How-to: Have a Low Waste Period
So you want to reduce your waste in your period routine but don’t know where to start? Trust me, I’ve been there before and I can’t wait to share with you my current zero waste period routine, how I got there, and my thoughts on some of the swaps I made. It’s not a perfect routine by any means, it’s just what I’m currently doing and my personal first experience with menstrual cups and reusable pads.
Pre Low-waste Routine
Before we get into the current state of my routine, I thought it’d be interesting to show the progression of how I got to where I am now and also share my pre-zero waste routine. Growing up I had always used pads and not tampons unless I absolutely had to. I personally felt the most comfortable with pads and it’s how I had always gone about my routine. Pretty simple — BUT the more I dove into learning more about sustainability and trying to change habits here and there, I was determined to change some of my period products because I started to see how much waste I was creating each month in this one area of my life. For me it made the most sense to take the plunge and go straight to a menstrual cup instead of a low waste tampon or reusable pad. So if you’re thinking if it will be hard to switch to a cup if you’ve never used or rarely used tampons, you can definitely do it!
The Early Stage
Stage one of making my swap to a menstrual cup began with finding a cup. The most accessible one to me and the one that I had heard the most about at the time was the Diva Cup. After some convincing from friends and some more reading online, I went and purchased the Diva Cup from my local drug store. I still had some disposable products that I wanted to finish up before diving into the world of cups so I spent the next few cycles finishing up some of those products, but I also saved a few for “just in case” or if the cup didn’t work out for me. If you are wanting to immediately explore menstrual cups but have a lot of extra disposable products, I would consider using them up first or also finding an appropriate local charity to donate them.
The Trial Stage
The next thing I did was to start using the cup, but I started by only using it at home or on the weekends. When my time of the month came I slowly tried the cup for short periods of time from the the comfort of my home and on weekends where I knew I would have quick and easy access to a private bathroom. Insertion did take a bit of practice and was a bit difficult at first, but I did a bit of googling/youtube-ing and found what works best for me. As my period came each month, I slowly attempted to wear the cup for longer periods of time. I also had a bunch of disposable liners leftover that I was still finishing up at this time, so I used them in addition to the cup as extra protection. After 2 to 3 cycles, I finally got the hang of the cup and also finished up all my disposable products, including the liners. Unfortunately the cup that I have still leaks a little so I now have reusable cloth liners that I use with my cup on heavier days. I’m still troubleshooting this part of using a menstrual cup, but it could also be that this particular cup is not the best fit for my body, so I would highly recommend taking this quiz to narrow down some cups for you before purchasing.
Current Routine
With the help of reusable pads and a menstrual cup, I have now gotten my routine to be completely zero waste. Here is my current routine! On my heavier days, usually day 1 and 2, I use a menstrual cup and a reusable liner as back up protection. On lighter days, I wear just a cup with leakproof underwear or just a pair of leakproof underwear. At night, I prefer to sleep with a reusable pad which I clean in the morning. It took a few cycles to get to where I am now, but it’s such a great feeling to know that my period does not produce any disposable waste! Although it’s not the perfect routine yet, I’m quite pleased with where it’s at and would love any and all tips for cup leakage. I’ll share more about the specific products I use and my experiences with them below.
My Product Line-up
The Diva Cup
I am currently using the Diva Cup - Model 1, which for me was easily accessible at my local drug store. I love that it is chemical free, relatively simple to get the hang of, and it’s made in Canada. Of course as I mentioned above, I’m still figuring out if it’s the best cup for me because I do experience a bit of leakage, but I wanted to get the most out of this cup, so I will continue to use it until I find a solution to my leaks or find a better fitting cup.
Hannah Pads
For reusable pads, I use Hannah Pads! Hannah Pads are unbleached and undyed, made with certified organic cotton. The snaps on the pads are recyclable and the pads also have little silicone feet on the pad to prevent it from slipping around during wear. They are biodegradable and can be thrown in the compost at the end of its life with the snaps removed and thrown in the recycling. I also use probiotic soap to wash the pads and I’ve found that the soap has really helped clean the pads and easily lift stains.
Knixwear
Finally for leakproof underwear, I like the leakproof boyshort from Knixwear. They’re great for light days and are quite comfortable to wear throughout the day. It’s made to absorb up to 3 tsp of liquid and protect against leaks. The only con for me is that I’ve found that the smallest size runs a teeny bit large for me and they don’t offer anything smaller than a size S. However, the sizing does go up to a XXL. If you’re on the petite side, you may want to try a different brand for a better fit. There is also THINX, which I’m sure many of you have heard of, but I actually have not tried any of their products yet. I did notice that their size range is a bit more comprehensive.
That’s a wrap on my journey so far in exploring zero waste periods. I hope it gave you some insight as to how I slowly transitioned to a zero waste period routine. It definitely wasn’t over night and did take a few cycles to get it to a point that I’m happy with. This post was more of a little peek into my own personal story, but I do want to tackle more specific and practical questions as well to help you on your way (perhaps in a video format so it’s easier to explain), so if you have any particular questions for me, please leave them below!
This post is not sponsored and does not contain affiliate links, but does contain some gifted items.