ZERO-WASTE PERIOD

October 19 was National Period Day which, according to its founder PERIOD, is a day for “elevating the issue of period poverty and demanding real change to making period products more accessible for all and ending the tampon tax.”

In 2019, 35 of our 50 states still have a tax on period products considering them non-essential items. Which to me is just crazy because as someone who has had a period once a month for the last nine years, I know how completely essential they are to a well-functioning day.

The first study on period-poverty showed that 46% of low-income women have had to choose between a meal and period products. That shouldn’t be a reality for anybody.

Approximately 6.25 years of a woman’s life is spent menstruating and there are a lot of things we have to pay for during to be functional people in the society during some 456 periods. Products like tampons, pads, pain relievers, heating pads, acne medication, birth control and new underwear to replace the ones that get ruined. This can equal nearly $20,000 over roughly 38 years.

In this post, I want to focus on the products that stop blood from ruining anything we wear on our bottom halves during our periods. It’s important to me that everyone take vaginal health seriously and make an effort towards reducing their waste, so I will only be recommending sustainable options.

• Menstrual Cups

My very favorite period product is my menstrual cup. Now I know these have a bad rap, but I absolutely love it. It’s small and easy to insert, and you can leave it in all day with no worries of leakage. There are tons of companies out there selling menstrual cups, but I personally use one from Ruby Cup. They come in two sizes, small for a moderate flow and medium for a heavier flow. Not only are they made of medical-grade silicone which is significantly healthier for your body than a conventional tampon, they also eliminate all of the waste that comes from disposal period products. For every one purchased they donate one to a girl in a developing country! How amazing is that?

They cost $33, including the cost of donation and that might sound expensive to you, but they last up to 10 years. So, instead of spending around $2000 on tampons every year you only need to spend $33 every 10 years. They are so accessible that you can actually walk into a CVS or Walgreens to buy one. However, there are tons of brands out there, so do some research to find the best one for you!

Bonus: when using these you are at a significantly lower risk of toxic shock syndrome.

• Organic Cotton Tampons

If you cringe when thinking about menstrual cups you are not alone. When I first started towards a low-waste lifestyle I was totally grossed out by the thought of them too. So, if you’re not ready for the magic that is menstrual cups I must recommend organic cotton tampons.

Conventional tampons are chock-full of dioxins, chemicals classified as “known human carcinogens” that comes as a byproduct of the bleaching process. 

Endocrine disruptors are also found in your run of the mill tampon. They fudge up your hormones and some research has found a link to lower IQ and development of asthma.

The most popular brand I have found is Lola. Explore their page because they sell much more than just tampons. However, you can find other brands at Target or Walmart as well.

To really reduce your impact in terms of waste opt for the applicator free tampons.

• Reusable Pads

If you aren’t comfortable inserting something into your vagina then rejoice because there are alternatives for you! The most sustainable one being reusable cotton pads. 

Reusable pads are becoming so popular that you can buy them at Walmart and Walgreens or you can order them on Amazon. Aside from buying them, you can make your own from downloadable patterns on the internet like this one from the Eco-Friendly Family blog.

Tampons are classified as medical devices and therefore are not required by the FDA to list its ingredients. Sp, these chemicals have been found during the limited amount of research put into finding solid information about period products.

I would recommend buying or making a few because once you have used one it will need to be rinsed clean and set aside to be washed.

• Organic Cotton Pads

If you aren’t about the insertable methods and you simply cannot handle having to wash reusable pads; there is a product for you! 

Organic cotton pads, like their tampon counterpart, can be found at big box stores like Walmart and Target, as well as drug stores like CVS and Walgreens. 

What I really hope you take away from this is the value of vaginal and reproductive health. Help yourself by looking into any of the options I’ve brought to your table and choose what you think is best. Please go out and have open conversations about periods and period health to help eliminate the stigma. 

Stay tuned for the next post!

-Isabel Illig

Follow Isabel on Instagram.