Up to this day, the so called period panties made a lot of women curious, but only a few have taken the leap. Nevertheless, comfort shouldn't be a taboo, and the time has come to give a clear answer to the questions women have been asking themselves silently.
Firstly: what is it ?
This truly revolutionnary underwear is available in organic as well as in synthetic cotton, with or without a visible elastic band, low or high waist, in lace or as simple underwear.. and offers you a reliable intime protection during your "time of the month". It usually consists of 3 different absorbing layers that have been put at strategic places, and it fits so comfortably that you will quickly forget the old annoying "wet" feeling that classic hygienic protections give you. To make it more understandable for the men amongst you: a bad hygienic protection feels like walking in a jeans that has been soaked by the rain, or like when you have walked too close to the waterline and the salty seawater floods through your shoes… We must agree: it is everything but comfortable.
And although period panties usually have 3 layers, they aren't too thick to fit comfortably: their thickness at most totals up to 3 mm, and consequently you can move freely without having the awkard feeling of wearing a nappy between your legs. But too often, that's exactly the feeling the classic hygienic protections give you.. Can you identify with this intimately feminine trouble ? Wait to read what follows…
Before we clarify what the absorbing layers of the period panty are made of, we have to talk about the fabrics that are used in it. Period panties can actually be made of (organic) cotton, Lycra, or bamboo.
Cotton, of course, is known over the whole world, and it even is the most common fabric of humanity today. Nevertheless, it not only has advantages, far from it.. The classic cotton requires a very intensive and polluting cultivation, as it needs a lot of water and pesticides. The organic cotton, on the contrary, doesn't contain any GMO or pesticides, and its water consumption is half as important. For these reasons, it is better to buy clothes in organic cotton, and it often also makes it possible to contribute to the improvement of the working conditions of the little farmers and small producers.
Lycra, also called spandex, is an elastic fabric made of elastane, a synthetic fiber. In the beginning, Lycra was conceived to replace natural rubber, principally because of its water absorbing character and its resistance to bacteria.
The fabrics made of bamboo are interesting as well, as they regulate humidity and are silky soft. Moreover, a considerable advantage of bamboo is that it grows like a weed in its country of origin, and it doesn't need a lot of water, contrary to cotton. In short, fabrics made of bamboo have a not inconsiderable economical character.
For what concerns the absorbing part of the period panty, it is a bit more complex, as it is composed of several water-tight and/or breathing fabrics that make it possible to hold the blood and the undesirable odours, in order to make sure you can easily enjoy your day, without having to fear an unwelcome indescretion. This absorbing part is made of polyamide, elastane or hydrophilamide, but doesn't contain any component that is nocive or irritating for your skin.
But why would I change my habits?
Lately, a lot has been said and written about the negative effects of the chemical compontents that are present in tampons or in sanitary napkins, products that are used over the whole world by millions of women every day. Moreover, some women even are allergic to these chemical components, what makes "their time of the month" not very enviable.. The quality period panties, however, are completely natural, and some of them even have been certified by Oeko-Tex - a certification on world scale which analyses all the components of a product, as well as its accessories. Of course, there are also cloth sanitary napkins or tampons available, but that's another question on which we will surely come back in one of my next blog posts...
Thanks to the period panties, thus, you can avoid the risks of doubtful chemical components that worry more and more women around the world. Moreover, the period panties make it possible to avoid the stagnation of blood in the body, thus reducing the chance of an unwanted bacterial development (including the dreaded 'staphylococcus aureus'). Because even if the risk is limited, it's never fully absent.
Another advantage of the period panties of course lies in the fact that they are washable, and thus reusable and sustainable. Consequently, by using them you can avoid the too well known stress moment when you discover you just ran out of tampons or sanitary napkins at the bad moment... If you wear period panties, no more worries: you simply have to walk to your cupboard, open the drawer, and take the right period panty, depending on your mood, preferences and personal needs.
It is said that to make people think, you have to shock them first. Well then, did you know that during 1 average woman's life, approx. 11 000 hygienic protections are thrown away? Personnaly, I have to admit this simple fact makes me consider changing my habits not only as desirable, but as imperative.
And for the most reticent amongst you, don't worry if you have an abundant blood loss or if you can only hardly trust these new hygienic protections. Because you can simply combine the period panty with another protection, such as the menstrual cup, for example, in order to stay true to the zero waste lifestyle. Moreover, the different brands always mention which type of panty precisely suits with your personal case. In short, if you take your time to figger out which one corresponds best to your needs, you will surely find the right one. One day, we were all beginners in this specific domain, so you just have to get guided well.
