Waste(less)

If last time I came to you talking about how uninspired I had been through the whole month of January and how much I struggled with writing anything for the blog, I can all assume we are now all on the same boat. I'm not going to bore you with more of the same we've all been reading so I'll jump right into what this post is all about, March's swap: biodegradable pads by Clementine Take Good Care. Clementine is a brand created by Marta after she found out how much plastic was in all period products, not to mention how many harmful and unhealthy chemicals were used in tampons, such as bleach and chlorine.

Regarding their products, Clementine uses only the best and safest materials, their tampons are 100% certified organic cotton and are free of synthetic fibers, chemical additives, fragrance, dyes, chlorine bleach, GMOs, pesticides, toxins, latex, or formaldehyde. Unfortunately, they are still wrapped in plastic as that is still the only way to ensure total hygiene and safety before use, but they do use BPA-free recycled plastic. The ultra thin pads with wings and panty-liners are made out of cornstarch and bamboo fiber, naturally antibacterial and breathable. Their pads are 95% biodegradable, the only reason they haven't reached the 100% mark is because they still use a polymer layer to ensure no leakage, although Clementine is working on a better option to substitute it. Truth is, as all pads go in the regular garbage, they are incredible polluting so reducing the amount of plastic in the whole thing by any percentage can already do wonders. And, to literally wrap it all up, the wrappers are all 100% biodegradable, compostable and plastic free, made with cornstarch film. You can also read the Clementine Blog to learn more about the products and other issues surrounding periods.

The second great thing about Clementine is the fact that you can sign up to their My Period Box, a subscription period box you can adjust to your own needs, which you can buy only once or have it scheduled to arrive at your door every 19, 20-29, 30 or 60 days, which will get you a 20% discount in every box. In this box you can choose from regular, plus and super-plus tampons, panty-liners, day pads with wings and night pads with wings, picking exactly how many of each you want. If after receiving your first box you realise you didn't have enough or had too many products, you can easily re-adjust your box on your account, or even skip a box if you have enough for next time. Shipping costs 3,20€ and you can use the code FREESHIP on your first box order. (This code isn't mine, the brand itself advertises it on their website.)

Having written my fare share of period related posts, which you can read here, I was surprised I hadn't heard of Clementine yet, and I first learned about them through my The Bam&Boo subscription order, which have recently started sharing new and eco-friendly initiatives and brands every month. After reading more about them I decided to use my discount code (pictured below, although I don't know if it still works), I ordered a regular Period Box + a box of 9 night pads, as I sometimes have a heavier flow and go through those the most. Both boxes arrived in less than a week, beautifully packed, and super discreet too, all the boxes are recyclable and use paper tape, so there is no plastic in sight. The order also came with a little cloth bag to carry your period products in, which I loved. 

My main reason to try this brand was because I was tired of the waste I was creating every month, and even though I had found many great options to substitute regular period products, these can be costly if bought all at once, I already have a pair of period underwear and two reusable pads, but those aren't enough for a full cycle so, whenever I have a little money to spend, I get a new one to add to the collection. Until I have a full set that really sees me through my cycle, I'll be using Clementine to fulfill my needs and I'll feel a lot less guilty for using something that I can't use again. 

As to the quality of the products I can't actually review the tampons just yet, as I usually only wear tampons during summer I didn't add any to my box. I did, however, try all three pad sizes and I am a convert. The night pads aren't as big as I'm used to because I usually get the biggest ones any other pad brand offers, this is the only way I feel safe while sleeping (although I no longer sleep with pads but with my period underwear), and both the day pads and the panty-liners are the exact same size as the regular branded ones. Every single one of these pads is incredibly soft and comfortable to wear, there is no artificial scent, no irritation afterwards and the absorbency is amazing, you almost forget you're wearing a pad.

As to the cons I only have two to mention: the wrapping, especially in the night pads, is sometimes quite hard to open and it seems to rip into several pieces quite often; regarding the panty-liners I find they don't really stay in place, I wear only cotton underwear and pads usually stick really well, but these have barely any adherence, I do find this a problem in most panty-liners on the market, but especially so with this brand.

