Ladies, it’s time to talk. 

The Women’s Environmental Network’s Environmenstrual Week of Action is taking place from 12 – 19th October and we know that periods can be a tricky thing to talk about, despite our feminist urges and ideals. That’s why we have decided to share with you, our thoughts and experiences on making our very own periods plastic free.

As a committee of five women, we have all made the choice of opting for #PlasticFreePeriods; some of us have been long term converts and some of us have been more recent….. Here are our experiences.

When did we make the switch?

• 7 years ago
• 10+ years ago
• 2+ years ago

Why did we make the change?

• Health concerns, the bleaching of sanitary towels and residual fibres and chemicals present in mainstream period products
• The horrendous amount of waste generated by period products
• Word of mouth, hearing the experiences of others and how much benefit it was bringing them

What are our favourite products and why?

• Organi-cup / Mooncup 
  • All the protection with none of the discomfort of a lifesucking tampon!
  • Kind to our bodies and to the environment
  • Longevity
  • It makes us feel free from usual period strain
  • Comfortable and easy to use
  • Never have to worry about having a bag full of spare sanitary products! Wash and go.
• Wuka/thinx Pants
  • Great for extra protection if you feel the need
  • Easy 
  • Non-bulky
• Reusable sanitary towels
  • Also great for extra protection if you feel the need
  • Kind to our bodies and the environment 
  • Comfortable

Our experiences

• Initially I switched to organic 100% cotton tampons and liners/pads and then to an Organi-cup with WUKA pants for nights.
• My experiences have been 99% brilliant using the cup – it has saved me loads of money over the years, I feel so good knowing that I’m not putting any chemicals into my body and of course, the zero waste aspect is an undeniable benefit. I have also found my periods to be shorter and less painful – you couldn’t pay me to use a tampon now! I also appreciate feeling more in touch with my body.
• I made the switch after hearing first-hand the benefits it was bringing others; for a long time I had been depressed by the amount of senseless waste that seemed like an inevitable part of my period. I went home and ordered a cup; I’m not going to lie, the first few times I used it, it was tricky! But now I would never go back, I feel empowered by my periods now, where I felt almost restricted by them before

Top tips

• Hold on to your cup tightly when you’re emptying it in the loo! And maybe considering keeping a spare….
• Don’t go for a 5km run with a full cup….
• Make sure you line dry your period pants; tumble drying can damage the absorbent layers inside
• Don’t be afraid to make the change! Like everything else, you can start with the small switches and build up to an ideal.

Long story short, we are ever grateful for the switches we have made. Please feel free to drop us a message if you have any questions you think we may be able to help you with 🙂

Dee