Green Product Review – Options Besides Disposable Maxi Pads & Tampons
May 14, 2008 by Jennifer
So far during my little adventure into greener female products we’ve only looked at disposables products;
- Basic cons of conventional products
- Natracare Tampons & Pads Review
- Green Product Review: Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Ultra-thin Pads with Wings
Really though, you don’t even have to go there. You can use reusable pads and cups. I discussed this before in an extreme green post here, but not in-depth.
Here are some non-disposable options:
- Glad Rags
- The Keeper
- Luna Pads
- The Diva Cup
- Make-It-Yourself Menstrual Pads
- Pleasure Puss Menstrual Pads – Singles (what’s with the name?) seriously?
- Sckoon Organic Cotton Cloth Reusable Menstrual / Postpartum Pads
You can also find plenty of other reusable options on Etsy and other sites. Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite not listed above.
Why reusable:
Why not is a better question. Do you realize how many pads and tampons you’ll go through in your life. Even with disposables that are more earth friendly that’s still plenty of trash and plenty of money out the door. You can save resources, time, and money by going with reusable options.
Need a $ shock: Disposable Pad or Tampon Cost Pad Calculator
I haven’t used too many reusable – why? Because they flipping last forever. At least the ones I have. In eight some odd years I’ve bought new exactly twice, and only twice because I bought two different kinds. That’s a huge monetary savings. Plus I’ve thrown away a considerable small amount of trash compared to other women who continually use disposables. I’ve used the reusable pads for travel even, although that honestly is more work, so I don’t always.
What I’ve tried:
Luna Pads – average flow: I liked Luna Pads for postpartum use because these suckers really work (and you know how the flow goes after childbirth). That said, I’m not a fan of them as everyday monthly pads. They’re a little thick for my liking. You can tell they’re there (way more than other pads.) Still, here’s the thing; I bought mine about eight years ago and when I checked out the website today, it appears they’re making their pads thinner. So maybe they’re less bulky now-a-days.
You can use these without changing the whole set-up each time. They come with liners and just the liner can be changed vs. the whole pad, which cuts down on laundry.
Pros: Hold up great. Wash and wash and dry them and they’ll still be in great shape. Also I like all the design choices and they also now offer organic. I’m not sure they had organic eight years ago. They don’t leak and wash right up. They come in all types of flow sizes, including panties, and liners.
Cons: As noted, bulkier than normal pads and other cloth pads. But this is questionable.
Here’s the newest image of the average pads – which really do look thinner than the ones I own.
Glad Rags:
I LOVE Glad Rags. The only thing I don’t like is that mine aren’t organic ( I can’t remember if they didn’t have them in organic 8 years ago, or if the place I got them didn’t carry them, but mine are basic cotton). I’d get organic if I were you.
Glad Rags are super easy and not bulky. Although, I have light to average flow, so if you have heavy they might be bulkier, because of how they work. You can use each wrap around pad (snap-shut) with one insert or two – so if you have a heavy flow and use two, it might get bulkier.
Pros: Last, and last, and last. I’m just now thinking about replacing my original nine pads. But more because I want the organic ones; overall they likely have a couple years use left in them. I’ve seriously washed these pads hundreds of times and the fabric is still in top notch shape and the snaps on every single one works. Comfortable, not bulky. Work well with no leaks (of course that will vary depending on flow). Wash well. Glad Rags notes that you should soak your pads after use, and I used to, but frankly, I got lazy, and quit. Yet, they still come clean – so good for lazy folks may be a pro. If I had white, I’d soak them each time though, to make sure they don’t stain. (I have violet).
Cons: Hmmm, cons. You know, there are very few cons. The thing I like least about them is that if you dry them in a dryer (I sometimes toss them in with towels), then don’t snatch them out right away, they come out a little too wrinkled, and don’t lay as flat. Overall though, I can’t think of any serious cons.
Below are regular cotton – they come in a ton of colors. And the white you see are the organic cotton, which also come in a variety of colors now.
As for other reusable pads, I haven’t used them, because there’s been no need to buy any more. I also haven’t ever used things like the Diva Cup or the Keeper because honestly, I can see myself making a huge mess with them, and more importantly I’m simply partial to pads.
