Empowering Your Period: A Guide to Sustainable Menstrual Products
Every day in Belgium, 3 million disposable sanitary pads end up in landfills. It is a product that is essential for women, but it also generates an enormous amount of waste. Did you know that sanitary pads also contain harmful chemicals?
Single-use menstrual products contribute to a huge amount of plastic waste. They can contain up to 90% plastic and are often individually packaged in plastic. They have a varied composition, and when combined with organic material after use, recycling them is technically and economically costly. Therefore, the majority of them are dumped or burned. It can take up to 500 years for plastic to decompose in a landfill, and toxic materials can be released (United Nations Environment Programme, 2021).
Period-proof underwear can provide a solution to this problem. Do you know miokoo? With your purchase at miokoo, you vote for a more beautiful (fashion) world. A world without poverty, with fair wages, equal opportunities, and respect for the planet. Yes, a miokoo panty is an investment and costs more than a pack of sanitary pads at the first purchase. This is because miokoo resolutely chooses a product that makes the world better, not only for users but also for everyone who contributes to it, and for the planet. This way, you choose period-proof underwear that will accompany you for years, and you also get a three-year warranty, making it ultimately much cheaper than tampons or traditional sanitary pads. In addition to this smart choice for your wallet, you also save 1 kg of disposable products every year.
After extensive research, founder Kathleen engineered the market’s most absorbent period proof underwear created with sustainable, high-quality materials. When she started to use period proof underwear, back in 2015, she loved the concept but found out that there was room for improvement in terms of comfort, user-friendliness, and responsibility towards people and planet. Many brands, but each lacked something. That is why she decided to do it better herself. The elegant lingerie is soft like satin and can be worn for up to 12 hours, on a normal menstruation day. Each undie in the collection has an absorbance capacity of over 5 tampons. With the high-tech, quick-drying fabrics, you feel safe and dry during the day and/or night.
The panties come in five different models so there is a favorite for everyone. The sizes range from xxs to xxxl. The fabrics are of high quality and durable. This way, the lingerie lasts a long time, can be machine washed, and does not lose color or shape. In addition, all fabrics are made in Europe by suppliers with years of experience and the correct, strict European certificates.
All fabrics are Oeko-Tex standard 100 - class 2 certified. This guarantees that there are no toxic chemicals. In addition, a conscious choice was made to stitch all fabrics and seams and not use any glue, so that no harmful substances are in the panty, and this also ensures that the panty lasts much longer. The panties are made-to-order. This means that they are made only in small quantities. Thus, overproduction is avoided. Through close cooperation with the sewing workshop and a dynamic follow-up of the undies in stock, miokoo can guarantee a short delivery time.
We asked influencer Laurafromthedesert about her experience with Miokoo: "Big Miokoo fan here. I've been following the brand since its launch and the quality is amazing. I always feel comfortable and worry-free when I wear their period-proof underwear. Another reason why I love them: Kathleen, the founder of Miokoo, has put a lot of effort into making the products as sustainable as possible."
Shop at miokoo!
At Plastic Free Amsterdam, they have an extensive range of sustainable menstrual products. You can find various models of period proof underwear, as well as menstrual cups and reusable pads. Shop here!
Are you used to wearing tampons? Then menstrual cups are a great alternative. A cup can hold three times more blood than a tampon, so you can wear it for up to 12 hours without having to clean it in between. Convenient and good for the environment! Cleaning the cup is also very easy with water. Just be careful with an IUD in combination with a cup, and consult your gynecologist for advice.
Are you curious and would you like to try it out? You can find cups at the following stores: Druantia, Supergoods, Anders Getint, Kudzu, Blabloom, Robuust, OHNE, KIEZ, Karmamarkt, Clothilde, Puurista. They sell cups from brands like Lunacopine, OrganiCup, Ladycup, Divine, Fair Squared, Lamazuna and Grace & Green
Are you not convinced to fully switch to one of the above alternatives yet? Take an intermediate step and choose reusable pads. The brand Imse Vimse makes menstrual products from organic cotton, which you can buy at Supergoods, Blabloom, Anders Getint, Robuust. The French brand Lamazuna is also known for its zero-waste menstrual products. Discover all sales points here! Have you heard of the brand Bambaw? These pads are made of bamboo charcoal, microfiber, and waterproof PUL*. They have three different types of pads depending on the flow of your period. You can buy the brand at OHNE and Puurista, and find out here which other stores near you sell the brand.
Head of research Annelies had already tried Imse Vimse: "Reusable pads are similar in use to disposable pads, except that you have to put them in the washing machine, of course. That's why they're perfect if you want to switch to a more sustainable product, but still find a menstrual cup or period proof underwear a bit intimidating. Besides, Imse Vimse has really cute designs!"
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