Unfortunately, the period panties are not suitable for water sports or for summer holidays in the pool or on the beach. But I have also good news for you, because there is "period swimwear" available. It is true those period swimsuits are rather suitable for light blood losses, and they should be completed with an additionnal protection, like a menstrual cup, but they really help you to enjoy the swimming pool or the sea without having to disrupt your cycle. The development of these suits is still in progress, but if you're interested, you should definitely have a closer look at it!
We always talk about period panties for the menstruation, but they can also be used for urine leaks. In the latter case, you do'nt have to buy tons of different sanitary napkins or tampons..: you just need one period panty, nothing more. Indeed, period panties are more multifunctional than you thought!
How do you use them, and what are their disadvantages?
Of course, it's not because a fully reliable hygienic protection is finaly available, that every one instinctively knows how to use it. However, we can assure you period panties are not excessively difficult to use.
A period panty has an absorption capacity of approx. 12 hours, but that's only an average, and the exact time of course depends on your blood loss, your comfort, and your preferences. However, the simplest thing to do is to keep the period panty during the whole day, and only take it out at the end of the day, before you go to bed, or before you take a last shower.
Once you used your period panty, the next thing to know is of course how to wash it. While washing your period panty, you have to pay attention that you use cold water, because if you rinse it with warm water, the blood will further penetrate into the fabric, making it thus harder to clean it afterwards. Another thing you have to know, is that you should use a washing liquid that doesn't contain any glycerine, because glycerine fills the absorbing part of the period panty, thus reducing the absorption capacity of your panty in the long term, and consequently you will have to change it more often. But you don't have to worry, because washing liquid without glycerine is much more easy to find than you would think.
Nevertheless, what could be rather annoying if you use period panties, is that if you want to change it during the day, you have to take off all your clothes.. or simply choose panties with a press stud button, or with a zipper. And yes, those exist. Fantastic, isn't it?
tIt is true that buying period panties asks a certain investment, but like every zero waste alternative the postitive effect on your purse can be noticed on the long term. Let's make the calculation together: a good period panty costs approx. 30 euros, and that price will thus be amortised in 7 or 8 menstrual periods, in comparison with a box of tampons that costs approx. 4 euros. As you more or less need 4 different period panties in order to always have a clean spare one left, you will thus begin to save money after 1 or 2 years. Knowing that you can keep the period panties as long as their absorption capacity is sufficient (going from 3 to 5 years, depending on the maintenance), the saving is not to be underestimated. In short, rather than spending your money every month while buying tons of tampon boxes and sanitary napkins, you will just have to spend a certain sum once. And finally, the saving simply depends on you. It is as simple as that: the better you treat your period panties, the longer they will comfortably accompany you.
A last important element that has to be discussed, concerns the so called « drop shipping ». Nowadays, this word has a double meaning. On one hand, there is the tripartite system where the consumer places an order at the reseller of a brand, and that reseller places an order at the basic wholesaler, who will finally be in charge of the delivery of the package. An example of such a system, concerns the too well known web shop that begins with Ama and ends in zon. Except for the vertiginous multiplication of packagings this system generates, this particular example of drop shipping is not (too) nocive. On the other hand, this isn't the real subject of this article, and I rather would like to talk you about the proliferation of mediocre and even dangerous brands that you can find on the Internet, products that came from far away, and that are often of a very doubtful quality. It seems to be an unalterable inconvenient of our contemporary society: as the period panties are not that well known, the most reliable brands are not popular enough yet to differentiate themselves from the less reliable or simply misleading brands. That's why we, conscious consumers, have to pay attention, by enquiring about the different existing brands. In the absence of clear or accessible information, we can warmly recommend you to have a look at the several Facebook groups in which information is shared concerning ecological alternatives. Information is the key to a more sustainable liefestyle!
In search of a perfect ending..
The period panties thus offer a comfortable and reliable alternative to the polluting classic hygienic protections. Period panties have numerous advantages, and a few inconvenients, like a lot of other ecological alternatives. They make it possible to take a little step for the women, and a big step for the planet. And both feminine intime protection and our planet are worth a more active attention.
I hope this article helped you to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of the period panties, as to make sure you will take your next decision in full knowledge of the facts, and - who knows - take the leap. And whatever your decision may be, always keep in mind that better alternatives exist, for you, and for our planet!
We will surely see each other soon, for some new zero waste adventures..
Loulou the kangaroo
I tell you everything about everything.