Considering that the average woman who menstruates will spend 3,500 days of her life with her cycle, that’s 3,500 days of cramps, sweat cravings, and…period waste.
Every year, an average woman trashes about 150 kilograms of nonbiodegradable waste… that’s a lot of waste, period.
Luckily, the period of zero waste products for periods is upon us now. There are several options of products you can use to reduce the environmental impact and feel free with your moon cycle.
Here are some of the zero waste products available today:
- Period underwear: we, of course, preference this option. These are regular underwear with additional layers and special fabrics (not bulky) in the crotch area to absorb menstrual blood and any type of leakage.
- Menstrual Cups: are reusable, bell-shaped devices designed to collect menstrual blood during menstruation. This is also a good option but not everyone feels comfortable using it.
- Reusable pads: pads or washable pads are made from layers of absorbent fabric, typically cotton or bamboo, and often have a waterproof layer on the back to prevent leakage.
If you want to try one of the zero waste period products, we recommend starting with period underwear as a backup on your heavy days. This is a safe first step that you can try.
We are here for you. Write to us and let us know your thoughts.
PERIOD MARKET FACTS:
- Today, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate every month.
- On average, women are estimated to use around 22 items of sanitary protection per cycle, and throw away 10,000 disposable pads and tampons in their menstrual lifetime.
- Some 4.8 pieces of menstrual waste are found per 100 meters of beach cleaned.
- It's estimated that over 49 billion period products are used every year, meaning an annual generation of about 590,000 tonnes of waste that takes up to 600 years to decompose.
- On average, a woman uses 350 packs of plastic sanitary pads in her lifetime and will spend around $4,800 just on pads vs $1,766 using only Lunam undies.
- Switching to lunam reduces waste by 95%, and C02 emissions by 90%
Articles:
- Menstruation: Environmental impact and need for global health equity - July 2022 - https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijgo.14311#:~:text=While%20in%20a%20landfill%2C%20disposable,as%20plastic%20never%20truly%20biodegrade.&text=This%20is%20of%20major%20concern,and%20tampons%20in%20their%20lifetime.
- The Environmental Impact of Menstrual Products - Abril 2022 - https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-bath-products/environmental-impact-of-menstrual-products/
- 9 Sustainable Period Underwear For A More Eco-Friendly Flow
Written by: Catalina Sardi