If you've been reading my blog for a while you might know one of my main goals when it comes to sustainable living was to cut out disposable period pads. I've already made a few changes to my period routine (you can read more about this in my Let's Talk Periods post), from changing from regular tampons to organic ones, to buying a menstrual cup (mine is from OrganiCup), to having the very first reusable tampon applicator, D (you can read its' review here), so my next step, and the one I was most excited for, as I much prefer pads to tampons, was to start using reusable period pants and pads.

I've finally taken my first step towards a more sustainable period, I've bought my very first reusable pad and period panties. Reusable pads might seem like a sort of throwback to what our mums and grandmas wore, and when I first told my mum I had bought a reusable pad she was surprised and told me I'd hate it. Luckily for us, modern reusable pads have been improved and are nothing like my mum remembers them. There are plenty of options when it comes to brands, these reusable pads by GladRags are one of these options, available in different sizes (day, night/postpartum, and pantyliners), these are "a healthy alternative to disposable products we're used to, made of premium quality certified organic cotton flannel and terry cloth, they offer protection and comfort, lasting for over 5 years". This means that not only are they environmentally friendly, using minimal resources, but they're also easy on your wallet. Also, you can customise them to fit your needs, depending on how heavy or light your flow is. I'm currently eyeing up some of these beautiful handmade ones* by Made by Tyng, who also sells other great handmade products to help you live a more sustainable life. If you're in Portugal, Pegada Verde, Mind The Trash and Maria Granel also have these available, so go show them some much deserved support. And as for period pants, there are quite a few brands already available, such as Lunapads, Dear Kate, Wuka and, the already famous, THINX* (by following this link you will get €9 off your order and I will get €9 too, yay).

Instead of starting with any of these, I decided to go with a more local business instead. As I couldn't find any store in my town that sold them, I turned to the internet and found an Etsy store based just a few cities from where I live, I did have to make my order online as it can be quite time consuming to travel all the way to this specific city, but I was quite happy I was still helping out a small local store. The pads aren't currently available, but the period pants I choose were these, the Period/Incontinence Reusable Underwear. I'd recommend you favourite The Natural Way shop so you're always updated on their products, as they sell only sustainable products at very reasonable prices. 

I must admit, I was quite concerned about trying any of these, and decided to test them around the house first, before going to bed. I woke up scared to look down, thinking I'd find a pool of blood all over my white sheets, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The first thing I tried was the pad. It felt unbelievably soft and comfortable, it was definitely weird not feeling any plastic between my legs, which sometimes made me panic thinking I hadn't put on a pad. Not only did it feel comfortable, I was also happy to know there was no scent coming off of them, I'm so used to pads being perfumed with floral scents to mask any blood smell, but there was nothing to mask, and, surprise surprise, THERE WERE NO LEAKS. I wore it for the first time to bed, woke up at 7am to pee, took it off and let it soak in cold water while I went back to sleep. At 9am, when I got up, most of the blood had come off already, all I had to do was rub some detergent soap on it, let it set for a while, and then washed it as normal by hand. There were no stains, no smells, no waste.

As for the period pants, I decided to go all out, I tried them out while I was out and about. I wore a tampon with them for a few hours while I was on the bus on my way to class, and when I got to university I took it off and relied on the pants completely. Once I got home, I treated them exactly as I did the pad, soaked them in cold water while I showered, and washed them by hand. They looked as good as new. They were so comfortable I decided to wear them to sleep the next day and I couldn't believe how different it was between wearing a plastic pad to sleep and a cotton pair of panties. My favourite thing about these pants is how wide they are at the back, I can move comfortably without fearing any leaks, and aside from how strong the elastic was in them, which could be a bit uncomfortable at times, I have absolutely nothing bad to say about them.

My period sleeping routine now relies completely in wearing period pants, and nothing else. I can't imagine going back to regular pads when I go to bed and I've just ordered another pair to keep me nice and comfortable. As for the pads, I'm sold on them. Unfortunately, I'll still have to use some regular plastic pads while I get my reusable pad collection going, but at least I'm saving two plastic pads a day from going into landfill, which is a great start.

I'd definitely recommend trying any of these products if you haven't already, whether you go with this brand or any of the others I mentioned, taking the first step towards a completely sustainable period really excites me and inspires me to do better, and I hope it inspired you too.

Let me know, in the comments below, if there are any other brands or products you'd recommend on this subject, as I'm always eager to know more.

