Period underwear (also known as menstrual underwear or period panties) are absorbent garments designed to be worn during menstruation. Period underwear is designed like conventional underwear but it is made up of highly absorbent fabrics to soak up menstrual blood. Most commercially manufactured period underwear makes use of microfiber polyester fabric. It is recommended that period underwear should be changed every 8-12 hours to avoid leakage and infection.
The market for period underwear has developed as a response to consumer preference moving away from traditional menstrual hygiene management products, such as sanitary pads and tampons. [1] Different brands use different, often patented, technology for anti-microbial action, moisture-wicking [2] and optimal absorption.
Julie Sygiel [3] was cited by the BBC in 2015 as an early developer of the technology, with her company 'Dear Kate'. [4]
Period underwear is considered to be an eco-friendly way to cut down on waste [5] and reduce spending. [6] It is estimated that tampons, pads, and applicators, generates 200,000 tonnes of plastic waste in the United Kingdom each year. [7] [8] In the United States it is estimated that sanitary products generate more than 200,000 tonnes of waste annually. [9]
A reviewer in the New York Times described the product's features: "some menstrual-underwear styles are gorgeous but leaky, and others have Hoover Dam–level security but diaper-like silhouettes. The style that will be best for you depends on your period flow and preferences". [10]
Some manufacturers of period underwear are extending their ranges into other leak-proof clothes such as swimsuits, sportwear and sleepwear. [11]
In the UK, period underwear was subject to value-added tax at 20% until 2024, despite the fact that other menstrual products were exempted from the tax in 2021. [12] The exemption for period underwear was brought in after tampon tax campaigners had raised the issue in an attempt to get the tax removed. [13]
Some companies (like Thinx, Ruby Love, and Knix) are facing class action lawsuits [14] for period underwear products that contain potentially harmful toxins like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which may be linked to adverse health outcomes like cancer. Thinx settled a lawsuit in January 2023 [15] but made no admission of guilt or wrongdoing in the settlement. Some brands of period underwear have been found to contain silver used as an antimicrobial agent. Concerns have been raised about the possible health impact of silver migrating into the body, but limited research has been done and little scientific data exists. [16]
A tampon is a menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation. Unlike a pad, it is placed internally, inside of the vaginal canal. Once inserted correctly, a tampon is held in place by the vagina and expands as it soaks up menstrual blood. However, in addition to menstrual blood, the tampon also absorbs the vagina's natural lubrication and bacteria, which can change the normal pH, increasing the risk of infections from the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, which can lead to toxic shock syndrome (TSS). TSS is a rare but life-threatening infection that requires immediate medical attention.
Panties are women's underwear. Panties can be form-fitting or loose. Typical components include an elastic waistband, a crotch panel to cover the genitalia, and a pair of leg openings that, like the waistband, are often made of elastomer. Various materials are used, but are usually chosen to be breathable.
A menstrual cup is a menstrual hygiene device which is inserted into the vagina during menstruation. Its purpose is to collect menstrual fluid. Menstrual cups are made of elastomers. A properly fitting menstrual cup seals against the vaginal walls, so tilting and inverting the body will not cause it to leak. It is impermeable and collects menstrual fluid, unlike tampons and menstrual pads, which absorb it.
A menstrual pad, or simply a pad, is an absorbent item worn in the underwear when menstruating, bleeding after giving birth, recovering from gynecologic surgery, experiencing a miscarriage or abortion, or in any other situation where it is necessary to absorb a flow of blood from the vagina. A menstrual pad is a type of menstrual hygiene product that is worn externally, unlike tampons and menstrual cups, which are worn inside the vagina. Pads are generally changed by being stripped off the pants and panties, taking out the old pad, sticking the new one on the inside of the panties and pulling them back on. Pads are recommended to be changed every 3–4 hours to avoid certain bacteria that can fester in blood; this time also may differ depending on the kind worn, flow, and the time it is worn.
Feminine hygiene products are personal care products used during menstruation, vaginal discharge, and other bodily functions related to the vulva and vagina. Products that are used during menstruation may also be called menstrual hygiene products, including menstrual pads, tampons, pantyliners, menstrual cups, menstrual sponges and period panties. Feminine hygiene products also include products meant to cleanse the vulva or vagina, such as douches, feminine wipes, and soap.
