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Cloth-based reusable pads are a great alternative if you want to move from disposable sanitary napkins to more eco-friendly options. Here's a quick primer to help you make the switch.
Cloth-based reusable pads are a great alternative if you want to move from disposable sanitary napkins to more eco-friendly options. Here’s a quick primer to help you make the switch.
For all these years, like most of the urban Indian female population, I have been using disposable sanitary napkins.
I have been constantly feeling the need to move on to more sustainable products and so, during the 2020 lockdown, I decided that this would be a good time to experiment.
I ordered a menstrual cup, and let me tell you that I have not been able to get used to it at all. There is this feeling that something is hurting me inside and I needed to get it out as soon as possible. I am sure it works wonders for a lot of women out there, but it was not for me. May be if I tried it for some more time, I would get used to it.
After the experiment with menstrual cups, I tried the washable cloth pads. I got the type which seemed to be the softest as well as the ones which did not dent my pocket. I got RE-pads and Relief-Pads from Amazon. They are exactly the same type even though the brands are different, priced at about Rs 299 per packet of 3 normal and 1 large overnight pad.
The first night, when I wore the large pad, I was a bit nervous that it would spill over and cause stains, but I was surprised to see that nothing of that sort happened. The large pad was enough to last me through the night. Some of you may not be confident to use it at night, so you may want to stick to your disposable sanitary pads for nighttime use, for the first few times.
I have been using these reusable pads for the past 3 – 4 months, without resorting to the disposable pads. Here are my learnings.
I got the ones with the fleece cover on the inside. I don’t know what technology they have used for these pads, but the blood is completely absorbed, leaving no stain on the outer cloth cover. (My pads are light blue and pink). This is quite surprising because I am sure that there is no plastic in or on the pad. Initially, you will need to change them more frequently because you cannot see any blood on the pads, leading you to believe that they are not full yet.
At most, they feel like a thicker underwear. Whenever I wear a disposable pad, I feel the alien material. But this doesn’t feel much at all.
When I bought them, initially, I had doubts about their absorbency. But I was so pleasantly surprised. Even with a heavy flow, they can last for about 4 -5 hours.
This was my main grouse against the normal pads. They cause horrible rashes, especially towards the end of the period. I didn’t face any such problem with these cloth pads.
These are easily washable, and even if you don’t soak them and wash them immediately, the blood will run out and you can hang them out to dry. If not, you can soak them and wash them later. But washing them instantly doesn’t take time. If you have to wear them to work, you can carry them back in the pouch provided and wash them at home after soaking them for a bit.
Drying must, preferably, be in the sun and the pads take about 4-5 hours to dry. So I got myself another packet for the rains where I know they will not dry for a bit. In the summer, 1 pack of 3+1 pads has worked fine for me.
Unlike the disposable pads, these pads do not smell, and feel fresh even after you have used them for a while. Just make sure that you wash them well with a mild detergent and dry them out in the sun.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been using them for a few months now. I carried them with me even when I was travelling. Now, I am totally used to them. I have made an investment of Rs 600 for 2 packets and I think these pads will easily last me for 3 years, minimum. If you do the maths, it is a lot more cheaper than the normal pads. Plus, in a small way, I can do my little bit for our environment.
Disclaimer: This is not a paid plug or review. I am writing from my own experiences and thought it would be useful to you too. I have purchased and have been using these products for the past few months.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
I write because I love to express myself through words. And I am a communicator. I run an advertising agency where we combine creative expression and try to add a sheen to the brands we read more...
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Shows like Indian Matchmaking only further the argument that women must adhere to social norms without being allowed to follow their hearts.
When Netflix announced that Indian Matchmaking (2020-present) would be renewed for a second season, many of us hoped for the makers of the show to take all the criticism they faced seriously. That is definitely not the case because the show still continues to celebrate regressive patriarchal values.
Here are a few of the gendered notions that the show propagates.
A mediocre man can give himself a 9.5/10 and call himself ‘the world’s most eligible bachelor’, but an independent and successful woman must be happy with receiving just 60-70% of what she feels she deserves.
Darlings makes some excellent points about domestic violence . For such a movie to not follow through with a resolution that won't be problematic, is disappointing.
I watched Darlings last weekend, staying on top of its release on Netflix. It was a long-awaited respite from the recent flicks. I wanted badly to jump into its praise and will praise it, for something has to be said for the powerhouse performances it is packed with. But I will not be able to in a way that I really had wanted to.
I wanted to say that this is a must-watch on domestic violence that I stand behind and a needed and nuanced social portrayal. But unfortunately, I can’t. For I found Darlings to be deeply problematic when it comes to the portrayal of domestic violence and how that should be dealt with.
Before we rush to the ‘you must be having a problem because a man was hit’ or ‘much worse happens to women’ conclusions, that is not what my issue is. I have seen the praises and criticisms, and the criticisms of criticisms. I know, from having had close associations with non-profits and activists who fight domestic violence not just in India but globally, that much worse happens to women. I have written a book with case studies and statistics on that. Neither do I have any moral qualms around violence getting tackled with violence (that will be another post some day).