The Mooncup: how, er, green is your period?

The average woman will use 11,000 tampons or pads in their menstrual lifetime. This averages out to be around 22 sanitary items per month. Which sounds like a lot when you put it like that. Could there be a better, greener way? And would you have the stomach for it?

Every time I do a post about periods (like here and here and here) the subject of reusable sanitary ‘cups’ comes up in the comments. So I thought it was about time it had a dedicated post of its own and went straight to the source for more info.

Hello Mooncup!

The blurb on the website says…..

The Mooncup® is the original silicone menstrual cup designed by women to be a convenient, safe and eco-friendly alternative to tampons and sanitary pads. Loved by women all around the world, and made in the UK by a multi-award winning ethical business, the Mooncup offers an end to the waste, discomfort and expense of disposable sanitary protection.

• Made from medical grade silicone, the Mooncup is latex-free and contains no dyes, toxins or bleaches. It’s also great for women with sensitive skin.
• On average, one woman will use over 11,000 tampons or pads in their lifetime, which will end up in landfill or in the sea.
• One woman uses up to 22 items of sanitary protection every period. Regardless of your flow, you only need one Mooncup, and it lasts for years and years, making it the most economical sanitary product you can buy.

The Mooncup is a reusable menstrual cup, around two inches long and made from soft medical grade silicone. It is worn internally a lot lower than a tampon but, while tampons and pads absorb menstrual fluid, the Mooncup collects it. This means it doesn’t cause dryness or irritation, and also that it collects far more (three times as much as a ‘super-absorbent’ tampon’!).

Because the Mooncup is reusable, you only need one so it saves you money and helps the environment, too.

The Mooncup is designed to be folded and inserted into the vagina, then removed, rinsed and reinserted up to every 8 hours. A light seal is formed with your vaginal walls, allowing menstrual fluid to pass into the Mooncup without leakage or odour. This seal is released for removal, allowing you to empty the contents, rinse or wipe and reinsert. Comfortable, convenient and safe: the Mooncup can be used overnight and when travelling, swimming or exercising.

The website itself is quite heaven and includes tabs for “Mooncup Community”, “What size are you?” “History of the Mooncup” and the delightful suggestion you follow Mooncup on Twitter (373 followers) or Facebook.

So. The Mooncup.

Would you? Should you? Could you? DO you?