What is Period Underwear? (Plus the Best Brands)

As we turn into extra targeted on sustainability and being financially savvy, we now have to cease and suppose. How a lot does caring for our month-to-month cycle add to the landfill? Most pads and tampons aren’t precisely recyclable or biodegradable. Moreover that, stocking up on interval merchandise every month provides up over time. What different choices do we now have? Nicely, many ladies are turning to “interval underwear.” 

What Is Interval Underwear?

Interval underwear are reusable, extra-absorbent panties. The concept is to scale back or eradicate the necessity for disposable menstrual merchandise like tampons and pads. So, in the event you’re sick of coping with panty liners, pads, tampons, and even the menstrual cup, hold studying. Interval underwear generally is a implausible different — (or addition), relying on how you utilize them. 

Interval underwear are panties designed with particular moisture-wicking gussets.  ( That is the thick half on the backside) that soaks up the menstrual circulate. The gussets might be product of cotton, wool, or artificial materials, comparable to fleece-like materials. 

Relying on the model, one pair of interval underwear can maintain as a lot liquid as 5 common tampons! Interval underwear have extra makes use of than the menstrual cycle. You can too use them for incontinence associated to maternity, postpartum, and exercises. You possibly can study extra about these pesky leaks and the best way to repair your pelvic ground right here. 

Interval Underwear Decisions 

Menstrual underwear is available in many sizes (from XXS to XXL) and cuts, identical to common underwear. You possibly can nonetheless get bikinis, hipsters, boyshorts, briefs, hi-waist, and hiphuggers. For those who’re involved about panty traces, don’t fear — they even make thongs! 

In addition they are available quite a lot of materials, like cotton, bamboo, polyester, modal, and spandex/elastane. As a rule, they’re a mix of those materials. (The waistband may be Spandex or elastane.) 

Consequently, you may get panties produced from lab-created or pure materials, like cotton and bamboo. Nevertheless, the gusset could also be product of a special materials than the remainder of the underwear, because it must be absorbent.

Is Interval Underwear Secure to Put on? 

So, it appears like a good suggestion, however are interval lingerie protected? There’s some concern that sure manufacturers have per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).  These “endlessly chemical substances” are sometimes present in waterproof materials like raingear as a result of they repel water. They’re linked to hormone imbalance, lowered fertility, immune system issues, and low beginning weight. 

Thinx, Inc., is a New York Metropolis-based model that serves as an umbrella for 3 completely different collections. Thinx is underwear to soak up durations. For teenagers, there’s Thinx Teenagers. And Speax is underwear for bladder leaks. From 2020 to 2022, three class motion lawsuits had been launched towards Thinx for PFAS contamination. 

After consolidating these lawsuits into one, they reached a settlement in December 2022. Girls who had bought the underwear and had been involved about PFAS might submit a request for a refund or a voucher for a future buy.

PFAS testing appears to be like for fluorine within the supplies. Thinx had fluorine in as much as 3,264 elements per million (ppm), which may be very excessive. Different manufacturers that had smaller quantities of fluorine had been Knix (373 ppm), Maintain (as much as 71 ppm), Ruby Love (27 ppm), and Saalt (10 ppm). 

I’ve listed the panties that examined 0 ppm of fluorine under. 

Professionals and Cons of Interval Underwear 

As you now know from the PFAS subject, there are professionals and cons to sporting specialised interval intimates.

Professionals of Interval Underwear

There are many professionals of interval panties:

• Environmentally Pleasant – Interval panties decrease month-to-month waste. Nevertheless, as I simply lined, the kind of materials issues. Some interval underwear manufacturers don’t simply have PFAS or fluorine. Some have artificial materials, like nylon and polyester, which come from petrochemicals. Aka what plastics are made out of. Washing these artificial supplies sheds microplastics into the water. These finally circulate into our groundwater, lakes, rivers, and oceans. That’s why you’ll wish to go for natural cotton, bamboo, and different pure supplies when attainable. 
• Main Up & Trailing Off – With busy schedules, it’s comprehensible if we often lose monitor of the precise day of our durations. Generally we’re additionally too fast to place away the panty liner. That’s the place interval underwear can actually assist.
• Nighttime circulate – Why threat staining the sheets? Interval panties work properly by the evening.  
• Postpartum bleeding – Vaginal births can result in postpartum bleeding, and sporting a tampon isn’t best. Thick pads might be aggravating; that’s the place interval panties are available! 
• Backup Leak safety – Generally tampons leak, particularly with heavier circulate days. Interval panties can function insurance coverage.
• Extra Snug Than Pads – The gussets of interval underwear are a lot thinner than pads, in order that they’re extra comfy to put on. Interval panties transfer with you and don’t go off-center as menstrual pads can.
• Much less Cramping – Some ladies report much less cramping once they use interval underwear as an alternative of tampons. It is smart, as interval panties are non-invasive. 
• Journey comfort – Lengthy flights could make it difficult to get to the lavatory when we have to swap out a tampon. Interval panties can maintain a pair (or extra) of tampons’ price of circulate, supplying you with extra time (as much as 24 hours!). They’re a terrific addition to your journey packing checklist. 
• Machine-washable – You possibly can machine wash most interval underwear manufacturers, not less than after briefly soaking., making This makes them handy to scrub and put on.

