Why reusable feminine hygiene products are the future to sustainability

There are over 1.9 billion women worldwide who undergo menstruation, and 100 million of them using disposable sanitary products. Additionally, most women menstruate for around 40 years in total. This can lead up to more than 20 billion female hygiene products being disposed of and dumped out as waste every single year.

Using reusable menstrual products such as menstrual cups can greatly benefit both the environment and our health. These items are washable and reusable, thus it does not contribute to waste that clogs our landfills. Menstrual cups are not only sustainable in nature, it is eco friendly as well. It reduces plastic waste from other disposable products such as regular pads and tampons. Menstrual cups only produces about 0.4% of plastic waste, as compared to a single-use pad.

These products also helps to reduce the chances of getting toxic shock syndrome from tampons and do not include harmful chemicals that can negatively impact on our body. Reusable feminie hygiene products are mostly made of materials such as cloth,cotton or silicone which are all non- toxic and non-harmful to our body and which are safe to use every month. Studies among 293 participants also shows that leakage from menstrual cups are significantly less as compared to disposable tampons.

Furthermore, using reusable menstrual products can help save a lot of costs in the long run. Menstrual cups can last up to a decade, when properly sanitised and stored. A $20 menstrual cup can help a woman save up to 95% of what they would spend on disposable pads and tampons.

For women who are not comfortable with inserting menstrual cups, they can opt for other eco-friendly yet sustainable products such as reusable pads and period panties. These products may be more comfortable to some as they are not new to these items, and provides a more sustainable environment from the reduction of waste as well.