What to Know About Organic Sanitary Products

Did you know that it takes several hundred years for the average nonorganic sanitary product to decompose? While that's pretty frightening, the last decade has certainly seen a conscious shift to hygiene products that are better for us and better for the environment. But what does it really mean when your period products say they are chemical-free? Does it really make a difference? We spoke to the experts at Yoni to give us the scoop on why organic products are the only way forward.

What does it mean if a sanitary product is chemical-free?

It simply means the products don't contain any unnecessary chemicals such as plastic, perfume and artificial absorbents. If you buy regular menstrual pads, panty liners or tampons, they often have a plastic top layer or contain other plastic parts. Menstrual pads and liners also usually contain (synthetic) perfume and/or ‘artificial absorbents’, i.e. a plastic-like material that is made to absorb moisture. Not really things you want near the sensitive (and one of the most absorbent) parts of your body!

How do Yoni products differ from some of the bigger brands found in supermarkets?

Unlike conventional supermarket brands, we want to be completely transparent by listing all the ingredients that are in your Yoni tampons, menstrual pads and panty liners. It seems really strange to us that this isn't a mandatory requirement for all brands – we think you have a right to know about the products you're choosing!

What about the environmental factors?

Not so fun fact: cotton is one of the most-sprayed crops in the world. This means that the farmers grow the cotton using crop protection products that contain harmful pesticides, which in turn are bad for their health and harmful for the soil. Our products are made from 100% organic cotton grown without the use of these harmful pesticides. That means better working conditions for the cotton farmers and healthier soil. In addition, all our tampons, pads and panty liners are biodegradable. In other words, if you throw our products in the garbage or the compost heap, they can be broken down naturally instead of ending up in landfill. Plus, 100% organic cotton is super absorbent, while being very soft for your skin and intimate area.

You can shop the organic Yonic range here.