Cons of Interval Underwear 

Some potential downsides embody the next: 

• PFAS and different chemical contamination – Common PFAS, fluorine, and different chemical exposures could also be hazardous over time. That’s particularly the case for something in shut contact together with your personal elements.
• Value: Interval lingerie are usually costlier than common underwear. They vary from $12 to $55 per pair.  
• The washing out course of – Handwashing a few of the underwear in chilly water earlier than machine washing isn’t so enjoyable. Nevertheless, as talked about, merely soaking first could also be an choice.
• Want for altering – Heavy circulate days might require altering mid-day, identical to pads or tampons.
• Potential for leakage – Sadly, not all interval panties are leakproof. Whereas some designs can maintain as much as 5 and even 10 tampons’ price of liquid, others maintain two or fewer.
• Potential for odor – Relying on the fabric, utilization (interval vs. incontinence), and time sporting them, there’s a possible to construct up an odor.

The professionals and cons rely upon which manufacturers, cuts, and materials you get. Examine the most recent evaluations to make one of the best buy.

Methods to Take Care of Interval Underwear

The particular cloth in interval underwear requires some particular care. Go for light soaps and detergents over harsh detergents and bleach. Additionally, keep away from utilizing cloth softeners or different chemical substances.

High Interval Underwear Manufacturers

One of the best interval underwear is freed from toxins, comfy, and simple to take care of. These are a few of the hottest chemical-free manufacturers.

The Interval Firm’s 

The Interval Firm’s “The Excessive-Waisted” underwear will get wonderful evaluations. This firm additionally examined 100% freed from PFAS and makes use of OEKO-TEX licensed 95% natural cotton (the remaining 5% is polyester). They’re additionally reasonably priced, beginning at $12 a pair, and may final anyplace from 2 to 10 years. 

Modibodi

Modibodi interval panties are 95% bamboo viscose with 5% spandex so as to add stretch. The liner is a mix of merino wool, polyester, and polyamide. Modibodi’s natural cotton kinds are licensed by the World Natural Textile Normal (GOTS). They’re estimated to final not less than 2 years. Unbiased lab testing discovered zero PFAS. In case your man has leakage points, Modibodi has him lined! They’ve a males’s line as properly.

Bambody

Bambody is one other clear model that examined freed from PFAS and different chemical substances. The identify comes from their use of bamboo cloth, which is mixed with cotton and spandex. The liner is artificial, although. Bambody is licensed by OEKO-TEX. They had been additionally licensed protected by the Hohenstein Textile Testing Institute in Germany. They’re estimated to final a couple of yr and a half.

Aisle

Aisle is a sustainable interval underwear model primarily based in Canada. They use unbiased testing to make sure there are not any detectable ranges of PFAS (lower than 1 ppm). Their supplies embody natural cotton, Tencel, recycled polyester, technical cotton, thermoplastic polyurethane, and different supplies. The liner is product of Truetex™ which is a mix of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers. Aisle is licensed by OEKO-TEX and Management Union, below the OCS (natural content material customary). They need to final about 3 years.

WUKA 

Whereas WUKA wasn’t a part of the examine, they do common testing to make sure their merchandise are PFAS-free. They use GOTS (World Natural Textile Normal) licensed natural cotton, recycled plastic, and Tencel modal fibers from beech timber. Tencel modal is biodegradable and compostable, so it doesn’t burden our landfills. WUKA can be licensed by OEKO-TEX. Plus they’re estimated to final not less than 2 years. 

A few of these corporations even have swimsuits, bras, sleepwear, and different intimates.

Interval Underwear: Backside Line

Subsequent time you want a brand new pair of underwear, contemplate getting some interval panties. You might be able to vastly reduce and even eradicate menstrual merchandise out of your price range. They’re accessible and simple to search out – you’ll even see them on Amazon. However in the event you’d choose to buy regionally and really feel the material before you purchase, you may also discover them at pure merchandise retailers and department shops. Interval panties may help take the stress out of menstruation! 

Have you ever tried interval underwear? What has your expertise been? Yay or Nay? Any really useful manufacturers? Share with us under!