Eco-friendly hygiene products: which ones to choose

The average woman uses approximately 13,000 pads and tampons in her lifetime. Alas, this causes enormous harm to the environment. Can this process be stopped? Yes, if you use eco-friendly hygiene products. 

About 12 billion tampons and pads end up in landfills every year, where they will decompose for 500-600 years! Regular tampons and pads are made from synthetic materials and plastic. The second leads to the production of methane. Its content in the atmosphere is 30 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, and it contributes to the formation of the greenhouse effect.

According to a study by the European Commission, used personal care products are the fifth most popular item found in the ocean! In addition, the very process of manufacturing materials for pads and tampons also harms the environment. Cotton production uses pesticides and herbicides. For bleaching, a large amount of chlorine and other environmentally harmful substances are used. Not to mention the fact that all this is not very useful for women's health.

“Okay, we got it! What to do? – you ask. We answer: it is difficult to reduce the amount of necessary hygiene products, but still possible! Here are some options for solving the problem.

Biodegradable organic cotton tampons and pads

This is the simplest and most convenient option. The process of growing organic cotton has fewer negative consequences than the production of genetically modified cotton. For example, there are no toxic releases to the soil and air, and less water and energy are required. In addition, no chemicals and no bleaching procedure is used to produce organic cotton.

Menstrual cup

Easy method number two is to replace disposables with a menstrual cup. In fact, this is not a newfangled thing at all: cups were invented back in 1937, a little later than tampons. But they had less luck with advertising, so for a while everyone forgot about them. Manufacturers claim that the bowl will last 10-15 years. It does not cause allergies and can be worn up to 12 hours. Of course, everything is not so simple: there are also contraindications. For example, problems with the microflora, endometriosis, inflammation, trauma and tumors. But in fairness, it should be noted that this applies not only to bowls, but also to tampons.

There is a rare disease called toxic shock syndrome (TSS). It develops under the influence of staphylococcal toxins. And it occurs when using foreign objects in the human body (tampons, vaginal contraceptives), as well as after operations and childbirth. A study published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology found menstrual cups to be just as risky. True, other tests came out in parallel, proving the opposite.

There is only one main advice: tampons and bowls should be changed every 4-6 hours and should not be left overnight. And the cup is also important to carefully sterilize.

Fabric reusable pads

You can try using them while you do household chores or at night. They serve up to 5 years, are made of bio-cotton and bamboo. They are attached to the underwear with the help of buttons located on the "wings".

Reusable underwear for menstruation

No, you heard right. This underwear is designed to replace pads and tampons. These panties are almost indistinguishable from ordinary ones, but they sit tighter, and inside there are absorbent layers.

Which brands offer sustainable hygiene products?

Organic cotton and plant-based pads and tampons are made by several brands. Among them, for example, Natracare, Totmorganic, Ohne, Clementine Take Good Care and others. Used products can be disposed of with organic waste or used as compost. The Norma.pads brand produces reusable pads. By the way, its founder is our compatriot Alya Vishnyakova.

Critical day underwear and reusable tampon applicators are made by Shethinx. As for menstrual cups, their choice today is very large. You can find suitable options on Ozon.ru, Wildberries and Asos.

Text: Polina Kropovnitskaya