Why Poppy Pads?

 

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1. To save money

Why keep paying out for disposable products when you can re-use the same ones over and over again?  If you take a few moments to consider how much you currently spend on disposable products and remember that the average woman will probably menstruate for about 35 to 40 years I’m sure you will appreciate that’s a lot of money thrown away!  Poppy Pads will last for about 4-5 years and possibly even longer. (I've done a trial washing of a selection of pads and I've just hit wash number 100!  They haven't been used of course but most of the wear and tear of pads will be due to washing.    Of course, you can work out how much you could save for yourself according to how much you currently spend each month if using disposable products but, as an example:

If I spent $10 per month on disposable products over 5 years I would spend roughly $600.  If I brought a set of re-usable pads they could cost approx. $150  - a saving of $450!  And over 40 years - $3600!!!
 If you purchased a Mooncup, you could recoup the cost over just 6 months!

Another consideration is that you’ll always have some protection to hand and never be reliant on getting to the shops because you’ve run out!

2.    It's a good choice!

I’ll admit that many people (and I did it myself too!) when they first come across the idea of using cloth pads, think yak!   We never see anything about them on the TV or rarely in shops so, that’s a sign that they could be seen as a pretty odd thing to use.  However, cloth pads are not as off the wall as they might seem at first glance.  

Periods are of course a very normal and healthy thing experienced by over half the planet’s population.  The essence of life itself.  If you visit the' Museum of Menstruation' (you can search on the web - yse it does exist!)  you’ll discover all kinds of articles about inventive women and the materials they have used over generations - animal fur, sea sponges, plant fibres etc.  I’m not suggesting you need use any of these nowadays of course, but it does become clear that using alternatives to disposables is not rare, unusual or weird; women have been doing it since year dot.  Disposable pads and tampons on the other hand, have only been in mainstream use for around 50 years or so, but it means that the majority of women currently menstruating have only ever seen or been exposed to disposables.    

The difference today is that there are very large companies with very large budgets who can afford to dominate the market and it's in their own interests to market the idea that periods are pretty yacky . That you need something to throw the evidence of your period away in and pads or tampons that are surgically, sterile type white to cope with them.  And, if you think of the millions of women around the world using disposable products every month for 35 to 40 years the profits must be staggering,   It’s in companies best interests therefore, with mass marketing techniques, to convince women that disposable products are indeed not only the most sanitary but the only option.  

Nevertheless things, as often do, have gone full circle and society is realising that throwing away really is not the way to go.  And indeed, would sooner not keep giving money to big businesses for throw away products when there are more than suitable alternatives that are reusable.  After all, there are already enough things in life to pay out for.  

The word is out and women are re-discovering the existence of cloth pads. They are indeed a great alternative to disposable products after all; that the cloth pads of today are very different from those from earlier generations, not difficult or yucky to use and care for, even fun.  In fact, many women who use cloth pads tend to become really enthusiastic about them.  Anecdotally too, women have reported a heap of other unexpected benefits, some of which defy explanation e.g. that their periods have become shorter, they don’t bleed as heavily, no longer suffer from cramps or have allergies, irritations, thrush etc.

The other pleasing thing of course is that most cloth pad manufacturers are small businesses, often work at home mums (like me), and many of us are keen to support our locals instead of big business. 

3.    For environmental reasons.

Most people today are increasingly environmentally aware e.g. most of us will reliably separate out recyclables from the rest of household waste, refuse plastic bags at the supermarket, re-use where possible or, repair something rather than have the waste or expense of buying new.  In general, we both take very seriously and, understand the need to “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle".  There is no escaping the media reports and news reels regarding our current environmental status e.g.  increasing mountains of rubbish consigned to be buried under our precious landscape, levels of pollution, climate change etc.  Yet, what about our menstrual products?

Most disposables are likely constructed using a variety of synthetic chemicals or additives and made using a variety of chemical processes e.g., producing plastics, adding fragrances, bleaching wood pulp  etc. (not good for the environment) and a lot of trees go into their making only to be thrown away (again not good for the environment).  Disposable pads and tampons come with lots of packaging too.  (Again not good for the environment!)

It has been estimated that just one woman will likely use an incredible 11 000 sanitary products in a lifetime.  According to the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) in the UK alone, more than 3 billion disposable items are bought every year.  In 2001, women in the UK spent £370 million on them! The amount of natural resources used and menstrual waste from disposable products around the world must be staggering!  An enormous amount of unnecessary items (and money!) that are either incinerated, buried underground in our overflowing landfill sites (with all the long-term issues of potential ground pollution, maintenance etc) or become part of the sewerage system and maybe reappear in rivers and seas.  Seems a bit crazy doesn’t it?

I hope you’ll agree that, bearing all this in mind, using washable pads does make sense as a good environmental choice!