Lunapads Blog

Here’s one thing to know about me: I hate pads. I’ve hated them since my first period. That’s over a decade of dislike! But, I think, with good reason. I hated the bulkyness. I hated how they would shift at the least opportune times. I hated the crinkley unwrapping noises that let all the other girls in the bathroom know you were on your period. I hated the times one end would spontaneously flip over and decide to stick to you (ow!) leaving your poor underwear unguarded. I hated the panicky feeling when you know it’s leaked, but you won’t be able to get to a bathroom and survey the damage for another 20 minutes. And I really, really hated that freakin’ “dri-weave” stuff. What “weave”? It’s so obviously die-cut plastic! And “dri”? If you’ve got clots, forget it! In grade school, though, I never questioned their inevitability. In fact, the video they used to teach us girls about menstruation was produced by Stayfree!

College, I think, was the start of the change of the status quo for me and my menstruation. In college, practicality led me from pads (grrr) to tampons, and feminism led me from applicator to non-applicator tampons, and then (along with environmentalism and a grad-school paycheck) from tampons to a menstrual cup. Which was way cool, for all the reasons I’m sure readers of the Lunapads blog are familiar with, but not perfect – I still got leaks from time to time, that became more prevalent over the last few years. (I think my flow is getting heavier as I get older, bleah.) Finally, after enough times mentally willing my boss to get to the point already/the meeting to be over/the bus to get to my stop/to find a spot on the trail with enough trees for privacy if I couldn’t make it to the trailhead/to be able to make it back through the crowd to my prime spot in the concert venue afterwards beacuse I really, REALLY need to check the state of my Keeper NOW! I decided that I was going to have to go back to pads (grrr) as backup.

(more…)

I first heard of Lunapads on the message boards for my favorite science fiction author, Orson Scott Card. One of his forums is designated for members to talk about anything, and someone had started a thread to complain about the difficulty of purchasing larger size bras in Sri Lanka.

Reusable menstrual products were mentioned in passing, but I was immediately intrigued. I’m the kind of person who has a separate trash can for recyclables, so the large amounts of garbage for pads always bothered me, but I didn’t think a greener alternative existed.

I’ve been using Lunapads, Lunapanties and the Diva Cup exclusively for the past nine months and I love the combination. You might not find hearing such praise remarkable on Lunapads’ own website, but I am a twenty year old student who shares a bathroom in a college residence hall with twenty other women. I am a double major in Mathematics and Astrophysics. Most people look at me funny when I tell them I’m majoring in Astrophysics, but I study Astronomy because it’s fun. I love operating large telescopes, and I actually get paid to show my fellow students planets, nebulae and star clusters using a 150 year old, 15 foot long refracting telescope.

I’m pretty busy with my work at the observatory and my classes, so I only find the time to do laundry when I run out of socks. Fortunately I have lots of socks.

Using Lunapads is not as impossible or as gross as you might think, even in an institutional setting such as mine. With disposables, I would put every single pad in those little white trash cans attached to the toilet stall, where it would sit until some poor (male) janitor emptied the box. Often there would be no bag to line the container, and some women didn’t wrap their pads in toilet paper. I’m pleased to say that no other person, paid or not, has to deal with my menstrual garbage anymore.

(more…)

I’ve been using washable pads for four years, but just found out about Lunapads and Lunapanties a year and a half ago. When I first switched to washable pads, I hung on to a stash of plastic disposable pads and tampons for jogging and long-distance cycling because the washable pads I was initially using were just too bulky and mobile for really active sports.

Also, the pads I was first using had these big metal snaps that became painful after about five seconds of sitting on my bike seat. Since switching to Lunapads, I can happily use a Maxi Lunapad for cycling, even on long-distance rides. In fact, I used them on a 800-kilometer bike tour. Unfortunately, even Lunapads don’t really work really well for jogging, just as I find disposable pads don’t work because there’s just too much movement. Previously I always had to use tampons for jogging but now I use Lunapanties, which I consider to be one of the most genius inventions of the 20th century! Seriously, Lunapanties are just fantastic for jogging, and have totally resolved my discomfort at having to keep tampons on hand if I want to continue my running schedule while I have my period. I LOVE my Lunapanties. Thanks!!

In keeping with the theme of the last post (“We’re listening”) Lunapanty thongs are back! A quick history: Madeleine created Lunapanty Thongs over 10 years ago, and we started selling them online 2 years ago when we introduced our best selling Lunapanties line of products. However, with cash flow being tight, we made the decision to discontinue our thong line last year to lower inventory levels. Since then, many of you have pleaded with us to bring them back. So here they are, but on a trial basis. Your feedback and demand will determine if we keep them, and what sizes and colors we will carry. For more about why our thongs are so amazing (especially if you don’t think that you’re a “thong person”), read on…

(more…)

Thank you Lunapads! How can I thank you for making that time of the month so much more comfortable! This is my 3rd cycle with my DivaCup and Lunapanties/ Lunapads! I actually look forward to my periods now. No more stinky, sweaty, uncomfortable, loud pads for me! I find that the Lunapanties/ DivaCup combination is perfect for my lifestyle. As a flight attendant I am on duty sometimes 14 hours a day. With the DivaCup and Lunapanties, I basically don’t have to worry about a thing all day long (except to remind myself that its there, because I can’t feel it). I typically fly the Carribean and Central America and was always worried about the “smellies” because of the heat and humidity. Well, not anymore! And I have to say that the Lunapanties are the softest panties I’ve ever worn. I’ve also ordered a starter kit and several extra minis for when I’m at home. I love the patterns! I just wish I had known about you sooner! I will continue to be a loyal Lunapads customer, as it seems everytime I look at the website, there is something else I want to try!

Julie B.
Bel Air, Maryland