In the United States and Canada alone, more than 12 billion pads and tampons are tossed annually. Using cloth menstrual pads can help to reduce the landfill burden.
There are a number of sites that offer free patterns and instructions to make your own pads. Several other websites offer ready-made cloth pads for purchase.
Since they don’t aren’t made with plastic, the pollution generated by the plastic manufacturing industry doesn’t come into the picture with cloth pads. Choosing unbleached fabrics means that health-threatening dioxins were not used to lighten fabric.
Organic cloth for pads will ensure that pesticides have not been used in fiber production. If the pads are laundered with earth-friendly practices, the environmental savings really add up.
This is one area where a small change in habits can mean a big benefit to the environment.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- DIY Cloth Menstrual Pads
- Opportunity for individuals to create eco-friendly homemade alternatives to disposable sanitary napkins.
- Sustainable Feminine Hygiene Products
- Disruptive innovation in the feminine hygiene industry by offering organic cloth pads that reduce environmental impact.
- Plastic-free Menstrual Products
- Innovative solutions for eliminating plastic waste through the use of cloth pads instead of traditional disposable options.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Textile Manufacturing
- Opportunities for textile manufacturers to produce and supply organic cloth materials for feminine hygiene products.
- Sustainable Retail
- Disruption in the retail industry by offering ready-made cloth pads as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional sanitary napkins.
- Eco-friendly Laundry Services
- Potential for laundry services focusing on earth-friendly practices to cater to the growing demand for the laundering of reusable cloth pads.
