Ethical Menstrual Products

In my school workshops I show the students a full range of products that can be used for periods. When I was at school, the 'period lady' came and showed us disposable pads and tampons. In hindsight, she was obviously employed by Johnson & Johnson to get us hooked on using their products earlier. (We even got free pad samples, and the boys liked to steal them and place them in weird places). I just remember feeling really embarrassed and (probably unsuccessfully) trying to be aloof and cool. I am not sponsored or aligned to any commercial company, and I want to ensure that parents (who usually initially pay for these things!) and girls understand the huge range of options available to them. (NB: Any product name I mention I am endorsing purely because I think they have good hearts and have given me exceptional service, I do not profit from such endorsements)

• Re-usable Cloth Pads
  These are a far cry from the cloths your grandmothers would have used! Comfy and funky, they even come with wings : ) The girls in my workshops LOVE the look of these. Cost-effective, good for the environment, easy to use and simple to clean (put in a bucket of cold water to soak, then rinse and put in washing machine when you next do a load).  The samples I use in my workshops come from Moontime.  Green Beans make cloth pad DIY kits which are very cost-effective.
  
• Mooncups
  The mooncup is a silicon cup worn inside the vagina as a tampon-alternative. Although the initial cost is NZ$55, you only need one and it will last for years. Definitely a cost-effective option! Particularly useful when travelling and camping, as there is no need to worry about carrying supplies, nor is there anything to dispose of. The samples I use in my workshops come from Go With The Moon.

(Do let me know if you use any other alternatives to the conventional disposable tampons or pads found in supermarket aisles, I would love to add more info here!) 

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