However, I know women who have used and loved both the Keeper and Diva Cup. The only cons I’ve heard have been leaks once in a while and that there’s a learning curve with ease of use – but that doesn’t sound so bad to me. Still, I’m not comfortable really commenting since I haven’t used them.
If you have please feel free to contact me if you’d like to write a review here (either anonymously or not – if you have a blog we’ll let you link to it in your review) OR simply leave a comment. Honestly, I just don’t want to pay for one just to do a review here, so unless some of you have used them, reviews are out. Sorry.
I’ll be back this week with a round up of all the products we’ve looked at in the last two weeks.
Questions for you: Have you used reusable options for that time of the month – or are you considering it? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments.
OK some things are just meant to be disposed of!
Have you tried the Instead cup?
Here’s a con – you have to empty it out by pulling it out and washing all the blood down the sink, there’s blood everywhere – try that in a public bathroom. Think your coworkers or the ladies at church will like you more? Uh NO.
It’s dangerously unhygienic.
I feel similarly about the ludicrous idea of those natural sponges. GROSS and impractical.
@Wendy I don’t agree – but that’s a choice you make. Back in the day, we didn’t have disposable pads. Disposable are so new compared to reusable, that really you could say they weren’t meant to be disposed of.
@Tracee The instead cup is like the Diva and Keeper I think – which I haven’t tried, so I can’t comment. I know many women do use them though, I can’t imagine women would keep using them if they continually caused issues. Lots of women like natural sponges. Also, sponges, the cups, reusable pads; none of them are anywhere near as gross as a landfill or beach full of tampons and pads.
Jennifer..I have a friend that is a midwife that makes pads. They are called Joyful Living Naturals.
http://www.joyfullivingnaturals.com/jln/index.cfm
I find it humorous that women survived several thousand years without disposeable pads and they have become such a ” necessity” now.
I don’t find the diva cup difficult or unhygenic. I DO find sticking chemical laden materials into sensitive areas of my body frightening, however. Dioxins are not something I want associated with my parts if at all possible.
We are such a hygenic society that we have removed ourselves from reality. Meat comes in plastic packages that grow in the grocery. Waste is flushed so that it never has to be considered again. Used diapers are folded, hermetically sealed and tossed out without thought. Menstrual blood and the products that contain it should be disposed of along with everything else. Easily, and thoughtlessly.
Thanks for the soapbox space..Excellent posts you ‘re doing.
I just have such a heavy flow I just cant imagine throwing the pads in the washer…I guess its from me not being old school lol…but I do use Seventh Generation tampons. I guess Like Mamma says “dont knock it till you try it” huh?I can see my kids now grossed out with Mommas pads in the washer….spoiled generation(mine too)
@Marye, thanks for the link to the other site. I agree with everything you say 100%. We’re a disposable society currently and it does suck.
@Wendy I used the Luna pads after my son was born and that was heavy flow (you know, cuase you have kids). And you soak them and you can use that soaking water to water plants and then tossing the pads in the wash, which by then are mostly devoid of blood is easier. It is hard to wrap your mind around if you’re raised in the here and now, because we’ve always had disposables.
I think though that we do have the ability to change our daughters minds. Luna I know for sure has teen options and maybe Glad Rags too. So, some of these reusable sites are being designed to attract younger generations, which is cool. It makes it more hip to use. While I’d never force a daughter to use reusable, because that’s their choice, I’d recommend it.
With this one step, women hold a lot of power at creating change. We can create a mountain of trash and keep adding to it, or not. That’s actually a really big decision women can make to make a difference.
My grandmother – who never had access to “chemically produced” pads and tampons is unbelievably grateful they were finally invented.
Let’s not glamorize living in a 3rd world country or living in poverty. She HAD to reuse her pads and she thought it SUCKED. She feels the same way about natural home childbirth – she was incredibly grateful when it no longer became necessary.
Haven’t you seen the commercials where girls don’t go to school because they have no access to Always pads? Let’s not glamorize it.
