight learning curve
- might not fit every body
- can feel a bit messier than regular tampons
- not biodegradable at end of life
Where to buy
- There are several brands to choose from. The Period Lady has a good selection!
3. Reusable tampons
Another, but less common, tampon replacement is reusable tampons. This is a piece of organic cotton cloth that is rolled up. Just like single-use tampons, it works by absorbing blood, but you can wash and reuse them.
This might be a good option if you prefer an absorbent rather than silicone product, but there are some concerns for hygiene and safety. Silicone cups and disks can easily be sterilised by boiling them and don’t hold onto bacteria as easily, but cotton cloth does. You’d have to be very rigorous in cleaning and sanitising them after every use.
Pros:
- reusable for years, no waste
- biodegradable at end of life
- plastic and chemical-free
- easy to use, no change compared to conventional tampons
Cons:
- might not fit every body
- less hygienic and sanitary, might lead to toxicity problems
- might need to carry around used tampons
Where to buy
- I’ve only found one version of this in the UK, stocked by The Period Lady
4. Reusable period pads
Most single-use period pads are made with plastic and chemicals, which are polluting and can be irritating to the skin. Reusable period pads are one of the best purchases you’ll ever make! I still always carry one in my bag in case my period is early.
Reusable period pads are similar to disposable ones; only they wrap around your underwear with a push button to stay in place. They will always need synthetic fabric in them to serve as leak-proof layers, but most will have a natural fabric like cotton or bamboo as the top layer, so it’s soft and non-irritating. Washing them is easy, I always put them in with the rest of my laundry at 30 or 20 degrees.
They don’t have many downsides, except that you might have to carry around used pads if you’re out and about. Most brands come with a waterproof pouch though, so just keep that with a spare pad in your bag. Some (cheaper) versions will use synthetic fabric throughout, even the part that touches the skin, so make sure you find organic cotton or bamboo versions instead for extra comfort and sustainability.
Pros:
- reusable for years, no waste
- chemical-free and no plastic touching your skin
- easy to use, small change compared to conventional pads
Cons:
- might need to carry around used pads
- not biodegradable or recyclable at end of life
- still contains some synthetic materials
Where to buy
- The pads I have are from Re:gn: Get Re:gn period pads here.
- DAME has a good-looking cotton-based period pad: Get DAME reusable period pads here.
- The Period Lady has a great selection of reusable period pad brands
5. Reusable period panties
Reusable period panties are similar to reusable pads; the pad is just sewn into the underwear. I use them exclusively now, though my period is light enough that I don’t need anything else. In the past, I always used a menstrual cup with a period panty for extra security.
Their only drawback is that you can’t easily change them during the day, so they’re best in combination with a cup or on lighter days. Some people say they can feel quite bulky, but that just depends on the brand and absorbency you go for – there are plenty of options that are not bulky at all.
Other than that, I think they’re perfect. Just make sure you invest in a good quality one. As with pads, try to find ones with a natural fabric layer on the inside, so the synthetic, waterproof layers don’t touch your skin.
Pros:
- reusable for years, no waste
- chemical-free and no plastic touching your skin
- easy to use, just use it like normal underwear
Cons:
- not easily changed during the day
- not biodegradable or recyclable at end of life
- still contains a bit of synthetic materials
- good ones can be expensive upfront
Where to buy
- My favourite ones are from WUKA, especially their seamless range, which shows no VPL on your bum!
- DAME has great ones made from organic cotton with minimal synthetic fabric: Get DAME reusable period pants here.
- Ethical superstore has a good selection too: Get reusable period underwear here.
6. Period swimwear
Period swimwear pants are similar to normal period pants, just made for swimming. They will always be made entirely from synthetic fabrics (don’t get me started on how hard it is to find natural fibre swimwear), but are still better than disposables or not swimming at all!
Most people’s period stops flowing in water due to the water pressure, so you don’t have to be as afraid of leaking as you might think. However, out of the pool and when lounging on the beach, period swimwear is still very useful.
Pros:
- reusable for years, no waste
- chemical-free
- easy to use, just use it like normal swimwear
Cons:
- not easily changed during the day
- not biodegradable or recyclable at end of life
- still contains mainly synthetic materials
- good ones can be expensive upfront
Where to buy
- WUKA has a nice range of period swimwear
- Modibodi has some great options
- The Period Lady has a good range too
7. Organic & chemical-free period pads
If you really don’t want to ditch disposable period products completely, there are options for less harmful single-use sanitary pads. I recommend staying away from most big period product brands, because they are nearly always made with synthetics and chemicals throughout.
You’ll want to look for 100% organic cotton or bamboo, plastic-free, and chemical and perfume-free period pads. They can make these still waterproof with a biodegradable cornstarch or cellulose layer. These are biodegradable after use and non-irritating due to the lack of synthetics and chemicals. Still make sure to never put them down the toilet!
Pros:
- non-toxic for your body
- easy to use, no change compared to conventional pads
- no plastic pollution
Cons:
- still wasteful as they are single-use
- still costly as you need to purchase monthly, and they are usually more expensive than conventional pads
Where to buy
- Ethical Superstore has a large selection of sustainable period pads: Get sustainable period pads here.
- DAME has 100% organic cotton period pads: Get DAME organic period pads here.
8. Organic & chemical-free tampons
Most tampons are made from viscose or cotton, both of which are made with chemicals. They also often mix it with synthetic threads and use a polyester string, as well as coating them in chemicals. A recent study even found toxic heavy metals in several kinds of tampons (source).
So, if you don’t want something reusable, look for tampons made from organic cotton, grown without chemical pesticides or fertilisers. They should also be completely unbleached or otherwise chemically coated.
With tampons, there’s also the applicator to consider, at least in some countries. I’ve never used them; growing up in the Netherlands, I literally never knew applicators existed until I moved to the UK. I’ve always felt that inserting tampons without one is just as easy and prevents the (usually plastic) single-use waste. So, it’s best to just avoid applicators altogether, but some good alternatives are:
- Biodegradable applicators, look for ones made of cardboard
- Reusable applicators, like the world’s first one from DAME: Get the DAME reusable tampon applicator here.
Remember to never flush applicators or tampons down the toilet!
Pros:
- non-toxic for your body
- easy to use, no change compared to conventional tampons
- no plastic pollution
Cons:
- still wasteful as they are single-use
- still costly as you need to purchase monthly, and they are usually more expensive than conventional tampons
Where to buy:
- Ethical Superstore has a ton of organic cotton tampons, with or without cardboard applicators: Get sustainable tampons here.
- DAME has great organic cotton tampons in addition to their reusable applicator: Get DAME sustainable tampons here.
I hope this breakdown has been helpful in convincing you to switch to sustainable period products. It is a relatively small change to make, but it has major positive impacts on the planet and your body!