Let's talk periods. Over half the people on the planet have them and it seems people aren't talking about it enough, especially about their impact on our environment. Thousands and thousands of pads and tampons are thrown away by people with periods during their lifetime, and if we think about how much plastic and other toxic things go into making them, it really is unsettling and disconcerting to know that they can't be recycled and will just go into landfills, taking decades, sometimes centuries, to decompose.

The hard and cold truth is: our periods are anything but sustainable. And even though I know this, I have yet to make a complete switch from regular old pads to eco-friendlier options (although I have made other changes). But that doesn't have to be the reality, there is a whole world of sustainable menstrual products out there, and you only need to choose the one that is better suited for you. To some, it may seem like a hassle to try and find alternatives to something you already have, use and are somewhat comfortable with, but the truth is, spending a little extra (time and money) to make your period even a little bit more sustainable will result in less waste and it'll also save you money in the long run.

Before I began trying completely different products I started with something smaller and easier to achieve, I made the change to go from regular tampons to organic cotton ones. That might seem like an infinetly small change but organic cotton is also infinetly better than regular cotton, if you'd like to know more about what makes them different, read this Organic Cotton vs Regular Cotton post by The Sleep Sherpa. To save you a great deal of research, because not all eco-friendly period products are exactly the same, I thought I'd tell you about some of the options available and my own experiences with some of them.

Go Organic
Let's start with some familiar faces, if all you can change for now is going from regular pads and tampons to organic ones, then that's the change you make, as awareness grows around the environmental impact of disposable products, so does the availability of different options so finding these new and improved versions of the products you already know and love won't be too hard, simply search for organic pads & tampons in your country and you'll find they're widely more available than you previously thought. Natracare seems to be the brand I find the most, so you'll probably find it where you live too, here's where you can find them. Not only is this brand using organic cotton but their products are also plastic-free, hypoallergenic, free of GMO, perfumes, dyes and chlorine, vegan, biodegradable and compostable, what else do you need?

Reusable Pads
Another option are reusable pads, which are a sort of throwback to what our mums and grandmas wore, but made better. These reusable pads by GladRags are one of these options, available in different sizes (day, night/postpartum, and pantyliners), these are "a healthy alternative to disposable products we're used to, made of premium quality certified organic cotton flannel and terry cloth, they offer protection and comfort, lasting for over 5 years". This means that not only are they environmentally friendly, using minimal resources, but they're also easy on your wallet. Also, you can customise them to fit your needs, depending on how heavy or light your flow is. I'm currently eyeing up some of these beautiful handmade ones by Made by Tyng, who also sells other great handmade products to help you live a more sustainable life. If you're in Portugal, Pegada Verde, Mind The Trash and Maria Granel also have these available, so go show them some much deserved support.




Reusable Tampon Applicator
For a little twist on another product most of us use, we have the D. the reusable tampon applicator by Dame. If you're interested in a full on review on it, you can read mine right here D. The Reusable Tampon Applicator Review, spoiler alert: I love it. In short, what D is is exactly what the title says, a reusable tampon applicator you can use with whichever size or brand of tampons you prefer (hint: combine this with organic cotton tampons and the environment will thank you!). Not only is it easy to do, but it doesn't require boiling in hot water to make sure it's safe to use, like most reusable period products do, which only makes it easier to keep and make last. Much like menstrual cups, they're made to last years, and if it breaks or gets damaged in any way, Dame will replace it for you for free. Once you no longer need it, you can just send it back and they'll dispose of it properly. 

THINX has also recently released a reusable tampon applicator called re.t.a, made with medical-grade materials and can be used with most applicator-free tampons, if you'd like to know more simply follow the link, as it is such a new product there aren't many reviews out yet, but the internet is a nice place and will surely help us all with that.

