I’m fully converted to period pants!
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I first started to look into reusable menstrual products after being caught out too many times when abroad. It turns out it’s not that easy to figure out where tampons are sold when you are wandering around a strange town! Fast forward a few years and I’ve recently been swayed from a mooncup to period pants. For someone who never wears menstrual pads, this was a massive change. Not only are period pants leakproof, but they are also comfortable and come in pretty designs and colours. If like me you are curious along with a little hesitant to try them, I’ve answered a few questions below along with a rundown of my favourite brands that sell them.
Yes, they can. They are different from menstrual pads and any fluid is removed from the surface. There is no smell and they feel dry so they wouldn’t need to be changed unless you were experiencing a really heavy flow. It saves any rustling and faffing in the bathroom!
Most brands say the same thing; wash at a low temperature as normal. I do my laundry once a week and I wash my period pants in the same wash as my delicates.
In my experience no. I’ve tried various different styles and didn’t have any leakage. The pants stay in place if they fit properly and the fluid goes straight into them.
In a word yes. Any product that is reusable instead of disposable is going to be more sustainable. Especially since we experience our periods so often. Many of the period pants are produced with sustainability in mind, using environmentally conscious fabrics such as bamboo and merino wool.
This depends on the length of your flow. And how often you do the laundry! I wear a pair every day and every night that I’m on my period. Many brands sell bundles and kits for building up a stock.
Helen from Cheeky Pants has been advocating reusables for nearly twenty years. The period pants were first sold in 2017 and they now have a big collection of vegan certified pants in sizes up to a UK24. They have a handy questionnaire that you can fill in for advice to figure out which flow and size fit best for you. I love the Feeling Fearless high waisted pants for heavy flow days and the Feeling Fancy bamboo style for the final few days. They just look like normal underwear which is a winner. All factories have been personally visited and vetted to ensure safe work conditions. Cheeky Pants price their menstrual products affordably to ensure as many people can afford them as possible. They also stock a good selection of reusable menstrual pads.
Wuka has a nice selection of period pants for different flows, up to a size 24. They use sustainable fabrics including fabric that might have otherwise gone to landfill. See the Earthday pants here. They are also campaigning against the UK period pants tax, it was abolished for tampons and pads but unfortunately not on the pants, read more here.
Modibodi boasts a good selection. I’ve tried the biodegradable bikini style, pictured above and would recommend them for lighter flow days. It’s produced with 97% biodegradable materials including tencel, merino wool and bamboo. There is also a biodegradable full brief style available in sizes up to a UK20.
Thinx has a good variety of pairs in different colours and sizes up to a UK24. This particular pair is the Super Hi Waist in the colour dusk. They hold five tampons worth of fluid. I wear these during the night and they are totally leakproof. Click here to read more about Thinx’s work to fight against period poverty.
The retro hot pant from Pantys is going to make period days a bit more joyful! Pantys have a variety of styles from a tiny tanga to a full coverage short. They are available in sizes XS to XL.
Sisters Republic’s website is very easy to use. With eight styles of period pants for women, each style is available in eight sizes and three levels of absorption. I like the Sidonie Bikini style above, it holds two tampons worth of fluid. They are cute but still substantial enough to remain leak free. Their fabrics are Okeo-Tex Standard 100 certified and they use a pretty cardboard design for packaging.
Cherie first started Saalt after finding out disposable menstrual products had been unavailable in Venezuela for years. Not long after, she set about launching Saalt. They have a beautiful selection of period pants in the UK and US in sizes XS to XXL in the prettiest packaging.
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About Me
The Green Edition is a journey to help slow down and appreciate the smaller things in life. With tips for shopping more consciously and simplifying your life.
About Me
The Green Edition is a journey to help slow down and appreciate the smaller things in life. With tips for shopping more consciously and simplifying your life.