If you empty your menstrual whatever in my presence in a public bathroom – I will judge you.
Have a happy period – but keep it to yourself. I don’t want to see your blood on the toilet seat either. (YOU know who you are!)
Tracee, I don’t know why there would be blood on the seat? Certainly anyone in their right mind would clean up any mess they might make with pads, divas, or otherwise. And anyone who does not would not no matter what they were using. Generally you have 2 cups. When you are in a public bathroom you remove one and insert the other. Not different from a tampon.
Children playing with pink applicators on the beach, and toxic shock syndrome don’t seem glamorous to me. Cloth pads don’t seem glamorous to me either, just a very good option.
I do agree with you though, about having a happy period and keeping it to yourself..That pile of menstrual trash in the landfill just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Tracee, over at Crunchy Chicken readers make reusable pads to send to those girls in Africa who don’t go to school when they have their periods. They are reusable and the girls are happy to have them. http://www.goods4girls.org/
By the way, Crunchy Chicken is also having a Diva Cup challenge for anyone interested. She has written in-depth on the topic.
Here’s the address:
http://crunchychicken.blogspot.com/
There would be blood on the seat because they are trying to empty a cup of menstrual blood without making a mess (Not possible, I tried it) – to clean in a public sink.
That’s not only gross it’s a public health hazard.
Anyone in their right mind would clean up their mess? “YOU know who you are” also pees on the seat and leaves it there for the next person to sit on.
Better in a landfill than in a public bathroom in my opinion.
Tampons are made from Cotton. Which grows in a field and are perfectly natural. I probably spend $5 a month on them. Worth every penny.
Those Diva Cups are silicone and probably take a million more years to dissolve than all my tampons put together.
Reusable pads. Okay, whatever floats your boat. Donating them to 3rd world countries – great, very nice of you. My mother does this too.
Carrying around a plastic bag so you can keep your used period pad in your purse for the afternoon is very Edgar Allan Poe.
Personally, I’m not convinced it’s worth the energy. I’m a half-ass environmentalist. I’ll reuse batteries and buy used clothes and change my lightbulbs. I’m trying to convince my husband to switch to canvas grocery bags.
But, I draw the line at feminine hygiene and I’ll thank the rest of you not to make public bathrooms worse with potentially nasty “green” habits.
@Tracee I agree with your points about gross bathroom behavior but I don’t think there’s a line that green people cross that creates the gross issues. I see pee on seats (like you noted) and disposable pads and tampons on the floor, or backs of toilets, or in the toilet all the time in public bathrooms. That’s just as bad as any mess someone being careless with reuse products might make.
It’s not one sort of feminine hygiene creating the issue – it’s people. There are lame gross people and not lame gross people. No amount of disposables or reusable will change some super lame person’s bathroom habits.
I plan to get reusable pads. I tried the instead cups once before (they are meant to be disposed of, not reused like a Diva cup), I tried them to decide on whether a Diva Cup would work for me (a resounding NO!)
But I do plan to get some reusable pads to try out. I HATE tampons, have issues with them, so have used only pads for the last 12 years anyway.
I really don’t think there’s anything icky about menstrual blood and I think it’s unfortunate than a lot of people think there is.
My only concern with reusables is not having a w/d in my apt, and whether or not I will be too lazy to rinse them in a timely manner in the sink and wash them in a timely manner, too. But, it’s well worth it to me to commit to such a small thing.
I agree, TSS, dioxins, pads and tampons in the ocean, that’s is gross. Washing a little blood off of a piece of cotton a few days a month? My own blood? Not a big deal.
Ok, I have been looking around at the various websites, and I think I will be ordering the post partum kit from Luna Pads. That should be good for using after baby gets here, then I can decide on whether I will use them for regular periods.
I have one very heavy day, one light-ish day, then it tapers off after day 3 or 4, with 3 & 4 being close to nothing. So, I think if I get then get a few smaller light flows I should be good for my needs.
I can just use a large pad for a day, then switch to a lighter one. I honestly don’t mind bulk too much as long as it doesn’t bunch up and go where I really don’t want it to, ugh. That’s why with disposables I really like the super thin Always with wings. Not organic, and yes, treated with bleach, yay dioxins, but I don’t make a mess, and they are thin and stay put!
