Eco, period!

Recently I have been on a bit of a personal mission to become more eco-friendly; reducing waste and changing my habits as a consumer. I've been trying to be smarter with what I buy and who I buy from, choosing products that will last, from companies with good values. Although I am very proud of the changes I have already made I know there are still many areas of my daily life where I could reduce a lot more waste, one of these being my periods! I have been intending on making the switch to a menstrual cup for a while now but haven't yet been able to build up the confidence. Things of this nature can often lead to embarrassing situations and I already find myself in these far too often for my liking! I was also a little worried about using a cup as I can sometimes experience discomfort or pain when using tampons (due to a suspected tilted uterus) and I wanted to be sure I had done my research before trying one. But now I'm all clued up and ready to embark on my journey to more eco-friendly periods!

Currently, like most women I know, tampons are the menstrual product I use the most. They provide confidence and enable the user to pretty much forget they were on a period at all. But how many of us know what tampons are made from? We just blindly trust that the things we put into one of the most delicate parts of our body are safe yet most tampons are not even sterile! Another thing that shocked me is that they contain plastic. Nope, I'm not talking about the applicator, although millions of them wash up on beaches all over the world, I'm talking about the tampon itself. Many have Polypropylene and Polyester in the string, thread and a thin layer around the cotton part of the tampon. The main absorbent part of the tampon is usually made from cotton and rayon. So the biggest issue with tampons is the plastic applicators and for this reason for the past few years, I have bought ones with cardboard applicators where possible. But there is still plastic in the tampon itself and this can end up in our oceans and seas as microplastics, which are potentially harmful to both marine life and humans.

Then we come to pads and liners, the former I'm not a big fan of as they make incredibly self-conscious about if it can be seen. I do use liners at the beginning and end of a period and for a little added security in certain situations. After doing some research I was shocked at how much plastic is involved in these products. Made from layers of polyolefins and/or polyester and cotton or paper pulp and individually wrapped in plastic packaging these products can end up being 90% plastic.

So Really how damaging are these things to the environment? Unfortunately, the numbers on how many of these menstrual products end up in landfill or oceans are hard to record accurately, but just looking at my consumption is mindblowing! I've worked out that I approximately use about 20 tampons and 8 liners during one period. Multiply this by 12 to get 240 tampons and 96 liners a year, and if you say I will menstruate for 35 years, that's a whopping 8,400 tampons and 3,360 liners in my lifetime! Now obviously these are all approximations but as an indicator for how much just one person uses, it is a massive eye-opener. Not to mention how much money spent this would amount to!

So what sustainable period products are there available? Well fortunately there are now many ranges and brands of tampons and pads that are more sustainable. Made completely from 100% organic cotton or sustainable bamboo, they also boast biodegradable packaging and often even offer a subscription delivery service! Some of the brands I've found include: Ohne, TOTM, Flo, NatraCare, and Tampax now offer a pretty decent option with their Pure range. However, these products are a little more pricey than the less eco-friendly option and so understandably might not be affordable for all.

This is where menstrual cups take centre stage! Ranging in price from £15 to £30, these little bad boys can last up to ten years when treated right, saving some serious mula. Made from medical grade silicone they create a seal when inserted to prevent leakage and collect all blood, and can be left for up to 12 hours, a decent number more than the standard 8 of tampons. They are easily cleaned by pouring the contents into the toilet and rinsing out, then using a specific wipe or wash, or even sterilising in boiling water. Menstrual cups are safe, very affordable when you consider how long they last, and switching to them from tampons, can reduce period waste massively. The big contenders in the menstrual cup game are Mooncup and OrganiCup, but other brands include: Lunette, TOTM, Saalt and Tampax even do one of these now too (well aren't they progressive)!

If by chance you are not a tampon person and find the concept of fitting a cup that big into a space that small a bit scary, then maybe reusable pads or period pants might suit you better. These are made from absorbent materials often backed with a plastic waterproof material, but can be washed multiple times and reused, some for up to five years if taken care of! If you often find pads shift, irritate or make your self conscious when wearing, period pants are the way to go. With inbuilt absorbency layers, they can hold as much as 4 tampons worth of blood with no leakage whatsoever! Both of these menstrual pad alternatives can be bought from a range of companies including ModiBodi, SheThinx, Bloom and Nora and CheekyWipes, and smaller brands on Etsy.

In conclusion, switching to more eco-friendly period products not only helps our growing waste problem but also can improve vaginal health and save a fair amount of money over the years! So which ones did I choose? I wanted a menstrual cup but was a little worried about getting used to using it so thought I'd also buy some plastic-free tampons and thin pads. I have to say I was a bit of a victim of indirect marketing here and went for the brand with the same name as me; Flo (I hardly ever find anything with my name on it). However, made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton or sustainable bamboo and housed in zero-plastic biodegradable wrappers, they seem like a pretty great product. They are even sanitized naturally in oxygen to kill bacteria! The company itself seems like it's got good morals, stating on its website that they are vegan, cruelty-free and that over 5% of all profits go to various charities fighting period poverty and genital mutilation. I got my bamboo liners from Holland & Barratt and my applicator tampons from Amazon, but you can also get them from various ethical online supermarkets or direct from their website as either a one-off order or subscription. In total, I spent £6.48 on 24 bamboo liners and 14 tampons.

As for the menstrual cup, I ended up going for an OrganiCup. This was mainly due to the numerous great reviews I found, plus I respected the no-fuss minimal packaging; a simple recyclable brown box that folds out to display all the instructions and information. Birthed from only a team of two this small brand has been dedicated to making big steps in the mission to period equality. They produce high-quality medical-grade silicone cups that are vegan and cruelty-free. I bought size A, as I haven't ever given birth, from Holland & Barratt for just over £15, and a 75ml bottle of the OrganiWash soap for £6.

I've decided to try my menstrual cup for the first time when not on a period. This is both recommended and seems pretty obvious as a less messy way to ease into it. In part 2 of my journey to a more sustainable period, I'll be documenting my first impressions using my new eco-friendly products, and letting you know how my next period goes!