Menstrual Cups
On a similar note, let's talk about the product most of you have already heard of: menstrual cups. Even though their design was patented in the 30's, it has taken until nowadays for the menstrual cup to go mainstream, which means I really don't need to go into much detail about it because, most likely, you've all heard and read about it plenty. Whether you're you've heard of Lunette, OrganiCup or Mooncup, they all do the same job. As Lunette explains the "menstrual cup is a bell-shaped cup that gives you a comfortable, safe, odorless and eco-friendly period for up to 12 hours a day. It’s also reusable and lasts several years meaning less time, money and stress!" All the brands previously mentioned have different sizes to choose from depending on your flow and whether you've been pregnant before or not. They also have a lot of helpful tips on how to use it, how to pick the right size, how to clean it, how to fold it and other general questions you may have. These cups are "made of soft medical grade silicone and are BPA free. This means no yeast, bacteria or odor" they are vegan and environmentally friendly and you can use them for up to 10 years. As with anything, there are people who love it and swear by it and other people who won't go near it, so it's up to you to pick whichever is your ideal product, no one else. My own personal experience wasn't really that great, I bought it, tried it or rather tried to try it and failed as I couldn't actually put it in, then tried it again, successfully put it in the right place and then had to remove it less than 5 minutes later because I found it so uncomfortable. If that's the case with you, don't be too scared, with most brands you can return it if it's not for you, no one is forcing you to keep something you can't use, but I'd totally advise you to try it before you make up your mind.

Period Panties
On the matter of items you've heard of before, let's talk about period panties. Along with reusable pads, these are the ones next on my list of period products to try, simply because they sound both amazing and non-invasive, which is all I want. There are quite a few brands already available, such as Lunapads, Dear Kate, Wuka and, the already famous, THINX* (by following this link you will get €9 off your order and I will get €9 too, what a treat), an amazing brand breaking all period taboos and making us feel sexy even when we're on our period. THINKX basically (very very basically, but here's more info on their amazing work) makes period panties, which means you can wear them all by themselves and be done with it or use them as back up, imagine you're wearing a cup, or a tampon but you have a super heavy flow, THINKX will be your lil helper and keep you nice and tidy. According to them their "period-proof undies can replace pads, liners, and tampons, or be worn with tampons and cups for extra protection. Like regular underwear, but so much better". You can build your own set of period undies and save a few bucks or you can buy them on their own, there are plenty of cuts to choose from, such as the hiphugger, their most famous cut, which holds around 2 tampons worth; sport, for medium days; cheeky, for light days; boyshort, for heavy days; hi-waist, a very sexy pair of panties for heavy days; thong, for the lightest days and many more. If you're curious to try them simply head on over to THINKX, place your order, try them on and decide for yourself if these are your cup of tea or not. With a 60 day money-back guarantee and free returns, there's no reason not to try something that may change your life, and our planet's too!

And there we go, just a few of the most popular options to replace our old and eco-unfriendly period products. I know there's a lot of pressure nowadays to go green overnight, I feel it too, but reality is, becoming fully sustainable will never happen like that, it takes research, time and commitment, and every little step counts and helps, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Do your best, keep trying to do better, but never at the cost of straining yourself.

Let me know below some of your favourite products when it comes to sustainability while you're on your period, I'd love to learn more.

I hate tampon applicators for their negative impact on the environment, I hate the fact that you use them for 5 seconds and then you're done, they get trashed and forgotten about, but at the same time, I can't use tampons without an applicator. I've had my period since I was 11 and only started using tampons when I was 18, but they never felt comfortable, not until I tried my first tampon applicator. I'm now 23, can you imagine how much plastic I've willingly used and trashed just so I could use a tampon? If you remember my Zero Waste Swaps: Bathroom post, you may remember that I mentioned DAME, a young brand I found by simply trying to figure out if I could possibly reuse tampon applicators, as I thought they were such a big waste. Once I found DAME, I was completely sold on the idea. Who's DAME you might ask? DAME is a sustainable personal care brand created by two friends, Celia and Alec, who created, back in 2017, the world's very first reusable tampon applicator. They create high performance, low-impact alternatives, designed to inspire positive environmental change and, in recognition of their innovative design, D and DAME’s organic tampons were awarded a 2018 Dezeen Design Award, showing everyone that sustainable can be beautiful.

As some of you might know, billions of period products are thrown away every year and can't be recycled or avoided, until now. Tampon applicators are a huge part of this problem, most get flushed down the toilet and end up in our beaches and oceans, which I'm sure you've seen before. DAME decided this had to end, both women and the planet deserve better, and so they've set out to face this problem head on. "Bleed red, think green" is their motto and they do it better than anyone. 

