AD: This post is published in collaboration with Pourprées
I recently met up with a girlfriend for coffee and a walk in the city center on the weekend. We also talked about period underwear. I thought that the panties that replace pads and tampons are now part of almost every woman’s closet. I have been using period panties for almost 5 years and the market for them seems to have exploded recently. In fact, however, not all women know about or own period underwear. That’s why in this post I’d like to talk about the benefits of ‘period panties’ and take the opportunity to tell you about the beautiful period underwear from Pourprées. Are you ready!?
What are the benefits of period underwear?
When it comes to the benefits of period underwear, there are some very obvious points. Let me tell you a few of them and also give you some facts about them.
1. The use of period panties is environmentally friendly
Nearly 50 billion menstrual products are consumed and disposed of each year in the EU alone. The bad thing about this? A very large portion of conventional tampons and pads contain plastic and that takes up to 500 years to decompose. Not cool for our environment!
Here are a few exciting facts:
A menstruating person uses 10,000 – 17,000 monthly hygiene products in a lifetime!
In Austria alone, all women together use approx. 460 million menstrual products per year.
In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, menstrual hygiene generates approximately 75,000 – 125,000 tons of waste per year. This corresponds to more than 600,000 filled bathtubs.
In the EU alone, over 49 billion tampons, pads and panty liners are used each year.
Source: Erdbeerwoche
2. Substances in conventional hygiene products can affect hormone health
Apart from the plastic issue, research from last year (2020) suggests that most conventional feminine hygiene products contain toxic chemicals. These chemicals are also known as endocrine disrupting chemicals. This means that they can have a significant negative impact on hormone health.
Yes, you probably know these terms: phthalates, bisphenols and parabens. In high amounts, these substances are also contained, for example, in? Exactly:
- panty liners
- pads
- tampons
I see choosing the right period underwear as a real solution. Pourprées use OEKO-TEX® certified organic cotton for both the inner and outer layers. The other materials used are also certified with the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX. The dyeing of the briefs is REACH compliant. Eucalyptus fibers are used for the inner, absorbent layer. Eucalyptus requires little water, grows very quickly and does not require pesticides or chemical treatments. The eucalyptus fiber used is processed in Austria – in compliance with strict European standards and there is a conscious decision not to use biocides. Pourprées period underwear is produced under fair conditions in France.
I have chosen:
‘Cattleya’
and ‘Dahlia
because I simply feel most comfortable in high-waist models.
3. No more fear of period related – ‘accidents’!
Almost every menstruating person knows the uncomfortable feeling and fear of ‘leaking’ in public. Leak-proofness is actually a super important factor when it comes to the right period product. This is not only about feeling safe in everyday life – be it on the road or in the office – but also about normal things like a night in bed or sitting on the (perhaps already stain-prone) sofa. Blood stains are just stupid – and in 2021 I find them absolutely unnecessary! Ever since I started using period underwear, I’ve actually never had issues with leaking. Of course, it’s also important to make sure that you choose the correct underwear for how heavy your period is.
I now have a small but great selection of period panties and I love them all, because they make this phase in my cycle so much easier and more enjoyable. I did have one criticism though and I’ve been looking for a solution for quite some time: Even if period panties are very comfortable, they are usually not particularly nice to look at. And let’s be honest: the perfect underwear should simply be comfortable AND beautiful! What I still particularly like about the Pourprées briefs is the fact that they feel thin, yet offer really good protection. Pourprées period panties can be worn for 8 to 12 hours without bad odours or a feeling of wetness. They can be worn with all bleeding intensities. They are actually the first period panties I own that I also wear in everyday life (when I leave the apartment) and feel really comfortable in all day. You can also find a detailed comparison to my other period panties here.
I find it super exciting and nice to see that period underwear is becoming more and more the norm and replacing products that are not only harmful to the environment but also to our health. If you are looking for beautiful, sustainable and functional period underwear that is not harmful to your health, you will definitely find it at Pourprées. I’ll be honest: I’m happy to be able to recommend this with a clear conscience, because I think that period underwear should have a permanent place in the wardrobe of all menstruating people!