With the advent of eco-consciousness, a lot of us have already swapped to sustainable alternatives for things we use in our daily lives, from water bottles to wonky fruit, washing detergents to toothbrushes. An area we’re boldly making less progress is in female hygiene products. But it’s not like we can just stop buying sanitary products right? Here is where the sustainable revolution is really dawning with innovative sanitary products being pushed into the market by their impressive female leaders. From washable undies, reusable razors, menstrual cups, to organic period care kits on subscription – the female hygiene products market is growing day by day, and there’s something for everyone.
Going zero-waste might seem daunting to begin with, so with more sustainable female hygiene products available than ever, you can dip your toe in and start small. We’ve rounded up just a few pioneering products to help you find the right product for you.
Wild & Stone Reusable Safety Razor
Did you know that billions of disposable, plastic razors are thrown away every year? These end up sitting in landfills and take around 1000 years to decompose. The solution? A reusable safety razor like that by Wild & Stone. Blades are made from stainless steel so easily recyclable along with other metals. Keep the safety razor, and all you need to do is replace the blade once it’s blunt. The cotton bag is useful to keep spare blades in and the stainless steel stand is particularly handy!
Flux Undies Classic Bikini Pants
FLUX Undies absorb up to 5 tampons’ worth of liquid, all while maintaining the same look and feel of your regular pants. They even have a range of products to suit your style; laced bikini pants, high-waisted mesh, seamless and more. Products can be used for up to 3 years and it’s really simple; just wear, rinse, wash, and your undies are ready to be worn again. Not only do their super absorbent pants reduce your number of trips to the toilet, you can feel empowered because every purchase includes a donation to charities set to end period poverty. Don’t want to buy a pair for yourself? You can give a pair to a girl in need instead – find out more about the FLUX Giving Back scheme here.
Wuka Basics Thong
“WUKA stands for Wake Up Kick Ass and from the very beginning we have been passionate about smashing taboos and innovation in sustainability and menstrual health” says Founder and environmental scientist, Ruby. Ruby grew up in Nepal, where shame about periods is widespread and she was victim to some of the now-illegal practices against women. When she arrived in the UK she was astonished by the wide range of menstrual products available on the shelves, but quickly realised that most of them weren’t eco-friendly.
This drives the brand mission of ensuring that sustainable lifestyles are accessible to all and with several styles to shop from, WUKA are ensuring it’s as easy as possible for you to make the switch. The thong is super comfortable and means you can wander around knicker-line free, all while preventing up to 200 disposables from going to landfill with every pair.
Totm Organic Sample Kit
Not quite convinced by period pants? Instead of alienating the slightly dubious among us, Totm offer an alternative to your regular sanitary products with their organic period care kits, all while being transparent about the materials used to create them. All tampons, pads and liners are free from unnecessary plastic, synthetics, dyes or fragrances which are not only tough on your skin, but tough on the environment, plus they work even better than normal products! Using the Totm sample kit means you can discover which products best work for you, and you can purchase products on a subscription so you never need to worry about running out.
Saalt soft Menstrual Cup
Reusable is the future, which is why Saalt only create clean, high-performance products that are healthy for you and the planet. Every cup is clean and sustainably sourced, ethically made, designed to perform and as a certified B-Corp brand, 2% of Saalt’s profits are always given back to fund initiatives in menstrual health, education and sustainability. The cup is made with an ultra-soft silicone formula designed to be both gentle and super comfortable for those with bladder sensitivity, cramping or discomfort with firmer cups. Just take the clever Saalt Cup Quiz to find the best cup for your most comfortable period yet.
