Are Menstrual Cups Revolutionising The Period-Hygiene Market?

Reusable menstrual products—including menstrual cups and absorbent underwear—might just be the ecofriendly way of the future.

If you haven’t heard of what they are, a menstrual cup is a very specific kind of feminine hygiene product. It’s usually made of a medical grade silicone (so it’s flexible) and is shaped like a bell. As the name suggests, it acts like a cup which collects menstrual fluid, rather than absorbing it.

Unlike most generic pads and tampons, menstrual cups are totally reusable and can last for several years. CHOICE suggests the lack of repeat purchasing is likely one of the reasons as to why supermarkets in Australia don’t really seem to stock them.

The tampon, pad and liner industry in Australia is worth around $260 million dollars a year; there’s even a 10 per cent goods and services tax whacked on their products, too.

It has been dubbed: The tampon tax.

Products like condoms, lubricants, sunscreen and nicotine patches get off tax-free because they’re classified as “important health goods”—but, for some odd reason, reproductive health and hygiene products don’t fall under that umbrella.

CHOICE estimates a single individual may spend something between $60 to $120 each year on disposable menstrual options. On the flip-side, menstrual cups would set someone back by around $55, though they are built to withstand the test of time.

There’s also no requirement for manufacturers of tampons and pads to disclose the materials used in their products. Unfortunately, not a whole lot of research has been done into the health effects of what tampons and pads are made of; a pretty hefty concern, given vaginal tissue is regarded as highly absorptive. Some experts are concerned about undisclosed toxins entering and accumulating in the body.

Most people would have heard of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) before. It’s a rare and potentially fatal condition caused by toxins produced from bacterial infections entering the bloodstream; half of the confirmed cases of TSS are associated with tampon use.

The average Australian woman uses approximately 10,000 disposable menstrual products in their lifetime, according to CHOICE. It has been estimated a single pad takes 500 to 800 years to biodegrade; a tampon can take around six months.

If you are after some more information about reusable menstruation options, you can check this out.

Photo: iStock