I love to have a poke around on Etsy and Pinterest to see what I can find, but I was alarmed to find that not only are crochet tampons for sale, but that people are buying and reviewing them!
I’m all for having an eco-friendly period, which is why I’ve written about it in my eco-friendly series but it’s important to promote period products that live up to safety standards if they’re going inside your vagina!
This is why I’ve written this article about why you shouldn’t use crochet tampons and what are good eco-friendly period products that are safer to use instead!
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Why you shouldn’t use crocheted tampons:
1. They are not sterile, and if you’ve watched Pad Man, the Indian film about Laxmi Chauhan who made a cheap pad machine then you’ll know that they sterilise pads with UV light before selling them. There’s no way to sterilise crochet tampons and bacteria can cause bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections or TSS.
2. You can’t measure the absorbency of a crochet tampon and the rough texture is not good for your vagina as the maker is not held to the rigorous standards of a tampon manufacturer.
3. Just like natural sea sponges, it’s impossible to know what wool or yarn will leave in your vagina as they will shed especially when washed. Nobody has studied yarn in the vagina so it’s impossible to know what problems it may cause.
4. Someone selling crochet tampons will not be insured if you get ill from using their product so you are not protected if there is a problem with them.
What to use instead of crochet tampons:
1. A menstrual cup
I love my cup, and it has saved me a lot of money and hassle, especially when travelling as I don’t have to find period products on the road and it saves space in my bag – what’s not to love? I recommend the TOTM menstrual cup below if you want to give it a try!
The downsides are that the cups cause irritation in some women and you have to wash them between uses and sterilise between cycles. Wash with soap and water and sterilise in a pan of boiling water. WebMD has more information about using a cup safely and looking after it. There are still risks, and one study claimed that the risk of bacteria-growth could be greater with cups.
2. Organic tampons
It’s important to note that organic tampons aren’t safer than regular tampons, they’re just better for the environment, vegan and cruelty-free. It’s a great thing to avoid plastic applicators and use biodegradable non-applicator tampons like the ones below!
Using tampons and cups can cause Toxic Shock Syndrome so be aware of the signs, don’t leave a tampon in for more than 8 hours and use an absorbency suitable to your flow.
3. Period box
You can also subscribe for an eco-friendly period box, which delivers everything you need without the hassle by clicking on the link below. No plastic packaging and no last-minute supermarket trips!
4. Period pants
If I’m having a lighter period day or want extra protection when I’m wearing a menstrual cup then I use the bamboo period pants below. I find them much less irritating than supermarket pads or pantyliners which are full of plastic and bad for the environment.
They work really well for lighter period days, when wearing a menstrual cup would be too much.
Overall, using the combination of a menstrual cup, period pants and occasionally organic tampons works really well for me. I love crochet but I don’t want it in my vagina.
What are your recommended eco period brands? Let me know in the comments below!
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