Lunapads Blog

Name: Avigayil

What is your age? 24

How did you hear about reusable menstrual products?

Lunapads.

Please describe your monthly needs:

Unpredictable. Usually my period starts early, despite being on birth control, and it starts with shedding which is so annoying. That can go on for 2 days. Other times it just starts heavy for 2 days, then light for the rest. I have severe cramps the first 3 days, and I toss and turn all night.. sleep, whats that?

If you are currently using disposable products, which ones do you use, and for what needs?

I currently only use disposable products for swimming. I really hate staying out of the pool when I have my period, and tampons just work for that. However, I haven’t done that for 4 months now. . . I just hate the waste and worry about what they do to my body!

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So I’m gonna admit right up front that while I do enjoy candy and dorky Valentine’s cards just as much as the next human, I am generally not a fan of Valentine’s day.

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1. If you’re using applicator-less tampons already, you’re a prime candidate for The DivaCup. You already have the self-knowledge and are comfortable enough with your body to insert something manually. For most menstrual cup users, that’s half the battle right there!
2. If you prefer o.b. because there’s no applicator and hence less waste, consider this: approximately 20 billion pads, tampons and applicators are sent to North American landfills annually! The average menstruating North American will throw away 125-150kg or 16,800 disposable pads or tampons in their lifetime. With the DivaCup there is no waste! You can reuse the same menstrual cup for years with proper care.
3. It’s non-absorbent, which means it won’t dry you out. Tampons absorb the protective fluid produced in the vagina and can disrupt its normal acidic environment — which can potentially lead to all sorts of problems.
4. The DivaCup is made from top quality, healthcare grade silicone, which is phthalate-free, latex-free, plastic-free and BPA-free. Do you know what’s in your tampon? http://safecosmetics.org/downloads/FemCare_fs_022411.pdf
5. With the DivaCup, you will never run out of menstrual supplies. You’ll have the only item you need and it will last at least a year. Aside from saving you a ton of money, you’ll never have to go on late-night drugstore runs or canvass your coworkers for a spare pad or tampon.
6. The DivaCup is great for those with heavy flow.  It can hold a full ounce, which is about twice as much as the highest absorbency o.b. (the now discontinued o.b. ultra tampons)  so not only will you be able to go longer between changes, you won’t have to worry about sudden leaks!
7. It works for all flows, from light to very heavy. The DivaCup cup can be safety left in for up to 12 hours, whereas tampons must be changed every 4-6 hours to avoid the risk of TSS.
8. You’ll never be at the whim of mysterious corporate “manufacturing delays” and empty shelves again. The DivaCup is available at many retail locations and all over the internet. Once you buy it you won’t have to depend on anyone but yourself to have adequate menstrual protection.

Are you convinced yet? The DivaCup is available on Lunapads.com and at many natural health retailers. Plus, get $5 off the DivaCup on Lunapads.com with coupon code: OBWTF

The title of this post is a little dig at U by Kotex, whose name implies that “U” (ie you) are authored by someone else – in this case, Kotex. (I may be reasonably accused of reading too much into it, though!) I’ll have more thoughts on that idea in a moment, but where I’m going right now is that we have recently been inspired by an article about stereotypes of cloth diapering Moms/parents, and there has been some discussion about what (if any) stereotypes of cloth menstrual pad users might be out there – let’s check it out.

So what kind of person uses cloth pads?  (I simply love this collage of actual Lunapads customers that Lisa created!)  My personal view is first that there are so (relatively) few of us natural menstrual product users that we would be hard pressed to come up with more than one or two bona fide stereotypes. My second thought is that in all my years of selling Lunapads, the DivaCup, etc – while I have noticed certain consistent characteristics (for example age, political awareness, environmental consciousness, being closely connected to other women, and yes indeed as we shall soon see, cloth diapering) I would not feel confident identifying types who choose to wash their pads and cups. As an example, I have seen “mainstream” women wearing suits and high heels be totally open to the idea, while their Birkenstock-wearing, ostensibly “crunchy” sisters have said “ewwww” and turned aside: in other words, you just never can tell.

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It’s been a while since our last video, but I think you’ll agree that this one is worth the wait.

Many of you have probably perused our Why Switch? section, which I admit verges on being overly extensive (there are a lot of reasons, after all!)  While the argument will be old news to our existing customers, our latest video is a one minute snappy version for women who have never heard of Lunapads (or even thought of cloth pads).  It’s also an entertaining little kick in the pants (pads?) to those fence-sitters out there, in the hopes that they will be inspired to relinquish their fears and reservations to take the leap to a brighter, more eco-positive menstrual future!

Do you have some friends who you’ve been meaning to tell about Lunapads, but didn’t know how?  Here’s the perfect thing to send their way!

Now, about that Giveaway:
Complete the 3 steps below & you’ll be entered to win 1 of 5 $25 gift certificates for Lunapads.com!

1. Watch the video on our YouTube Channel
2. Use the buttons below the video to Share via Facebook or Twitter, or <Embed> onto your blog or website. Tip: Use #clothpadsftw on Twitter and @Lunapads.com on Facebook.

