Pads? Tampons? Menstrual Cups? Cloth? 

Many Indian women have heard of all these options for their periods. Many more, perhaps, are also aware of the advantages of sustainable menstrual options and the disadvantages of single-use menstrual products. But despite that, many have not made the switch to sustainable products yet. Now, this could be due to a variety of factors, but the most common factor is perhaps simple uncertainty.

However, that uncertainty need not exist at all. Trust us when we say - if you are sitting on the fence about sustainable options, the time to switch is NOW!

Change mindsets around menstrual products and take the pledge to start using sustainable options today! 

There are many women in India who have spent their lives using sanitary napkins as the only option for menstruation. If you are someone who has not come across many sustainable options, read on.  

According to the National Family Health Survey, in 2015-16, 48.2% of women in rural India and 77% of those in urban India used sanitary napkins. Conventional menstrual products like pads and tampons must be thrown after one use. They cannot be recycled, so they invariably end up increasing the burden of trash on the planet.

And once you consider that on average, a woman uses 11,000 to 17,000 sanitary padsin her lifetime - it means there are a staggering number of them in landfills! Imagine leaving behind a hundred-year legacy for a single-use item!

So while the convenience of using pads is high, we do need to think of the colossal damage we are doing to the environment by using them. And that is without even considering the health benefits of NOT using pads and tampons. 

There are easy alternatives - Menstrual cups and cloth pads. 

A menstrual cup is soft, flexible and made of medical-grade silicone. It is worn inside the vagina during menstruation to collect menstrual fluid. 

A cloth pad is made of cotton cloth and is washable and reusable. 

You can safely lay all of your preconceived notions to one side. Not only are these products eco-friendly, but they are also hygienic and effortless to use. And more and more women in India are coming to that understanding. In line with global trends, even in India, the number of takers for these products are on the rise.

Here's a quick guide on why you should switch:

For better health: Disposable sanitary pads contain toxic chemicals (such as dioxin, pesticide residues, bleach, phthalates) and virgin plastic. These have been known to cause irritation, rashes, fungal infections etc.

For better affordability: The cumulative cost of buying sanitary pads from menarche to menopause is a hefty burden on any woman. A cup or cloth pads are significantly cheaper in the long term.  
For a better environment: The virgin plastic present in disposable sanitary napkins will take 800 years to disintegrate! When buried, burnt or flushed, these cause serious air and water pollution due to the presence of toxic chemicals in the absorbent fillers and gel. 
For better working conditions: It is not just the user, we have to consider the effect on all those who come in contact with it. Sanitation workers or waste pickers pick up soiled napkins with their bare hands - exposing themselves to a lot of microorganisms and pathogens.