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Health
So, are tampons safe?
We know this: our vaginal tissue is incredibly porous and absorbent. If a woman inserts a clove of garlic vaginally (a suggested herbal remedy for yeast infection), within 10 minutes she has garlic breath. That is how quickly the garlic enters our bloodstream.Tampons not only absorb your monthly flow, they also absorb other substances necessary for a healthy vaginal environment. The result is an environment more susceptible to yeast infections, dryness, STDs and possibly cancer.
We also know this: the cotton industry is the foremost chemically sprayed agricultural crop in the US. In addition, to get disposable tampons and pads to be white, chlorine bleaches including dioxins are widely used. They may also contain disinfectants, fragrance additives, bactericides, fungicides, defoliants, absorbency gels, glues and fibers. Tampon manufacturers do not have to say what chemicals they use in the production of their products. (Hair products have to list each ingredient, but the tampon lobby have ensured we don’t know what’s in our menstrual products!)
Reddy's are made from 100% cotton and organic cotton. There are no plastics to inhibit breathability, especially in sweaty conditions. There are no synthetics to aggravate allergies or infections. Perception
Menstruation is a healthy, natural part of our lives, with opportunities to honor ourselves and appreciate being women. Alternative menstrual products give us a sense of empowerment over our bodies. "I consider myself a bright, aware, responsible woman, yet I struggled to face the sense of shame, 'inconvenience' and isolation that menstruation evoked. I found myself defending this negative relationship towards my body with the "I just don’t want to know" avoidance that is at odds with my attitudes toward nutrition, health and life in general. Once I tried the product, I was most relieved to find it such a natural fit."
Many women report feeling more connected with their bodies when they switch to reusable menstrual products. However, this switch often requires an attitude shift - given the culture of shame that surrounds menstruation.
One woman describes this shift:
"I won't say switching to cloth sanitary pads changed my life, but it has caused me to re-evaluate all my prejudices and preconceptions about periods: that they were dirty, inconvenient, horrible things you endured until menopause ... Another point a friend made, which sounded totally freaky until I tried it myself, was that rinsing out your pads takes you back to the idea that periods are part of healthy womanhood, rather than something disgusting."
Reddy's takes menstruation from the murky confines of shame and taboo to a state of appreciation, respect and love of our bodies, our natures and our spirits. Economics
A set of 10 Reddy's cost under $20/year (over a 5 year period)
Let’s look at the savings over a five year period: - 5 years of Reddy's (10 pads) $100
- 5 years chemically treated disposals $365
- 5 years organic disposals $540
Reddy's cloth pads will last for many years when cared for as suggested. Environment
Choosing cloth pads reduces this unnecessary waste. It is a way we can make a difference.
Cloth reduces pollution - from manufacture to disposal. The average woman in North America will go through 10 000 pads or tampons in her life. The 85 million menstruating women in North America annually dispose of 20 billion chlorine bleached tampons and pads as well as their packaging. This includes synthetic fiber, rayon, pesticides from cotton cultivation, plastics from packaging and applicators and dioxin - a byproduct of chlorine bleach.
In addition, the pollution and waste generated in the manufacturing of these products include waste of non-renewable natural resources and the release of toxic chemicals into our waters. Post-use, disposables end up in sewerage systems, littering beaches and landfills.
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