What is period underwear?
The Ultimate Guide to Period Underwear: A Sustainable Alternative to Traditional Menstrual Products
Have you ever heard of free-bleeding? This increasingly popular trend allows you to menstruate without using traditional pads or tampons. Instead, period underwear, also known as period panties or period knickers, absorbs your menstrual flow, providing a sustainable and convenient alternative.
How Do Period Underwear Work?
Our period underwear has multiple layers each designed to do something different. They are made with an absorbent core with anti-bacterial and odour-free materials, a waterproof material, and a soft outer layer designed to be comfortable against the skin. They come in a multitude of sizes, ranging from XS all the way up to XXXL, and they’re reusable, machine washable, and good for the environment.
Who should use period underwear?
Anyone can use them! If you feel uncomfortable with inserting internal period products, or worry about your pad bunching up, or want to try something new and more comfortable, period underwear is a great option for you. They are made to hold a light to moderate flow, so if you tend to have a heavier period, going with a different or more traditional product might be a better idea. But you can also wear them with cups or tampons as extra protection.
Why Switch to Period Panties?
There are many reasons to make the switch to period underwear. For one, they are more sustainable as the materials are recyclable. They can feel more comfortable than traditional period products. They last for years and they don’t contain harmful substances or PFAs. Overall, they are an easy, cheaper (in the long run), more sustainable option compared to disposable period products.
How Long Can You Wear Them?
The duration for which you can wear period underwear depends on your menstrual flow. Some people can comfortably wear them for a full day, while others use them as additional protection. Generally, they can be worn for 8 to 12 hours.
How Many Pairs Do You Need?
The recommended number of period underwear pairs varies depending on your cycle length, but generally, 3 to 4 pairs should suffice. Having extra pairs allows you to rotate them, ensuring you always have a fresh pair available.
What is the maintenance?
Personal care is important, but period underwear doesn’t require much maintenance - they are easy to clean and they’re machine or hand-washable. They need to be washed at a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius on the delicate setting of your washing machine, and rinsed in the sink with cool water prior to being put in the washing machine. After that, simply hang them up to dry and you’re done!
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
You absolutely can wear them postpartum; just be sure to keep an eye on how much you’re bleeding to avoid any leaks.
There is period underwear thatis designed to use for swimming, but AllMatters does not currently have period swimwear at this moment.
We wouldn’t recommend using them for leaky bladders, but there arepee-proof underwear options that are specifically designed for incontinence.
Yes, depending on how heavy your cycle is, you can wear them for up to 12 hours.
Yes! The idea can sound unusual, but due to the materials and the merino wool, they are naturally anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-odour. Plus, they are machine or hand-washable after each use.
Our period underwear comes in a dark colour so the stains won’t show.
Oops! If you accidentally put your period underwear in a dryer don’t worry too much. It might weaken the absorbency layer a little, but they should still be okay if this happens only once. Just make sure to wear and test them out for any leaks when you are able to stay home.
They can hold up to 1 to 2 regular tampon’s worth of blood, which is about 10 ml. You can tell they’re ready for a change when you see blood at the seams of the underwear, or if they feel wet. It can be challenging when you’re first starting out wearing them, so checking frequently can help until you get used to them.
When they are properly maintained and taken care of, they can last for years.
We don’t suggest you wear pads with period underwear. This is because the bottom of pads are waterproof (which would counteract the period underwear) and it would probably be uncomfortable. But if you really want to, you can.
It can be an initial expensive purchase, but if you can afford it, they are cheaper than the monthly cost of disposable period products in the long run.
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