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11 Sustainable Sanitary Brands & Products To Know Now
Because menstruation should be sustainable. Period.
By | 9 months ago
Periods. Menstruation. Aunt Flow. Whatever you want to call them, your time of the month is a time for getting to know your body more intimately. But with 200,000 tonnes of waste being generated from sanitary products per year, it’s time to think green when it comes to Code Red. These are the sustainable sanitary brands and products to have on standby for your next cycle.
More than 800 million people menstruate daily, according to Global Citizen. And when you think how many of those people will only use plastic-based sanitary towels and tampons, you can only imagine how much waste is produced. The average user throws away up to 125kg to 150kg of tampons, pads, and applicators in their lifetime, with many of them ending up in landfill, oceans, rivers, and beaches due to their high plastic content (AllMatters).
The clean-up for common sanitary products racks up a whopping £14 billion in costs each year, as well as a carbon footprint of 5.3kg CO2 equivalents. These numbers only look worse when we consider that alternatives such as menstrual cups can last up to 10 years with the proper care – that’s 10 years without waste.
This is where sustainable sanitary brands come in. They’re greener, cost effective, and usually more comfortable than your average pad or tampon. But it’s true that one cup doesn’t fit all, so we’ve put together a list our favourite sustainable sanitary products to help you find your perfect match.
The Best Sustainable Sanitary Brands & Products
Here We Flo
Celebrating its newly achieved B Corp status is Here We Flo, the home to FLO period care, XO! sexual wellness and glo badder care. Founded in the UK and proudly owned by women of colour, Here We Flo crafts its period products from biodegradable, vegan and cruelty-free materials. Take your pick of period pads (made from bamboo, these are completely organic and come to your door in biodegradable packaging), tampons (both eco-applicator and non-applicator tampons are hypoallergenic and made from biodegradable cotton) or period pants (reusable and machine-washable).
Our Choice: Become A Flo Babe Bundle, £15.99, hereweflo.co
EXPLORE: hereweflo.co
Fluus
If you don’t get on with tampons or period cups, why not try the world’s first fully flushable pad? Fluus pads are made with Flushtec®, a patent-pending microplastic-free material that breaks down like toilet paper when flushed. The pads are also made from plant fibres, biopolymers and tree sap, which minimises permanent waste by breaking down properly.
Our Choice: Flushable Day Pads (15 pack), £7, wearefluus.com
EXPLORE: wearefluus.com
Daye
Most tampons (97 percent) on the market today are made of rayon, which is non-biodegradable plastic. Daye tampons are made from 100 percent certified organic unbleached and sustainably sourced fibres, and the brand uses its platform to educate on environmental impact of certain period habits (side note: DO NOT flush your tampons down the toilet). Have a read of their sustainability efforts here.
Our Choice: Mixed 12 Tampon Box, £8.40, yourdaye.com
EXPLORE: yourdaye.com
TOTM
Organic period care brand TOTM want to change the way we see period care. By removing the stigma and campaigning for greener alternatives, the brand hope to encourage more people to move away from plastic products. Reducing plastic, tampons have cardboard applicators (as opposed to plastic that can take 500 years to decompose, much the same as a plastic carrier bag). Also in the pipeline is their development of a reusable tampon applicator. The brand also supports Binti International (who provide menstrual dignity support globally) and Endometriosis UK.
Our Choice: TOTM Organic Cotton Applicator Tampons, from £2.66, totm.com
EXPLORE: totm.com
Thinx
Instead of throwing away a mountain of pads and tampons every month, try Thinx. Thinx is underwear that absorbs your period without any mess or stress. The collection looks and feels like normal underwear, but it can hold the same as five regular tampons. All you need to do is toss into the washing machine afterwards and your good to go again. You can even take a quiz on their site to find out which one is right for you.
Our Choice: The Hiphugger, £29.36, shethinx.com
EXPLORE: thinx.com
Mooncup
Mooncup is probably one of the most well-know brands on this list, having been around since 2002. Having created the world’s first medical grade silicone menstrual cup, it’s safe to say that the brand knows what it’s doing and is a popular choice for many. A Mooncup can hold up to three times more than a tampon, while offering long-lasting protection through every stage of your period. Seems like a good deal to us.
Our Choice: Mooncup, £23.50, mooncup.co.uk
EXPLORE: mooncup.co.uk
DAME
DAME is the world’s first climate positive period brand, having stormed onto the market back in 2018 with its first line of reusable tampon applicators. Now a B Corp-accredited company and the first British period brand to achieve Carbon Neutral Plus accreditation from the organisation Carbon Footprint, DAME is the perfect go-to for those that don’t want on move on from the traditional tampon.
Our Choice: DAME Reusable Applicator Set, £24.99, wearedame.co
EXPLORE: wearedame.co
&SISTERS
Female founded wellness brand &SISTERS is on mission to create high-quality feminine care products to improve the quality of women’s lives worldwide. Choose from their Eco-Applicator Tampons (biodegradable AND plastic-free), Zero Plastic Pads, or their Period Cups for a greener menstrual cycle. Another bonus – 10 percent of profits are dedicated to supporting female health, education and economic empowerment across the globe.
Our Choice: &SISTERS nüdie Period Cup, £23.75, andsisters.com
EXPLORE: andsisters.com
ImseVimse
Barre Collective’s ImseVimse line works as two separate bodies with the same goal: to create products that are kind to the skin and the environment. Imse, which is responsible for sanitary products, has an incredible range of reusable sanitary pads, tampons, and wet bags (for storing used products on the go). Each product is available in a variety of colours and patterns too, so you can make your period experience unique to you.
Our Choice: Imse Reusable Sanitary Cloth Pads, from £15.95, barecollective.com
EXPLORE: barecollective.com
Modibodi
Australian brand Modibodi has been making a name for itself as one of the best when it comes to period underwear. Each pair fits and wears like regular underwear, but its super absorbent gusset works to absorb period blood throughout the day. Made with breathable Modifier Technology™, a stain, smell, and bacteria fighting lining, Modibodi underwear is a game-changer for the modern menstruator.
Our Choice: Sensual Hi-Waist Bikini (Light-Moderate Absorbency), £20.50, modibodi.co.uk
EXPLORE: modibodi.co.uk
AllMatters
AllMatters (formerly known as OrganiCup) is known for its award-winning menstrual cup. It’s a firm favourite for many, with nine out of ten people continuing to use it after their first try. Each cup is made from 100 percent soft medical-grade silicon and can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time. Another bonus with AllMatters is that it is registered with The Vegan Society, making it a great alternative for those in the community.
Our Choice: Menstrual Cup, £22, allmatters.com
EXPLORE: allmatters.com
Featured image: Fluus