I will give you my thought on Luna Pads when I get them. I don’t think I will be unhappy with them for post partum at least. I’ll let you know about bulk, etc.
“Carrying around a plastic bag so you can keep your used period pad in your purse for the afternoon …… ”
EEewww didnt even think about that!
I will have to say Ill stick to my 7g tampons!
Yeah Wendy, and my kids play in my purse. I can just see them pulling out my bloody pad in church or a restaurant. No Thank You. I think I’ll pass on that most embarrassing moment.
Although, during kick boxing this evening – experiencing the pee leakage I’ve had since birthing the boy – I thought I might just check out the reusable pads for that purpose.
Do they stay in place? Would I be able to wear them in kickboxing without risking them falling right out?
“Would I be able to wear them in kickboxing without risking them falling right out?”
OMG how bad would that be!
A disposable pad could un-stick and fall off just as easy as a reusable pad – some are not very sticky.
Most women I know do use tampons for exercise, but if it’s not your period, a reusable panty liner deal might be better than a full pad. In eight years I’ve never had a glad rag pad fall out of anywhere. So I’d recommend their pantyliners – http://www.gladrags.com/category/pantyliners plus they’re a great deal, even the organic ones.
OH or the lunapanties – http://www.lunapads.com/department.aspx?DeptId=3& I’ve never used them, but it’s like undies / pad in one. I know the luna pad website is out, or low on sizes? But you can find things like this around at other sites – that’s the best deal for pee issues maybe. Or nine million kegels
I remember when I first heard about the Keeper (about ten-fifteen years ago), I had an instant negative reaction. I didn’t want to think about it, let alone try it. Then somehow, years later, I decided to try the Diva cup, which is basically the same thing. (Both of these, by the way, are nothing like Instead. Instead goes way up behind your cervix whereas the Keeper and Diva cup go where a tampon goes. Plus, Instead is disposable.)
I don’t see how the Diva cup would be less sanitary than pads or tampons. Yes, I suppose you could make a huge mess in a public restroom and not clean it up, but as Jennifer said, you could do the same with disposable products. I have certainly seen things I didn’t want to see involving pads and tampons. . . . Anyway, in many ways the Diva cup seems more sanitary than tampons or pads, because you empty it directly into the toilet rather than wrapping it up in toilet paper and letting it sit in the trash, where it will one day head to a landfill and leach into our water supply.
Yes, we can get grossed out by any of these methods if we try. Advertising for disposable products is very persuasive. There are other options that are just as good or better (for us and the environment).
Thanks for this post, Jennifer!
Rebecca – Are you saying, you take it out, empty it and then reinsert? – Without washing it off in the public sink?
How do you not get blood all over your hands? Or do you just accept that you’ll have blood on your hands?
And why is a silicone product better for the environment than a cotton product?
Tracee, normally I would not take it out in public at all. A Diva Cup holds 2 oz. I have a heavy flow and can typically empty it at night and in the morning at home. This is a big improvement over tampons, that I used to have to replace every hour or so. I don’t get blood all over my hands . . . it is not really that messy.
I think a small silicone product that can be reused for ten years would be better than mounds of pesticide-laden cotton + plastic + absorbent gel. Keep in mind the environmental costs of producing, packaging, shipping, and disposing of these products, too.
hmmm. . . and it doesn’t leak?
I tried that Instead and it sucked ass. But, maybe I’d try a Diva if it’s totally different.
The Insteads did suck ass! I only used them a few times, I got a feww sample pack which I never even used all of.
It got stuck behind my pubic bone at some point, and in tryin gto get it out, it popped out and flew across the floor, leaving a very big mess behind it.
I was totally done with them after that.
If there’s no chance of that with the Diva Cups I might be interested in trying one of those at some point. Though I think I would likely, if I needed to, go with the sponge.
I would really love to try one of these but I am having a hard time figuring out which one would be better. I am getting really sick of the whole tampon thing. This is really good timing for me since I just finished another round, it gives me time to look and pick one.
