Cloth Sanitary Pads The Lowdown

What is CSP (Cloth Sanitary Protection) and why use it?

We have noticed a growing trend over the last year or two where more and more customers have asked us about cloth sanitary pads as an alternative to disposables, so we thought we'd give you the lowdown here.

Cloth sanitary pads (CSP) or mama cloth are becoming very popular as more women try to move a little further away from a plastic disposable lifestyle. Think of how many disposable sanitary pads/tampons we throw away over the course of a lifetime - scary really. And most will sit in landfill for hundreds of years to come. Enter the reusable cloth alternative. Use them each month, wash and reuse them again and again. Buy them once, use them forever! 

There are many brands, shapes and styles becoming more widely available. We stock the organic cotton Popolini brand.

You can use them just like a disposable pad (except instead of the sticky glue bit there are usually clever wings and snaps to hold them in place) and when you are ready to change them, store them in a zippered wet bag ready for washing. 

When washing, cold rinse them first then do a normal 40 or 60 degree wash with your usual detergent but no fabric softener as this will decrease absorbency. To keep them soft add a small amount of white vinegar to your wash.

You will need about 5-8 per day depending on how heavy your flow is so allow for 10-15 to cover washing and drying times. 

We find them extremely comfortable and reliable. We have spoken to a number of mum's of teenage girls who find cloth pads less intimidating and more comfortable. Nothing more embarrassing than that crunchy plasticy sound of disposable pads being opened in the school toilets.  It also takes away any fears about toxic shock syndrome associated with tampons. 

Ready to take the plunge? You won't regret it! Use them already? Tell us how much you love them below!