The eco menstrual cycle: free instinctive flow & washable towels

If you've read our guide to eco-friendly menstrual protection carefully, you'll notice that we haven't discussed all the methods and alternatives to conventional menstrual protection! As the title suggests, our guide covers menstrual cups and menstrual panties instead.

Have you ever wondered if there are other eco-friendly alternatives to help you live your period better? Well, as you might expect, the answer is yes, of course there are!

In terms of environmental protection, all
Menstrual protection is not equal

In this article, we discuss reusable pads, a healthier, more environmentally friendly method that has been around for a long time in many cultures and is widely used today, as well as free flow, an increasingly popular alternative for those with more regular flows. As in the guide, we offer five key criteria for judging the quality and value of these alternatives to conventional menstrual protection.

Reusable sanitary towels: an eco-responsible alternative to disposable sanitary protection

Reusable sanitary towels are a healthy alternative to conventional sanitary towels, which often contain chemicals that can be toxic to your health.

Health

Washable or reusable towels are generally made up of 3 layers; a topper, an absorbent insert and a back, these layers are made mainly of organic cotton or bamboo fiber or birch viscose. It is important to choose your washable towel carefully so that it is comfortable, healthy and adapted to your flow, whether it is light or heavy.

Ease of use

These pads are similar to classic disposable sanitary pads, with the only difference that these are healthy and free of toxic substances for health and the planet and also reusable! It is recommended to change them on average every 4 hours, to avoid the proliferation of bacteria in the blood. After use, simply wash them. They can be washed by hand or in the machine depending on the model or your preference, the ideal is to rinse them in cold water a first time, then put them in the washing machine, in order to get rid of blood stains more easily. The majority of washable pads are very easy to use. They simply attach to your panties, using integrated snaps!

Eco-responsible

Washing pads will always be more environmentally friendly than throwing away conventional pads or tampons after each use. A little less good for the environment than menstrual cups due to the fact that they consume a minimum of energy for washing, menstrual panties can still be used for several years.

Cost

Many companies, start-ups and individuals have marketed this new product, their prices vary between €5 and €20 each. It is true that the unit price may seem more or less high, but in the long term they represent a real saving. If they are well maintained, washable sanitary towels have a lifespan of approximately 5 to 10 years.

For whom and for when

They come in all sizes, colours and patterns, however we recommend that you opt for dark and uniform colours so that stains are less visible. We also recommend that you wash your pads with natural soap and soak them in lukewarm water. It is also helpful to familiarise yourself with your flow beforehand to choose the right pads. Therefore, washable pads may not be the best option for people whose menstrual flow fluctuates a lot.

Free Instinctive Flow: 100% Natural Control of Your Menstrual Cycle

Free instinctive flow, also called free bleeding, is the concept of listening to your body during the menstrual cycle. The principle is to not wear any menstrual protection, to avoid direct contact between the vulva, the vagina and the toxic components present in conventional or disposable menstrual protection and it costs nothing, the perfect solution for those who manage to master this practice. The biggest advantage of the instinctive flow method is that it does not produce any harmful waste on the environment. Finally, if practiced correctly, this natural practice does not cause any health problems.

Health

Free instinctive flow is learning to control the flow of menstrual blood during menstruation by contracting the muscles of the perineum. Contracting your perineum is an instinctive reflex that you have when you feel the blood flow coming, but it is often too late when you realize it, which is why we wear menstrual protection. During menstruation, the blood does not flow continuously, so it is possible with good control of the perineum, to train yourself to control it in order to be able to hold back the flow and go to the toilet. Unfortunately, the practice of free instinctive flow is not accessible to everyone, especially to people with heavy and/or irregular periods.

Eco-responsible

Once you master the instinctive flow method, you will quickly realize that you can easily go without any type of menstrual protection! In order to achieve this, you may experience leaks and stain some of your favorite clothes, underwear or sheets, but you can simply wash them. The long-term benefits of eco-friendly menstrual protection, including the instinctive flow method, on both your health and the environment are quite considerable. In fact, did you know that on average we produce 150 kg of menstrual waste in our lifetime? And that it takes on average 500 to 800 years for disposable protection to completely decompose? These figures are very real, but you still have the power to protect the planet.

Cost

Instinctive flow is a method that costs absolutely nothing, except the time and effort you will have to dedicate to it to learn, first, to better know your menstrual flow and then to master the muscles of the perineum to succeed in retaining the menstrual blood until you can have access to a toilet to eliminate it directly. We recommend that you avoid wearing your favorite clothes and underwear and favor dark-colored clothes that you can easily wash in case of leaks.

Ease of use

The practice of free instinctive flow remains uncommon to this day because it is difficult to master. It takes an average of 4 to 5 cycles to be able to control the perineal muscles regularly. This method aims to avoid wearing any periodic protection, but it is still advisable to wear one at the beginning while mastering the technique and at night to avoid stains on your clothes.

For whom and for when

The instinctive flow method requires a little patience, time and good control of your perineum. It is more accessible to people who have regular menstrual cycles and a menstrual flow that does not fluctuate much from one cycle to another. At first glance, this method seems ideal and for good reason it is if it is mastered correctly. Otherwise, if you hold it in for too long and accumulate too much blood, in the long term, this could cause blood reflux into the uterus and thus increase the risks of endometriosis, infections or even toxic shock syndrome. You should therefore make sure to master it well to avoid any complications. It is therefore a zero waste alternative, but not for beginners!