Female Hygiene Brands That Are Fighting The Stigmas Surrounding Menstruation
A woman’s body autonomy is and has always been a topic of controversy. Unfortunately, very negative assumptions can follow a woman and her body. While some girls stay home from school because of the shame put onto them by their culture and peers, others are stuck having to choose between feeding their children and buying basic hygiene products.
Too often, the terms dirty, unclean and impure are associated with a woman and the natural operation of her body. Amidst this, there are companies and voices behind them cultivating a movement towards positive stigmas and removing barriers that prevent women from accessing safe menstrual products. While we need to keep having these conversations, here are a few brands making small (and mighty) changes in the industry and our communities. We believe in these brands because they believe in women.
Blume
Products | Organic cotton tampons, pads, skincare, PMS essential oils
Their Why | They are challenging an industry that isn’t required to disclose ingredients in their products by being completely transparent. Plus, they have several great products for hormonal-related skin and body challenges, such as breakouts and cramps. They donate partial proceeds to Days for Girls, an organization that wants to restore dignity, opportunity and health through education to girls around the world. They’ve also created a space to share people, inspiration, and real issues our female community is facing, check out Blume University.
Shop products and find out more at:
https://www.meetblume.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-8LEvYDy4gIVEqrsCh18GAg-EAAYASAAEgIJbPD_BwE
Thinx
Products | Period-proof (leak resistant, odor controlling, super absorbent) underwear and activewear
Their Why | Creating reusable menstrual-supporting intimates and activewear, their mission of advocacy, education, and access is cultivating real change by empowering every body. Their partnership with PERIOD has resulted in the United for Access Campaign, an advocate for free and easy access of period products for US students. In addition, THINX partners with schools, after-school programs, and nonprofits for the EveryBody Campaign, which provides medically sound resources to increase body literacy for adolescents. And there’s more: they are fighting period poverty by expanding the distribution of period products through local initiatives and grassroots organizations. Check out their products for teens and tweens here.
Shop products and find out more at: https://www.shethinx.com/
LOLA
Products | Organic cotton tampons, pads, cleansing wipes, cramp care multivitamin, cramp care essential oils, sex essentials
Their Why | LOLA believes you should know what ingredients are being put into your body, so they are completely intentional in how their products are made. There are 35 states in the US that tax menstrual products, so LOLA has partnered with Period Equity, the nation’s first law and policy company committed to ensuring menstrual products are affordable and accessible to all women. To find out if you are living in one of them and join in advocating against this discriminatory tampon tax, check out more here. When you choose LOLA, you are also supporting their charity partner, I Support The Girls, an organization that is providing bras and menstrual products to women experiencing homelessness.
Shop products and find out more at: https://www.mylola.com/pages/quality-home-page?utm_expid=.Npy8z9jKT6ey33ZpGhTuDw.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
ilo
Products | Non-toxic, organic cotton, biodegradable tampons and bamboo pads, PMS essential oils and salt soaks
Their Why | Working to change the narrative around periods, ilo was built to provide education, inspiration, and empowerment to women about the many ways their body functions. 1 in 10 girls cannot afford period products on a daily basis. To fight this alarming statistic, 50% of their net profits go toward charities working to end period poverty. ilo believes in better products for your body and for the environment. That’s why they started a GoFundMe Campaign, inviting people to join in on the PERIOD REVOLUTION they are part of.
Shop products and find out more at: https://www.ilolove.com/
Rael
Products | Organic cotton tampons, pads and liners, natural feminine wash and wipes, herbal heating patches, acne sheet masks and blemish treatment, period panties
Their Why | Built on a firm belief that no woman should go without safe period care, Rael doesn’t think you should have to choose between conventional products full of chemicals and natural products that sacrifice performance. Check out how they innovate their products to make them both safe and effective here. In addition, they have partnered with Happy Period to support women from Los Angeles who experience homelessness and/or are low-income and provide them with menstrual hygiene kits. And we’re loving their educational blog! With every photo shared on instagram with the caption #HappyPeriodsForAll, Rael donates a period product to a woman in need.
Shop products and find out more at: https://www.getrael.com/
Cora
Products | Organic cotton tampons, pads and liners, Cora menstrual cup, body cloths
Their Why | Believing in the inner power of women by providing pads and health education to girls across the world, Cora is determined to offer higher quality products to every girl. They have partnered with ZanaAfrica Foundation and Aakar Innovations to empower communities in Africa and India, bringing products, education, and resources to vulnerable women and girls. They are concerned with equality for women and easing their access to products that are in many states still taxed as non-essentials. Cora supports many non-profits across the US that are doing all they can to keep on toward equality for women and continue to exist as a radically transparent certified B Corporation.
Shop products and find out more at: https://cora.life/
Luna Pads
Products | Reusable cloth pads, period underwear, the DivaCup
Their Why | A women-owned, social mission-driven business existing to bring positivity back to the waywomen feel about their periods and bodies. They are focused on transforming menstrual health and investing in sustainable alternatives to single-use period products. Luna donates reusable pads through their Pads4Girls program, based on the belief that no girl should be limited in opportunity because of a lack of resources and education about her menstruating body. To learn more about switching to reusable menstrual products, check out their resources here.
Shop products and find out more at: https://lunapads.com/
Glad Rags
Products | Reusable pantyliners, day pads, night pads, menstrual cups
Their Why | Women are often conditioned to view their periods as a hassle or embarrassment. As a woman-owned certified B Corporation, Glad Rags believes in period positivity and reclaiming the beautiful process that is menstruation. They fiercely believe in the positive ways of thinking about a woman’s body and combating stereotypes surrounding menstruation when switching to reusable products. Their mission: replacing disgust and disposability with celebration and reusability.
Shop products and find out more at: https://gladrags.com/
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