3. Comment below telling us where you posted our video, including a link, if possible.

This is also a perfect opportunity to express some gratitude: Nancee, our summer marketing intern, fearlessly piloted this project from start to finish, bringing a happy mix of technical experience, creative insight and patient feedback-taking to the project. Some final visual and musical touches came via our uber-competent webmaster and all-round tech/creative Lunagal Lisa and her trusty accomplices Morgan and Sara. I know that I speak for everyone here when I say: It’s been great having you with us this summer, Nancee. We are totally thrilled with your work – thank you!

Thanks you guys for all your support, we ♥ you!!!  We’ll announce the 5 winners in September’s newsletter. (And if you have any other ideas or suggestions for future videos, please let us know below!)

Last Friday, we were delighted to see the Huffington Post write a story called “How to Green Your Period” describing the many ways to green your period.  (Check out slide number 4 which talks about reusable cloth pads, including Lunapads.)   You can even “vote” for your favorite period product: menstrual cups and cloth pads are ranked #1 and #2 respectively!

Despite the Huffington Post having a progressive following, not long after the post went up, a lot of readers posted comments indicating they were put off by the topic, men and women included.  Many expressed their disgust that the Huffington Post would write about such a “vulgar” topic and why nothing was sacred anymore.  Well, thanks to fans of the DivaCup and Lunapads, there is now a bit more balance in the over 200 comments posted to date.  I particularly like what “kudzumaster” had to say about the negative feedback:

“Would it be better to go back to the days in which women were ashamed about their normal processes, and thus kept ignorant and uninformed? I know they were good times, when teenaged girls got their first period and hid in the bathroom, thinking they were bleeding to death because no one was comfortable enough to discuss menstruation with them, but I think we’re ready to move past that now, aren’t we. Women bleed once a month during their childbearing years. It’s a fact, and nothing to be embarrassed about.”

I can appreciate that people have hang ups about certain topics, but I can never understand why they go on to publicly express those hang ups.  Posting those kinds of comments only shines a light on their degree of ignorance about a topic they can’t seem get their head around.   It’s refreshing to see others chiming in to show a more eco-positive perspective about periods.  Thank you, and if you haven’t commented yet, please do so!

While surfing around the Huffington Post website, I came across a story by writer Deanna Neal called “Make her Vagina Green” packed with interesting projections about the number of bleeding women in the world and how much garbage is produced by disposable feminine hygiene products.  As compelling as those numbers are, Deanna isn’t ready or willing to try reusable products herself, but at least does a good job informing the more ‘mainstream’ reader why she should think about healthier options for her period.  Deanna, if you’re reading this, we’d love to send you some Lunapads and Lunapanties to try out!  Never say never; we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Anyone else out there want to try and convince Deanna to make the switch?

Yesterday’s Slate.com “Green Lantern” article questioning the environmental impact of reusable menstrual products begged for more than a brief comment in response. Is making the switch a mere drop in the bucket as far as waste goes, or part of a larger ripple effect?

Fence sitters and skeptics often ask us how green our products really are, along the lines of the so-called diaper “debate”. How green is washing your menstrual pads after all, once you factor in the raw materials, soap, water and energy (not to mention the hassle?) Some prominent green bloggers (including Grist.org’s Umbra Fisk) don’t see the impact of disposable menstrual products as being overly worth fretting about, a position quasi-supported by the Green Lantern herself, Nina Shen Rastogi.

Rastogi starts her post by referencing (from the book Flow) some compelling information about the amount of solid waste generated by disposable pads and tampons (62,415 lbs, or 0.5% of a woman’s gross lifetime landfill contribution) but quickly concludes that there are bigger fish to fry, suggesting that highlighting women’s monthly eco impact may constitute yet another source of shame for women, on top of that typically used to sell the products in the first place – why give women yet another guilt trip?

Rastogi is also quick to dismiss the environmental and health concerns that green feminine hygiene producers often raise about conventional products; namely what the long-term consequences of exposure to dioxin and the host of other chemicals, surfactants, plastics and perfumes that may or may not be present in pads and tampons might be, chlorine bleached or not.

While the US FDA and Health Canada claim that exposure to “trace” amounts of dioxin is safe, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) looks at the matter differently, asserting that there is no safe or acceptable amount, period.  The bottom line is that nobody actually knows – yet. Having just read this article about the effects of “trace” amounts of hormone disruptors such as phthalites and Bisphenol A, I can’t help wondering how long it might be before we see similar research exposing what many of us have long suspected about dioxin and other chemicals used in the manufacture of disposable pads and tampons.

Rastogi suggests if you are worried about your garbage output, you are better off buying bulk food and planning your grocery shopping to reduce food waste.

Hey, how about this crazy idea: why not do as much as you reasonably can? Why the cop-out on greening your period?

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Thank you for sharing your testimonial, Meghan!

