But first, why tampons?
Before diving into the organic factor, why should you choose a tampon over other period products?
First off, tampons are small and cylindrical. You can insert them directly into your vagina.
This means that period blood is absorbed and collected inside your vagina, leaving no room for that sticky feeling, unpleasant odour, or sweat.
So, you can forget rashes forever. And, they’re swim-friendly!
Quite the deal, uh?
Great. Now, why go organic?
Organic tampons are the kinder version of non-organic ones.
They are made using 100% organic cotton which is grown, treated, and manufactured using chemical-free sustainable practices.
Whereas, conventional tampons are typically made from regular cotton (ie. cotton grown using pesticides) or rayon.
And they are usually bleached and whitened with chlorine and oftentimes contain dyes and fragrances.
Now, your vagina is a mucous membrane that is capable of absorbing particles at a higher rate than skin. So these are some toxins that should be nowhere near it.
That being said, here are more reasons why you should choose organic.
Organic tampons are planet-friendly
Non-organic period products don’t exactly think green. They contain harmful substances that don’t go too well on humans, plants, wildlife, and marine life.
113k tonnes of menstrual waste get dumped into India’s landfills every year. And a great deal of them find their way to our oceans.
Over time, these products are broken down into microplastics and toxic particles that poison marine life and wildlife, thus, infiltrating our food chains.
What goes around comes around. Remember?
However, organic cotton tampons are made using materials and methods that care for the planet. So you can count on them to not hurt the planet in any way.
Organic tampons are biodegradable
Unnatural period products hang around the planet for a very long time. The plastic and other toxic substances in them can easily take up to 500-800 years to decompose.
Now, this poses a great threat to the environment. Imagine, your used sanitary pad or tampon can live longer than you, your kids, your grandkids, and their grandkids!
Totally not cool.
However, natural products are completely biodegradable. For instance, take Cambio’s organic tampons.
They are biodegradable right from the product to the packaging. The applicators that come along are made from cardboard instead of plastic which makes them biodegradable too.
Now, how cool is that?
Organic tampons are free from chemicals
Organic cotton tampons have no nasty surprises hidden inside them. They’re made using 100% organic cotton and that’s pretty much it.
But when it comes to non-organic period products, you might find some culprits such as synthetic fibres, bleach, chlorine, dioxin, and dyes hiding in them.
Dioxin which is a byproduct of bleaching and BPA (Bisphenol A) are popularly known carcinogens (a.k.a cancer-causing substance) and hormone disrupters.
Not exactly something that you should expose your sensitive parts to.
Organic tampons are skin-loving
Non-organic products don’t show mercy on your skin.
The pesticides, herbicides, and chemicals used in the making of conventional pads and tampons can gain entry into your bloodstream and possibly affect your internal organs.
Also, the fragrances and scents used in these products can cause reproductive problems and infertility among women.
That sounds bad, doesn’t it?
Well, thank God for organic cotton tampons!
Organic tampons are ethically made
Here’s a surprising or rather scary fact.
The cultivation of conventional cotton requires more chemicals and pesticides than most other crops!
So it’s pretty evident that it’s a really bad idea to use it to make a product that’s meant to be in contact with your delicate parts.
And this is where organic cotton comes to the rescue.
The processes used to grow organic cotton ensure harmony with nature and seek to not disrupt its balance.
For example, annoyances like pests are usually tackled using strategic practices such as crop rotation instead of pesticides.
Thus, by going organic, you are supporting organic farmers and their farming practices, and doing your part in making a change.
Heads up!
Before you trust the whole ‘organic cotton’ claim made by tampon brands or make a switch, here are a few things you should remember.
- Watch out for a GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standard) certification. This confirms that the product you’re buying is organic for real.
- Going for organic tampons don’t shield you from TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome). So make sure to change them once every 4-6 hours.
- Keep away from super-absorbent tampons if using a regular one would suffice for your flow. This will help reduce the risk of TSS.
- Be it organic or conventional cotton, if their fibres stick to the inner walls of your vagina, it can cause infections. So try an organic cotton tampon that comes with cotton-lock technology like the ones from Cambio.
Conclusion
Thanks to improved access to education and open talks about periods, people are starting to show more concern towards what they’re exposing their genitals to.
The biggest downside to using sanitary pads or non-organic tampons is their harmful impact on the environment and your body.
For that reason, although organic cotton tampons may seem like another trend, they’re worth catching up on as they seem like a viable solution.
So ditch the plastic and chemicals for organic today.
Your body and the planet will thank you tomorrow.
