5 Reasons We Love Our Menstrual Cup

Why is it that everyone seems to be raving about the menstrual cup?

It may seem like an awkward topic to bring up over a cup of coffee, but everyone who’s made the switch just can’t stop sharing the news – and we’re absolutely behind them!

There are a huge number of reasons to swap conventional pads and tampons for a more sustainable alternative, and below we’ll be sharing our 5 favourite perks of using a menstrual cup.

It reduces waste

I’m sure we can all agree that disposable period products and their packaging lead to a TON of unnecessary waste! Think about how many single-use pads and tampons we use (and throw out) every single month. To give you an idea of just how much garbage we’re talking about, I’ll give you a breakdown of how much waste I use to generate: on average, one period would mean using 24 tampons, 24 liners, and 12 overnight pads. Picture all those disposables sitting in landfill – and now multiply that by every person that menstruates in the world. That’s an absolute mountain of waste, and it all has to go somewhere. The good news is that menstrual cups are entirely reusable for up to 7 years, with absolutely no waste except for the packaging you originally purchased it in. Now that’s refreshing!

It saves money

Switching to a reusable menstrual cup doesn’t just avoid waste, but also the recurring cost of buying disposable products each month. Going off the numbers above, I use to spend an average of AUD $20.64 per period to use organic tampons, pads and liners, adding up to AUD $247.68 per year. My menstrual cup did cost me $60 to start with, but with how much I was already spending, it only took 3 months to cover the investment and start saving money. With a menstrual cup lasting 7 years, it’s well worth the investment and the time it takes to adjust, adding up to thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your cup.

Life is easier

If you ask those who’ve made the switch, most will say that a menstrual cup has significantly changed their lives: their period is less stressful, less disruptive, and never again do they have to make an emergency dash to the store because they’ve run out of pads! Using a menstrual cup can also reduce cramping and help avoid leaks, giving you more security and less anxiety during your period. Another benefit of the cup is you don’t have to empty it as often as a pad or tampon – a cup can be left in for up to 12 hours, meaning you can leave it in all day or night without needing to find a bathroom every few hours.

Its healthier

By this point, you’re probably used to tossing out those little pamphlets from the tampon box (more waste!), but each one is a warning about some seriously scary stuff. Toxic Shock Syndrome, or TSS, is a serious complication of bacterial infection often caused by the staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria. The bacteria releases toxins into the bloodstream, leading to shock, organ and tissue damage, or even death if left untreated. (https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/toxic-shock-syndrome). This condition is rare but can have devastating, life-changing consequences for people who contract it – and most significantly, tampon use is a major risk factor, even when following all the ‘safe’ guidelines.

Tampons and pads also expose you to a number of harmful chemicals which can be absorbed internally or externally through the skin. Menstrual cups are made of medical grade silicone and are much safer for the body – they don’t leach chemicals or toxins and don’t cause internal abrasions, which are a major factor in TSS infections.

Periods don’t feel taboo anymore

Once upon a time we would have avoided even saying the word, but now periods just don’t seem like such a taboo topic. Since switching to reusable menstrual products, we want to tell the world about them and how great they are! We want to change the way we view them and the way we talk about them, so that everyone has access to this vital information about the pros and cons of menstrual products. The stigma around periods has kept us from having important conversations about how we deal with them, with no choice but to use expensive and wasteful products each month. Breaking the silence means sharing these life-changing alternatives with as many people as possible – it’s revolutionary for ourselves and for the planet.

Have we converted you yet? We recommend doing some research and perhaps taking a quiz to see which cup is best for you.