Let me begin by saying that I am perhaps your least likely customer. I knew about reusable menstrual products, but never felt that they were anything I would ever use. I was convinced that cleaning them would be a major inconvenience, and worried they might leak.

Then a friend told me about Lunapads.  She had just ordered a set, and was excited to show me how they worked. I already knew there were several benefits to using reusable pads: economic, environmental, and possibly even healthwise; but I just did not think they were something I would ever want to use.

I was, however, still curious. I did quite a bit of research on your website and found that the more I read, the more intrigued I was. Though I still felt skeptical, I decided to order a Sampler Pack, based on your Customer Satisfaction Policy.

I have never had a good experience with disposable menstrual products. Pads were rough and irritating against my skin, and tampons felt intrusive. Lunapads, on the other hand, are so very comfortable. I can hardly believe how much better my experience with my period has been since making the switch!

Furthermore, cleaning Lunapads is really not at all the ordeal I thought it would be, nor have I experienced any problem with leaks. I’ve since added more pads to my Lunapads collection, so that I never have to resort to disposables again.

I have to say, you have 100% won me over. Lunapads have been an amazing solution to my period woes. I no longer feel that I have to approach my period with that awful sense of dread, and am so thankful that my friend introduced me to them.

-Meghan

Here’s a whole new take on the classic women’s magazine standby, makeovers. Ever wondered what products others used before switching to reusables, and how and why they chose their Lunapads, Lunapanties or DivaCup? Or maybe you’re still thinking it over and could use some suggestions about which products to try? Period Makeovers to the rescue!

Are you ready for a Period Makeover? To apply, simply fill out an application, telling us about your monthly needs. Selected applicants will receive a $15 Lunapads.com gift certificate! Now it’s time to meet our first candidate…

Name: Lana D.
Home: West Vancouver, Canada
Age: 37
Lifestyle: Business owner, Mom of 2 school-aged kids

Before: “As I started to get older, post children, my period lasts longer.  A full 7 days. Gone are the days where it was all wrapped up in a quick 4 days. Day 1 – light, Day 2 – getting heavy, Days 3 to 5 – heavy, Day 6 & 7 – lingering.”

Which products did you use?
“I used Always Long pads, also either Tampax or Playtex for tampons. I have tried several times to use the compact OB tampons, but could never insert them properly. As time passed, my body started to reject tampons – they literally started falling out.”

Why did you switch?
“Since I started my period, I would read the inserts from the tampon box, talking about toxic shock syndrome.  This was a real fear for me, but as a teenager and young woman, it is mortifying to think that “someone” might know you are menstruating.  After the frustration with the “slipping tampons”, I decided I would switch entirely to pads. A friend told me about Lunapads and the concept of natural, reusable pads. I admit at first I felt like it would be too much work, and I did not trust that fabric pads could hold my flow.  I visited the Lunapads website, and the phrase of “being self sufficient” struck me deeply. I wanted to try the product.”

The Lunapads.com Rx…
the DivaCup
“I decided to try a Diva cup, wow, it’s so comfortable and beats a tampon any day.  I use it when I am out and about and want to forget I have my period. Dancing with my DivaCup is one of my favorite uses.”

Lunapads Heavy Pad & Wing Liner, Long Pad & Liner Insert
“I use the Heavy or Long Pad on my 3rd day and at night.  They are amazingly comfortable and don’t bunch up in the middle like disposable pads do.”

Hipster Lunapanties
“This is a brilliant design. I love them so much, I wear them even when I don’t have my period.”

Lunapads Mini Pad & Liner Insert
“The mini pad works brilliantly on days 6 and 7 when my period lingers on.”

After!
“My concerns of high maintenance and reliability are gone, it’s simple yet satisfying. I feel more connected with myself and proud of the shift I’ve made.”

Wow – it’s been a busy few days out there in media cyberspace for us menstrually-inclined types.  For those of you who might have missed it, on October 2nd the UK’s Guardian published a really interesting piece by Kira Cochrane about the current state of menstrual activism.  The article (which included a provocative photo of a woman wearing her menses as lipstick) elicited 160 comments, many of which were negative.  The article was complemented by another post on the same site from Rowenna Davis, who wrote a wonderful account of her own coming to consciousness around her period and how using a menstrual cup helped shift things for the good.  Her post generated over 100 comments, including many (mostly men) who found the topic disgusting.

Salon.com’s Amanda Fortini responded to the Guardian articles on October 6th with a scathing post questioning the necessity of menstrual activism.  Her premise is essentially that societal discomfort with menstrual matters is largely a thing of the past (maybe she didn’t read the comments to the Guardian pieces?) and that feminists have rustier axes to grind, such as pay equity and violence.

While this type of argument can make pretty much any pursuit seem petty (“well, it’s not going to stop a nuclear war, is it?”- my example), it is my perception that menstrual activism occurs on a crucial spectrum that ranges from body self-acceptance, sexuality, fertility, birth, breastfeeding and menopause – basically everything to do with women’s health and self-esteem.  Given this, I think it does matter – a lot. (more…)