Australian women are increasingly making the switch from disposable period products such as tampons and pads, to reusable and eco-friendly menstrual cups. There has been much said about the huge environmental benefit associated with switching to reusable period products, however, ditching traditional products is actually a win win situation. Not only does the environment win through drastically reduced landfill, you win too! With a menstrual cup, you can experience the freedom to do all your usual activities any time of the month!
How can YOU benefit from using a menstrual cup?
1. A Menstrual Cup is comfortable – in fact it’s unnoticeable
A correctly sized cup cannot be felt once inserted. In fact, cups are so comfortable that it is not uncommon to completely forget you are even having your period. Simply insert your cup, and enjoy all your normal activities as you would any other time of the month. Some women have even reported that their period cramping is less severe or even gone completely once they began using a cup.
Cup Note: If you have a cup that you can feel, that seems to slide out, or that puts pressure on your bladder, you may have the wrong brand or size for your anatomy. You may find our ‘cup choosing’ tips helpful.
2. Leak free protection
A correctly sized and inserted cup should provide a leak proof seal around the vaginal wall. This means that whether you are standing up, lying down, or doing a handstand, you will be protected from pesky period leaks.
3. A Menstrual Cup will save you money
If you are using disposable period care products, you are needing to purchase these on a regular basis. This can become quite costly over the course of a year. Although a menstrual cup may seem like an expensive purchase, it is a one-off cost. Most menstrual cups will last from 5-10 years. At an average cup cost of $40, that works out to $4-$8 per year spent on managing your period. That is a huge saving and an opportunity to spend the money you would usually be ‘throwing away’ on more important things. Better still, we even sell some trusted brands under $30. That brings your yearly cost down to only $3-$6.
4. A Menstrual Cup is better for your body
Unlike tampons, a menstrual cup does not absorb any naturally occurring vaginal mucous, or negatively affect the delicate balance of vaginal flora. Most cups are made from medical grade silicone, or TPE, and do not contain any bleaches, additives, or harmful chemicals which may upset your vaginal environment. A menstrual cup is also great for women who may suffer from allergies associated with pads and/or tampons. A cup is gentle for your skin and has minimal impact on your normal bodily functions.
5. You can do the things you most enjoy any time of the month
Because a menstrual cup is worn internally and provides up to 12 hours protection from leaks, you can swim, dance, workout, horse ride, bike ride, head to the beach, hike, camp, or do any other activity you would do on a regular ‘non-period’ day. There are no strings or wings attached to a menstrual cup, and no moving or bunching as you go about your activities.
6. You can wear a cup for up to 8 hours and overnight
You can set and forget your menstrual cup for up to 8 hours and even overnight. Most women with a light to moderate flow will be able to wear a cup for 8 hours before needing to empty it. If you have a very heavy flow, the cup may need to be emptied 3-4 hourly on your heaviest days. This still results in fewer toilet trips than when using disposable products, and also results in less interruptions to your day. Most brands will say a cup can be worn for 8 hours, however, this may vary on your heaviest days depending on your level of flow.
7. A Menstrual Cup means less landfill
On average, a woman will use around 20 tampons each month. This is a total of 240 tampons a year and around 8000+ tampons in her menstruating lifetime. Now, lets multiply that by the number of Australian women between 14-54 (estimating 5,500,000). If every woman in Australia was using 20 tampons per month, there could be upwards of 1,320,000,000 tampons going into Australian landfill each YEAR. And that doesn’t take into account women all around the world. Switching to a reusable alternative like a menstrual cup, or even period underwear, can drastically reduce the amount of unnecessary waste that goes into landfill on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis.
8. A Cup is convenient
Ever had that ‘Uh-oh’ moment when your period starts and you realise you haven’t purchased more pads or tampons? Since a period cup is reusable and can last for 5-10 years, there is no need to ‘re-stock’ the bathroom cupboard each cycle, or to do a stocktake of how many pads or tampons you have left. One cup is all you need. Cups are easily transportable and come with their own storage bags. This makes them great to keep close by or for travelling.
Cup Hint: Some women decide to buy 2 cups so that they can keep one at home and one in the car.
While the menstrual cup idea has been around for many many years, it is only recently that the concept of using a cup instead of traditional period care methods has really started to take off. Given the environmental and personal benefits that a cup offers, it’s no wonder so many women are turning to this effective and sustainable option.