Reviews by J and Saffia Farr
Feeling Sporty Low-rise Period Pants
I started my periods last year when I was 12. My mum bought me a selection of pads and these Cheeky Wipes pants and I like using these pants the best. They feel comfortable, they aren’t bulky and they look like normal pants, which is important for me at school. J
Cheeky Wipes pants are made with four layers of absorbency. The padded area is across the gusset and up the back of the pants, making them comfortable to wear and ensuring they don’t leak. The pants are easy to wash and they wear well. Cheeky Wipes sells a range of styles, colours and fabrics to suit all tastes and needs.
£11.50
Silly Panda was started by Becca. After making colourful patterned cloth nappies for her son, she wondered if she could do the same with cloth pads. I love that she started by using scraps of fabric she had at home and things she found in charity shops. She now has the most incredible range of fabrics – there are currently over 100. She has also been working with students, introducing them to the empowering world of cloth pads and waste-free periods. Her six-inch liner is fantastic! It’s small enough for a light day but is thick enough to give reassurance, and is therefore very comfortable to wear. The pad is beautifully made with gorgeous, detailed stitching in the centre. It’s also a nice touch that the label for the pad is a circle of card that can be easily recycled. SF
£5
We reviewed the night pants and they are amazing! Inside the pants is a thick, long pad, which is stitched in from front to back, so there is fantastic cover and absorbency for night bleeding. I was worried this would feel bulky, but it didn’t. In fact, the pants are so comfortable, I had the best night’s sleep I had all cycle when wearing these! The fabric (a cotton-Lycra mix) is really soft, the pants are a comfortable shape and I love the bright rainbow band. When I asked my teen daughter how she got on with them she said, “They’re really good. Can I get some more?” Even though these are more expensive than a night pad, they last well and over time will be cost-effective. I think these are an excellent addition to a waste-free period ‘wardrobe’. SF
£22
Alva Baby Cloth Sanitary Towels Set
I think this is excellent value for a set of three pads and a wet bag. The outer layer of the pad is polyurethane laminate (PUL), the inner layer is bamboo charcoal and microfibre (called Zorb) and the top layer, next to your skin, is microfiber. This creates a pad that is really absorbent but not too thick. I liked that the blood was well absorbed by the pad, so I felt comfortable (drier) for longer. The regular pad is 26cm long and that suited me well on heavier days too, without feeling bulky. Because of the fabrics used, the pads wash well and dry easily, which is helpful when you can’t dry pads outside. SF
£12 for a regular set
The feature is published in JUNO Summer 2021, issue 73. Find out more here.
9 Sustainable Period Products