1. They cost a bit upfront
As with most eco swaps, there is an initial cost. Cloth pads range from around £6-12 each, depending on length and absorbency. Some of the ones from bigger brands like Baba & Boo and Bloom & Nora are cheaper but they're not as personalised, they usually come in set lengths and only a few absorbencies.
I initially started with two pads and used them alongside my menstrual cup, to help me decide whether I liked them or not before buying more.
Once I'd decided I liked them, I started buying one or two a month, and built up my stash slowly.
I now own 20 pads, which is a good amount for me. I tend to have 3 heavy days and 2 light days in my cycle, so having this many means I don’t have to wash halfway through, and also have 1 or 2 spare, just in case my period drags on a bit.
2. You won’t need to change them as often
Day 2 is the heaviest day of my period. When using tampons, I used to have to change them every 3 hours. Nowadays I use 2 or 3 heavy cloth pads and 1 night cloth pad. On my regular days, I can get away with just changing it twice, but usually change them more often for freshness. I’ve never leaked with a cloth pad.
When ordering from smaller businesses, you can choose what absorbency you want so can really tailor them for your period.
3. Washing them isn’t as bad as you think
When I tell people that I know in real life that I use CSP, about 60% of them recoil in horror.
“But what do you do with the blood??”
“There’s no way my husband would let me put those in my washing machine!”
And just simply “Gross”
Washing them really isn’t a big deal though, I stick them straight into a wetbag and leave them all until the end of my period, then just throw it all in the washing machine, run a rinse cycle, then add some towels and wash at 40. If you have light coloured pads and are scared of getting stains, you can rinse them under the tap after use.
Personally, I don’t see how washing CSP is any different than washing blood soaked underwear, shitty baby clothes and whatever other things come into contact with various bodily fluids!
4. They’re better for the environment
This one’s a bit obvious, but I still feel is a relevant point when disposable sanitary products are very much the first choice of most women. If well looked after (washed at 40 or lower, not tumble dried, not placed on direct heat), cloth pads are predicted to give 15 years of use. Compare that to the 15 single use products you could be using for only a few hours each cycle and you can see how much waste you could save from landfill. Also they contain no perfumes or chemicals, so, as well as being kinder to the planet, they’re kinder to your vag. Win-win!
5. The prints!
Oh, the prints. Want Disney princesses on your muff fluff? Done. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Ok. Tasteful florals? Rainbows? Block colours? Sex toys? The amount of prints available are endless, allowing you to personalise your stash and express yourself in ways you never even thought you wanted to.
My favourite makers of cloth pads are https://www.fannypaddams.co.uk/ and https://redrags.co.uk/
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