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When it comes to preparedness, feminine hygiene might not be at the top of your list of items to collect. But trust me, if there’s a female living in your house it really needs to be. That being said, these items can take up a lot of space – especially when you’re trying to stockpile for longer time periods. This post is a roundup of the best options for sustainable period care products currently on the market and why it’s a good choice for your non-food storage essentials.
Okay, maybe they’re not necessarily fun facts, since no one I know is actually thrilled to have a regular period. But these numbers will help put some things in perspective as you consider them in relation to your emergency preparedness.
According to a study from the Harvard Business School:
I don’t know about you, but those stats are a little mind-blowing! Can you imagine trying to store thousands of tampons? I know reusable, sustainable period products might not sound appealing to a lot of women, but they certainly make sense, not only from an ecological standpoint, but also from a preparedness point of view.
The three most common and well-known options for sustainable period care are:
However, these are not the only available options. Keep reading and I’ll share the options I’m aware of and a little bit about each product, plus some suggestions for good companies to purchase from.
These are essentially just like any other pair of underwear, but they have an absorbent inner panel. You can find them in a variety of styles, sizes, and absorbencies. A lot of teens really like these for ease of use and they feel protected in case of a surprise period start date.
So many options here; there are even a lot of Etsy sellers who make these. Most of them are shaped to fit neatly inside your underwear and have wings that wrap around, very similar to a disposable pad or liner. I’ve even heard of youth groups who make hundreds of these and send them to third world countries who don’t have access to feminine hygiene products. Pretty cool.
*One care tip that applies to any of the washable period care products is to NOT use fabric softener. It can cause a breakdown in the absorbency of the fabric.
Ready for your mind to be officially blown? ONE menstrual cup can last up to 10 years! This is probably the most sustainable option for period care. Menstrual cups come in all different shapes and sizes, but this is an internal product. It’s meant to sit low in the vaginal canal. So if you’re not comfortable with having to insert something yourself (a lot of teens aren’t), you might want to steer toward the panties or liners.
Depending on the size, menstrual cups can provide up to 12 hours of protection. That’s a really great perk! They can typically hold up to 26 ml of blood.
These sit higher than a cup (think closer to your cervix). It is flatter in shape and can hold up to 55 ml of blood. A disc can also be worn up to 12 hours.
One caveat with the disc is that some are actually disposable. But because of the length of wear and the size, they make the list as a more sustainable period care product than traditional pads or tampons.
While these don’t create a completely sustainable product, they do help eliminate some waste and save some space since the cotton inserts can be smushed more than a plastic applicator can. Again, not completely sustainable, but better than storing thousands of plastic tampons.
My sister-in-law has more experience with sustainable period care than I do, so I asked her to do a quick write-up of her honest experience with them. This is what she had to say:
I am not sure at what point I switched over from disposable period care products, so unfortunately I don’t have a good estimation of how much money I have saved since then. But there are a ton of other benefits beyond what is quantifiable. And some I didn’t even expect.
The period underwear actually work, are super comfortable, and are NOT hideous! There are a variety of styles, colors, and types of fabric. I wish they would have been around when I was a teenager!
Cup vs disc? I have both. And although I prefer the disc, I didn’t throw my cup away. It’s convenient to have more than one (even if they’re the same), in the event that you are somewhere out of the house and it’s not easy to rinse, wash and reuse. You can just toss the used one in a little wet bag and slip it into your purse until you’re home.
I started with a cup, and then when my favorite company, Saalt, released a disc, I gave it a try.
I personally prefer the disc, for 3 reasons:
Now that I’ve had years of practice, my advice to my own daughter or best friend who I’ve convinced to try one would be: breathe, don’t panic- that just tightens everything up! And change positions- stand up, sit down, squat, etc.
I love supporting Saalt because they are located in Boise, Idaho and I am impressed with their commitment to providing sustainable period care and education to women in underprivileged areas. Another HUGE pro in my book, is if you’re not happy with your Saalt product, they’ll send you a replacement you’ll love or your MONEY BACK UP TO A FULL YEAR from purchase!! You can check out Saalt’s website here (affiliate link).
Isn’t she the best? I love how real she is, and how she laid out the pros and cons for us. This can be a tough topic to talk about, so I’m glad for her honesty!!
No more having to guess the right number you will need based on how long your period lasts, or how heavy it will be
Save precious space in your suitcase, carry-on, 72-hour kit, etc.
Tampons and pads are BULKY, so storing a year’s supply (or anything close to that) is a challenge. Not with these!
Environmentally friendly
Non-toxic
With every passing year, more and more companies are popping up with washable, reusable feminine hygiene products. I don’t personally have much experience with any of these, but I know a lot of people who do.
If you’re looking to create a period care kit to-go, then you might want to check out this post.
Not only would this come in handy for your 72-hour kits, but it’s also a great idea for teens who want to be prepared when they’re away from home, but also don’t want to advertise it.
For a list of other non-food storage essentials, you’ll want to be sure and read this post so you can make sure you’re not caught without something super important (ahem, toilet paper anyone?).
Looking for emergency preparedness items that are also HSA approved items is such a great way to use those funds. Take a look at what items are HSA eligible.
In order to prepare kids for emergencies, you first need to tackle the obvious – disaster anxiety is real! This post addresses that and gives you resources to help teach your kids about preparedness without scaring them.
Use this comprehensive list of essentials to DIY your emergency car kit. Let vehicle size and location help you decide which items you should keep in your car.