Co-founder Celia Pool commented, “We created D to give women more choice over their period. Brilliant reusable period products have existed for decades, but they’re not for everyone. (...) We saw a need to provide these women with a product they feel comfortable with, but in a much more sustainable way. By making a small switch to a D, women can have a huge impact on the planet.” and I honestly couldn't agree more. 

So, this is D, a sleek little helper, simple to use and keep clean, and as convenient as the regular tampon applicators you're used to have around, without the waste. DAME collaborated with medical engineers to design D, which is crafted from BPA free medical grade Mediprene®, with inbuilt antimicrobial Sanipolymers® that keeps D hygienic. Its' ergonomic design ensures total comfort and you can wear whichever tampon you usually wear, from lite to super plus, no matter the brand. But DAME didn't just create D on its own, once you buy your D, it comes in a small and sleek bathroom tin with a cotton pouch to keep your D safe wherever you go AND 6 of DAME's organic and toxic free tampons. Trust me, once you go organic with your tampons you won't want to go back.

DAME's organic cotton tampons are fully biodegradable, created from nothing but organic cotton, which unlike conventional tampons, aren't treated with nasty chemicals or contain any plastics, making them safer for our bodies and our planet. And guess what, when you buy your D applicator + a box of tampons (regular or super) you get free shipping, no code necessary, wherever you are in the world. Plus, you can subscribe to have however many boxes of tampons delivered right to your door every 1, 2 or 3 months, you can read more about it right here. They also come in cardboard boxes made out of recycled sources which are 100% recyclable and, even though the tampons themselves are wrapped in a thin layer of plastic, only because that is still the most effective option to keep them in an air tight environment, they're working on finding a better and greener option.

Being so totally in love with this brand and their ideals, you can imagine how happy and excited I was when the lovely Nell got in contact with me, asking if I'd like to try out their product and maybe review it on my blog. I immediately said yes and, a few weeks later, received my D in the mail, no plastic in sight, such a dream.



Some of you might think "wouldn't it be easier to just use a menstrual cup or reusable pads?" and, to some, it might. I've tried a menstrual cup and, unfortunately, couldn't get along with it, it was painful, uncomfortable and just plain awkward to attempt to put it on while I was in the comfort of my own home, let alone try it in a public restroom. I've thought about buying reusable pads or period pants, but I honestly feel conflicted about owning something that perishable, for lack of a better word. D, on the other hand, feels absolutely natural and easy to use. There's no friction, no pain, no discomfort, it works just like any other applicator, with the exception of having to insert a tampon each time, and it does its job as well as any other, while still feeling smooth and soft.

The directions for inserting the D applicator are as basic as you need them to be, all you need is to insert any size tampon into the top part of the applicator and push it in with the base, it can't get any simpler, no C folds, no S folds... Then you simply need to pull the applicator out as you normally would with a plastic one. After trying a menstrual cup I was definitely expecting some sort of learning curve to hit me, but the only thing that happened was a little failure on my part. The first time I tried it, the tampon got stuck in the very end, I ended up wasting 3 tampons until I realized I was the problem, I hadn't pushed the base of the applicator up enough when inserting the tampon, it should almost snap together. After a few tries, I found the switch quite effortless and, despite the 3 tampons, there was less hassle and waste to deal with. 

Something else I'd like to cover, their awesome packaging! Their reusable silver and green tin is a breath of fresh air when compared to the typical period products, there's no pink in sight, no adverts of women in short skirts or tight shorts smiling into oblivion as if being on your period is the happiest time of your life, no mention of how discrete the product is, as though we should all be ashamed of menstruating. As for their tampons, they are incredibly soft, especially compared to the ones I first used 5 years ago before I changed to organic cotton ones, which always felt like they had some sort of plastic layer on them, they were hard and almost sharp, but not DAME's, they're like soft clouds and I can't recommend them enough.

All in all, menstrual cups, period panties and reusable pads are all great sustainable period products, but none are the right one if you're a tampon user. Taking into account how many people use disposable tampon applicators, having an option that is both familiar and reusable in a world that needs to tackle the plastic problem right now, can only be a good thing. DAME managed to create a product perfect for those who want to do more for the planet but haven't been able to do so for whatever physical or monetary reason they might have and I can't imagine going back to what I used before.