Period Pants - Comfort Heaven
What a life changing experience period pants are.
I’d heard people talking about them, contemplated it and then after a good discussion with a friend looked into getting a few pairs to try myself.
Prior to pants I used reusable pads, and if you’ve been following me for a while you will know I preach about those. Well, now move over pads because it’s all about the pants!
When they arrived I was actually, believe it or not, looking forward to getting my period (except the dreaded cramps, IYKYK). Putting them on my first thought was how comfy they were and how they didn’t feel as bulky as I was expecting. First impressions, pretty good. Then came the waiting game, to see how effective these pants really are, and they are INCREDIBLE. If you haven’t tried them, or you’ve been dwelling on the thought of going for it… go get yourself a pair.
Bonus points - they are super comfy to sleep in! Less worry about leaks too.
To wash them, just like reusable pads, they can simply be put in the washing machine with your other loads, and reused over and over making them a really sustainable period option. With pads and pants I like to give them a bit of a rinse with cold water in case they won’t be going into the wash straight away. (Don’t tumble dry)
The best thing, there are now lots of brands to choose from and you can get period pants in all kinds of styles - bikini, thong, shorts, you name it. Along with them having different flow options too. I’ve got Wuka Wear pants.
“Each one of us is estimated to have approximately 500 periods during our lifetime. That’s 6,5 years we spend menstruating and using an average of 11,000 disposable period products, many of which end up in landfills or worse – in our oceans.”
Not only is comfort a priority for me on my period, but knowing that there is less harm on the environment during it really makes me feel positive and optimistic that just one more period plastic free (and reusable) saves so much from landfill. Imagine how much we could all save if we all gradually tried out reusable period products.
I hope this has encouraged some positive thoughts on reusable period options, go on, if you can, give it a go.
Note - I understand having the choice and options available to use healthy, reusable products like cloth pads and pants is due to being in a position of privilege, and understandably this is not accessible for everyone. We can only do what we can as individuals, and when it comes to health sometimes there is no other option. Unfortunately sometimes the only option is the cheapest option, and these options are often the ones with a more detrimental impact on our environment.
Reusables do have a higher initial cost, but following the purchase savings are made due to the longevity of the product use and I really hope that the cost of reusables will inevitably reduce with the more options, and higher demand.