Always is an American brand of menstrual hygiene products, including maxi pads, ultra thin pads, pantyliners, disposable underwear for night-time wear, and vaginal wipes. A sister company of Procter & Gamble, it was first invented and introduced in the United States in 1983 by Tom Osborn, a mid-level employee at Procter & Gamble, then nationally in May 1984. By the end of 1984, Always had also been introduced internationally in the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Arab world, Pakistan and Africa. Despite the Always' pads runaway international success, Procter & Gamble almost fired Tom Osborn twice in the early 1980s as he was developing this product.
Cloth menstrual pads are cloth pads worn in the underwear to collect menstrual fluid. They are a type of reusable menstrual hygiene product, and are an alternative to sanitary napkins or to menstrual cups. Because they can be reused, they are generally less expensive than disposable pads over time, and reduce the amount of waste produced.
There are many cultural aspects surrounding how societies view menstruation. Different cultures view menstruation in different ways. The basis of many conduct norms and communication about menstruation in western industrial societies is the belief that menstruation should remain hidden. By contrast, in some indigenous hunter-gatherer societies, menstrual observances are viewed in a positive light, without any connotation of uncleanness. In most of India, menarche is celebrated as a right of passage.
Aisle is a Canadian company that manufactures washable feminine hygiene products, including cloth menstrual pads, period underwear, and menstrual cups.
Lil-lets is a brand providing feminine hygiene products that operates principally in the UK, Ireland and South Africa. Since 2000, the company has restructured through two management buyouts (MBO) to become a business crossing all sectors of the feminine hygiene market, including tampons, sanitary napkins, pantyliners and intimate care. They also do programmes for schools that teach young girls the changes that occur when they begin to menstruate.
Judith Esser-Mittag, commonly known as Judith Esser, was a German gynecologist. Her extensive studies of the female anatomy helped her to create an environmentally friendly tampon with no applicator.
GladRags is a feminine hygiene company based in Portland, Oregon that produces reusable cloth menstrual pads and menstrual cups.
Thinx is a New York–based company that sells period underwear, an undergarment designed to be as absorbent as traditional feminine hygiene products. Since 2022, Kimberly-Clark has had a majority stake in the business.
Free bleeding is the practice of menstruating without blocking or collecting the period flow. In recent years it has become a subject of public debate.
Tampon tax is a popular term used to call attention to tampons, and other feminine hygiene products, being subject to value-added tax (VAT) or sales tax, unlike the tax exemption status granted to other products considered basic necessities. Proponents of tax exemption argue that tampons, sanitary napkins, menstrual cups and comparable products constitute basic, unavoidable necessities for women, and any additional taxes constitute a pink tax.
The pink tax refers to the tendency for products marketed specifically toward women to be more expensive than those marketed toward men. This phenomenon is often attributed to gender-based price discrimination, however research shows that the primary cause is women sorting into goods with higher marginal costs. The name stems from the observation that many of the affected products are pink.
Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) or menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) refers to access to menstrual hygiene products to absorb or collect the flow of blood during menstruation, privacy to change the materials, and access to facilities to dispose of used menstrual management materials. It can also include the "broader systemic factors that link menstruation with health, well-being, gender equality, education, equity, empowerment, and rights". Menstrual hygiene management can be particularly challenging for girls and women in developing countries, where clean water and toilet facilities are often inadequate. Menstrual waste is largely ignored in schools in developing countries, despite it being a significant problem. Menstruation can be a barrier to education for many girls, as a lack of effective sanitary products restricts girls' involvement in educational and social activities.
The Robin Danielson Feminine Hygiene Product Safety Act is a proposed act of the United States Congress, directing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to research the possible health risks of menstrual hygiene products made with dioxins, synthetic fibers, chemicals such as chlorine or fragrance irritants. It also called for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to monitor dioxin levels in similar hygiene products.
Period poverty is a term used to describe a lack of access to proper menstrual products and the education needed to use them effectively. In total, there are around 500 million women and girls that cannot manage their periods safely due to lack of menstrual products and for fear of shame. The American Medical Women's Association defines period poverty as "the inadequate access to menstrual hygiene tools and educations, including but not limited to sanitary products, washing facilities, and waste management". The lack of access to menstrual hygiene products can cause physical health problems, such as infections and reproductive tract complications, and can have negative social and psychological consequences, including missed school or work days and stigma.
Olivia Ahn is a British medical doctor, innovator, and founder of Fluus. Fluus developed the world's first flushable sanitary pad, which launched in 2023. She is the winner of the Mayor of London's Entrepreneur Competition and the WE Innovate Program.