Ah, period pads. So widely used, so rarely spoken about. Luckily, at Here We Flo we love talking about all things periods so if you’ve been wondering why so many people are switching to organic period pads, we’ve got you covered.
How are conventional period pads made?
Here’s the thing, your vulva is one of the most absorbent areas of the body. With a thin, mucus membrane, it’s basically a sponge that can rapidly absorb all the toxins and chemicals found within conventional period pads - and trust us, there are manyyy.
The irritable cocktail in normal period pads begins with the top layer, usually made with non-organic cotton. This is a crop that’s grown with highly pesticide-intensive and water-intensive farming practices. Conventional cotton uses 16% of the world’s insecticides, 7% of the world’s pesticides, and needs about 20,000L of water to produce 1kg of cotton!
The middle layer of a period pad is known as the absorbent core and in normal period pads, it’s usually made from rayon. Rayon is a bleached wood pulp fibre that can dry out the mucus of your vulva and releases dioxin, a known human carcinogen. Meanwhile, the barrier layer is made from plastics that offer little breathability and take hundreds of years to decompose.
To top it off, have you ever noticed the adhesive and fragrance that comes with normal pads? Well, that adhesive glue and ‘fresh’ scent comes with all sorts of chemicals that have no place being anywhere near your vulva.
The reality is, normal period pads contain dioxins, synthetic fibres, petrochemical additives and plasticising chemicals. Many of these chemicals are associated with medical problems & given that a person who menstruates can use up to 10,000 period pads in a lifetime, all those chemicals in normal pads really start to add up. Not to mention the effect all that plastic has on our planet.
What are the benefits of organic bamboo period pads?
If normal period pads are sending you in a panic, breathe because organic bamboo period pads are here!
No seriously, organic bamboo is more breathable than cotton, keeping you comfortable throughout your period. It's also naturally hypoallergenic so it won't irritate people with sensitive skin and it's grown without fertilisers to be super soft. This makes organic bamboo the perfect material for the top layer of period pads, as it doesn't lead to any irritation or itchiness. Organic bamboo also has 40%more absorption capacity than any cotton on the market, improving the absorption core of period pads, whilst also being rich in antifungal agents and odour-resistant too!
With organic period care, your vulva can feel safe, happy and like it's sat on a literal cloud. Period pads made from 100% organic bamboo are naturally soft and gentle, pH neutral and free from artificial fragrances, dyes, bleach, rayon, plastics and chemicals.
Whilst the organic bamboo surface of our period pads holds down the biodegradable and dioxide-free air laid paper, the super absorbent paper and breathable back film offer even more absorption capacity and comfort! That’s why we always recommend period pads made from organic bamboo - so you can have that super absorbent, fluffy and comfy period experience every time.
Are organic bamboo period pads eco-friendly?
Aside from being better for your health, using organic bamboo is also great for the environment. We're talking about the type of bamboo that pandas don't eat.
Unlike cotton, the farming practices surrounding bamboo are much better for the environment. Bamboo grows 90cm a day, regrows without the need for replanting and needs only a third of the water that cotton needs. It's completely self-generating so needs no harmful pesticides or fertilisers and also grows vertically, taking up much less land in comparison to cotton.
That’s why at FLO, we choose to make our period pads from 100% sustainable and natural OEKO-Tex bamboo (that's the really really sustainable kind). One of the added benefits of our organic bamboo period pads is that they’re also biodegradable, ethical and vegan too.
The Queen of period pads!
So there you have it, organic bamboo pads reign supreme. Ditch the not-so-fantastic plastic and breathe with organic bamboo period pads. For that fluffy cloud-like feeling, get your FLO-fix of organic period care today!
You can read more about our sustainability here.
For more information on conventional cotton production: https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/clothing/world-cotton-production-statistics
Learn about the effect of dioxins on human health:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dioxins-and-their-effects-on-human-health
A study of environmentally friendly menstrual absorbents:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8465734/#B25-ijerph-18-09766
For more information on choosing bamboo:
https://gethempur.com/sustainability/#why-bamboo
https://kth.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1624013/FULLTEXT01.pdf
