I am always very curious if I see promotions about other reusable period products that are (finally) free of any chemicals like biocides. And of course, I double-check how they are made, how they work and finally, how messed up they mostly are.
Unfortunately the word polyester pops up most of the time, and I always wonder, as since I was a kid I have stuck with two very old but very well-known pieces of advice.
1. Change your wet bathing suit immediately.
2. Do not wear underwear made out of plastic.
And what can I say? That advices are pure gold. Period. The more I wonder why polyester pops up all the time whenever I check the competition. Frankly, I would never wear regular underwear with plastic inside. So I would never ever wear underwear with plastic inside while I am on my menstruation, bleeding inside of that plastic fabric, wearing it for hours and hours, and washing it afterward only with cold water. Here are three simple reasons why:
1. Polyester is not breathable and tends to trap moisture against the skin. This creates a warm, damp environment ideal for bacterial and fungal growth, potentially leading to infections like yeast or urinary tract infections (imagine this in combination with menstrual blood).
2. Polyester is made from petroleum-based materials and often treated with various chemicals during manufacturing. These can include formaldehyde, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), and antimicrobial agents (imagine having this close to your most sensitive parts).
3. Polyester is not biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills. When washed, polyester garments release microplastic fibers that end up in waterways, contributing to plastic pollution in oceans and potentially entering the food chain (imagine that the same happens actually with biocides: they get washed out during the laundry and mess up with our environment).
I feel like the downsizes of biocides are getting more and more visible, but still wearing reusable period underwear made out of polyester obviously can't be the solution.
Happy to announce that there are some wonderful products like nookees on the market, just using organic and natural fibres and fabrics that are not just good for ourselves but also for the environment.
