To answer that question we share our thoughts and calculations on disposable hygiene products.
Research
The latest research to determine the average age of women during menstruation was conducted by EHIS and published by GUS in 2014. We can read that women in Poland are in the menstruation phase on average from 15 to 49 years of age. Due to the lack of other official studies, it is this age range that we took into account when calculating the average consumption of disposable intimate hygiene products. However, we personally believe that this age has significantly decreased from 2014 to 2018.
Environment
According to CSO forecasts, there were 9,286,263 women in Poland in the menstrual phase in 2018. This means that if each of the women uses an average of four sanitary pads per day, 222,870,312 pieces of hygiene waste will be produced in one month during 6 days of menstruation. On an annual basis, 2,674,443,744 pieces of waste give almost THREE BILLION used sanitary products will go to landfill sites. And it doesn’t matter here that we counted only the sanitary pads because you can put the word tampon or both options interchangeably. It is important how many pieces of disposable sanitary waste will have to be disposed of or that lost somewhere in the grass will decompose from 100 to 300 years.
Health
When using disposable sanitary pads, we should also familiarize ourselves with the aspect of their adverse effects on our health in intimate areas. Substances used in pads and tampons disturb the natural environment of the vagina, which can contribute to infections, allergies, and even mycoses. Using disposable solutions, women very often have a disturbing picture of their menstruation. Because apart from the natural symptoms that our body sends us, that is swelling, pain, hypersensitivity of body, and senses. There is also a feeling of discomfort associated with moisture, unpleasant smell, and the feeling of the enormity of blood loss. In fact, the unpleasant smell is the effect of contact between the menstrual blood and the absorbent, non-breathable waterproof layer used in the headband. The feeling of moisture and heaviness in the pad is also the effect of blood contact with the absorbent, which “swells” heavily when using a disposable pad.
It is accepted in the medical environment that women who do not have health problems lose between 30 ml and 80 ml of blood during one cycle. This means that only about 3.5 ml of blood is absorbed into a single headband. This amount is so small that it should be practically imperceptible as a discomfort.
Economics
Another aspect that, in our opinion, speaks against the disadvantage of disposable sanitary pads is the lack of economy and here, too, it does not matter what amount we choose whether 7.00 PLN or 16.00 PLN or 40.00 PLN per month. Because the most important thing is that the money we spend will be finally thrown away. Not only harming us but also the environment.
Answering the initial question, “Why Loffme’s reusable sanitary pads?
Mainly because it is safe and convenient to use and wash. There are no stains left on the pad and it dries very quickly. The filtering capabilities of the materials used mean that no unpleasant smell is produced during use. Excess moisture evaporates quickly, so the material remains absorbent. The base material in Loffme products is ECARF certified, which means that the product is classified as hypoallergenic. Loffme can be used by women with e.g. contact allergies or Atopic dermatitis. The products are very durable, and after our own tests, we determine their life span up to 24 months. This is the case if women are not disturbed by the aesthetic aspect, which is the “washed out” color of the pad. After the time of use, our products are fully recyclable.
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