I use nothing but cups. I have never, ever had to change them in public, They hold more than a tampon which has leaked for me.
I used the Instead and didn’t have problems after I got used to them. I’d prefer to get one of the Diva cups, thanks for the name, I had forgotten it.
This is what I was looking for the last few months.
I’m just confused what should I chose.
Thank you for the idea and all opinions that I read so far.
Later I tell my experience!
WillowPads is a great brand of reusable cloth feminine pads, softer, less bulky, more absorbent than other reusables. Our pads are made in the US, supporting local moms. Check out our website: WillowPads.com for more information.
I know I totally freaked out about the Diva cup but I’ve found myself looking for it to avoid buying tampons ever again.
So, you did well. The peer pressure worked. I’m going to try to have a green menstrual period.
This is a great article! I’ve always been bugged by how much waste pads & tampons must make in the landfill, but I had never even heard of reusable options, or known anyone who used anything other than throwaways. I finally thought I’d google the topic and I found this. The options sound great, I’ll definitely make a change.
After much research, I bought a bunch of cloth pads from lolasoft on Etsy and I love them! I keep a plastic tub under my sink with Bio-kleen or Oxy-clean and water and soak until I’m ready to wash. I also bought a cute little fabric bag on Etsy that has a waterproof PUL-lined pocket for used and a nice fabric pocket for clean pads, so I can change them at work.
They are so absorbent (much more than disposable) – the only time I’ve ever gotten blood on the seat is with disposables, which I swear were less and less absorbent every time I got a new package. A large part of why I switched was because I was getting itchy rashes from disposables, too.
To respond about cotton tampons- not only are the bleached ones potentially bad (because of dioxins due to bleaching), but cotton uses a lot of pesticides and water is is very labor-intensive. Additionally, a lot of flushed waste ends up out to sea to wash up on beaches, or other nasty places.
I don’t think it’s realistic to compare my cloth pads to glorifying third-world living. We have washing machines, and these things are seriously no thicker or bigger than disposable pads – they’re comfortable, machine-sewn, and nothing like the thick cloths and belts of our grandparents’ age. I don’t spend any more time on my cloth pads than I did with disposables, when all is said and done.
The pluses, for me personally: they’re more effective (I change them less frequently), they don’t chaff or give me rashes, the adhesive doesn’t stick to my underwear and not peel off (like with some brands), I actually find them really fun and cute, they’re more economical, and they’re much better for the environment.
FYI – I just ordered from “the keeper” website. Thanks so much for the great information! I wanted to let you all know that “the keeper” is made in the USA – ohio, and “The Diva Cup” is made in Canada. During these times, I like to try to keep my business in the USA as much as possible. Also, I can tell by the advertising on their websites, that “the keeper” keeps their packaging simple. They are sent simply in a cotton bag made by retired seamstresses, while the diva cup comes in an admittedly cute, however, disposable pink box. It looked like it might also include a clear plastic element in the packaging. I went for the keeper and I’m hopeful!
I’m checking into reusable pantiliners on etsy to work along with my new keeper (I actually ordered the moon cup from their website).
I’m very late to the debate, but I am using a Moon Cup for the first time this menstrual cycle. I have always used pads because I would get nauseous whenever I tried to use tampons, so I’ve basically used pads for over 20 years.
This is my third day using the Moon Cup, and I LOVE it! I don’t know what experiences Tracee has had, but I don’t find the cup any messier than my pads were. In a public bathroom, I get a damp paper towel, remove the cup, dump the contents into the toilet, wipe it, reinsert it, and wrap the used paper towel in toilet paper and put it in the receptacle for used pads. Simple! If I spill a drop (which has not happened yet), I wipe it up and dispose of it, just as I would with any other body fluids. If I’m lucky enough to be in a public restroom where the sink is right beside the toilet, then I rinse it in the sink and reinsert. And, as ANYONE should do no matter WHAT they are using, I make sure I leave the bathroom as clean or cleaner than I found it.
I haven’t found it to be gross at ALL – in fact, I find the idea of leaving hundreds of thousands of blood-filled tampons and pads in landfills across the country MUCH grosser.