Reusable Menstrual Cloth Pads
What it is?
Cloth Pad’s are alternative to disposable sanitary napkins. Cloth Pad’s absorb the Menstrual flow during a women’s period. Unlike disposable sanitary pads, cloth pads are washable, reusable, last for longer and creating less waste.
Why Cloth Pad’s?
Reusable,money saver, eco-friendly,support local artisanal makers/make your own Cloth pad, less itching,rashes, less landfills, no more running out of stock to shops, hygienic and cloth pads tend to “breathe” better than disposables because they are not made of plastic(although some cloth pads have a waterproof breathable lining) This makes them more comfortable than disposable sanitary napkin.
Why disposable sanitary napkins are harmful to both women and environment?
Most of the disposable sanitary Pads are bleached with chlorine compounds that contain traces of the organochlorine-dioxin. Women with high exposure to dioxins may be risk for an infection of the uterine lining,suppress the immune system, increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, reduce fertility and possibly interfere with normal fetal and childhood development. in overseas test, sanitary pads have been found to contain 400 parts per trillion(ppt) dioxin. The normal women uses 15,000 pads over the course of her lifetime. The effect of continual exposure to dioxin, which is forever stored in fat cells, may become cumulative and deadly.
To make a sanitary pad, wood pulp fibres are first dispersed in water in large tub. most of the chemicals and dyes required are added at this stage. The pulp is then scraped and brushed and inserted with air to make fleecy. Some pads contain added rayon, which is also originates from wood, for extra absorbency. The cellulose in the wood is dissolved in a caustic solution and squirted into fine jets in an acid bath. The mixture then solidifies and dries into longer fibres.
The plastic bottom- to prevent leakage is usually be made of polypropylene or rayon. The non-woven fabric covering on the pad is a light weight material which is often polypropylene or rayon. The back has 1 or 2 strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive covered with a strip of siliconised compound paper. The pads are then packed in plastic bags or shrink wrapped. And the packet itself may be printed with patterns- agin, a chemical process.The disposable sanitary pads are filled with bacteria as they are not steralized products- this could lead to vaginal infection.
1 cloth pad is equivalent to 75 to 80 disposable pads so it is much more eco-friendly option than disposable pads.An average women throws away about 150kg of non-biodegradable absorbents every year.Since non-biodegradable degradable,the soiled napkins stay in the landfills for about 800 years.
The incineration of sanitary waste should be done at temperature above 800 degrees and absolutely we don’t have any provision for monitoring the emission from the incinerator.
Cloth pad is made of ?
Top of the pad is made of flannel cotton(soft woven fabric) Inside of the pad is absorbent cotton flannel, back of the pad is made of breathable Polyurethane laminated leak proof cover.
It last for 75 -80 washes. Can use it for 5 years depending on the frequency of using the pad and proper care.
How to use cloth pad?
The smooth side of the pad goes against your skin and wings wrap around the crotch of the underwear to snap together.
Change the pad every 5 to 6 hours according to your personal flow.
1 pad last for 75 -80 washes. Can use it for 4 to 5 years if it cared properly.
Wash and dry in direct sun before the first use.
How to wash Cloth pad?
Soak the used pad in cold water for 30 minutes before washing and dry it in direct sunlight. U can use soap or detergent if u wish. Don’t use heavy detergents.
Don’t brush it.
Blood rinses easily in cold water. Don’t use hot or warm water to soak or wash.
When wet,squeeze the water out of the pad to know the blood has been washed out of the inner layer of your pad. Ultra violet rays from the sun is the nature’s best disinfectant so the pad should be totally dried in sunlight before stored or reuse. When it is washed well , dried in sunlight and stored properly, they are perfectly hygienic.
Why Cloth pad looks expensive ?
Cloth pad can cost more up front than a pack of disposable sanitary napkins,but they last for a very long time. Here, padmakers should be working out the actual fabric cost, adding on the cost of wages for the time it takes to make and add an extra charge to account for a portion of all the additional costs of being in business.
Together let’s make the change and let’s be responsible.