There are countless things we can cut out of our lives to help reduce over-consumption, but period products are not one of them. The 3bn disposable menstrual products used in the UK every year generate an estimated 200,000 tonnes of menstrual waste. And sanitary pads, the most commonly used period product globally, are up to 90% plastic.
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It gets worse. Studies have detected toxic pesticides and 16 types of metals in tampons. Not by choice, millions of us could be putting our health at risk by placing hidden toxic ingredients on one of the most sensitive parts of our bodies. In light of this, the Women’s Environmental Network is calling for a UK parliamentary bill covering menstrual health, dignity and sustainability.
I was an early adopter of period pants, and in my work as an author and journalist writing about sustainability, I have previously spoken to the academics behind a scientific paper – Menstrual Products: A Comparable Life Cycle Assessment – who carried out an in-depth analysis of different period products based on eight environmental impacts, including global warming potential, fossil resources, water use and carcinogenic effects. The report concluded that the menstrual cup had the lowest environmental impact across all categories, followed by period underwear, reusable pads and, in last place, single-use pads and tampons. With this study in mind, I decided to do my own tests of the best products, taking health implications into account, too.
The good news is that there’s a growing choice of menstrual cups, reusable pads, and tampons and pads made without harmful chemicals.
Over the course of three months and three periods, I tried everything here, including period swimwear for the first time. Period pants continue to be one of my favourite options. I haven’t included them here because they were recently covered in detail in our test of the best period pants.
Periods are personal, and my reviews are based on my own, which are regular in frequency and flow, lasting about six days each month, with the heaviest flow in the second and third days. So you may want to adjust your choices based on your own cycle.
The best sustainable pads and tampons
From organic cotton to non-toxic ingredients and compostable materials, period brands are offering more eco-friendly alternatives to traditional tampons and pads. Convenient, reliable and comfortable, they’re often similar in price, too.
Natracare ultra extra regular pads with wings, 12 pack
£2.42 at Bodykind£2.48 at Natural Collection
I’ve been using these for years. Made from organic cotton, they come in different sizes depending on your flow. Free of petroleum-based plastic, chlorine, perfume and dyes, Natracare pads are biodegradable and compostable. Under the right conditions – a home compost bin or access to a community compost or local waste collection that accepts certified-compostable menstrual products – the pads can break down. If not, they can go into your general waste and degrade in landfill over time. And I can buy them as part of my food shop – they’re available in supermarkets and high-street chemists at the same price as synthetic versions.
Totm natural pads
From £2.95 for 10 pads at Totm
The ingredients are clearly listed on the website so you don’t have to search: organic cotton cover, FSC-certified wood pulp core, compostable biofilm backing and non-toxic adhesive; they’re free from fragrance, dyes and artificial absorbents. Each pad is wrapped in compostable biofilm. Like the Natracare pads, these are also compostable under the right conditions or can degrade in landfill. I’d recommend the “super” for medium to heavy flow, and “medium” for lighter flows. Both felt soft to the skin and were comfortable to wear.
Natracare organic regular cotton tampons with applicator, 16 pack
£3.23 at Bodykind£3.59 at Victoria Health
Made from organic cotton and free from chemicals, these tampons come packaged in paper, not the usual plastic wrapping of traditional tampons. I thought the biodegradable cardboard applicator would be uncomfortable, but it’s smooth enough to work as easily as a plastic one.
Totm organic applicator regular tampons, 16 pack
£3.40 at Totm
Similar to Natracare tampons – organic cotton, no chemicals, cardboard applicator and paper wrappers – Totm tampons are comfortable to wear and relatively easy to use. If you’re used to the super-smooth feel of a plastic tampon, it might take a little getting used to, but after a few times, I stopped noticing the difference. Delivery is free on orders over £15, and a box of 16 regular tampons costs only £3.40 (at the time of writing), so they’re a great budget option.
Fluus flushable medium pads
£2.99 for 10 at Boots£4.75 for 12 at Fluus
We’ve long been told not to flush period products down the toilet, as billions of wet wipes and sanitary pads that contain plastic continue to clog up pipes and pollute our waterways each year. So I was reluctant to do that, even though every part of a Fluus pad, including the adhesive, is made from biodegradable and microplastic-free materials. Once flushed, the pads break down in the water.
The brand does advise against flushing in weak, old plumbing or where signs say not to. And for those reluctant to flush them down the toilet, they can also be placed in the bin. I found them soft and comfortable, but they currently only come in a medium size, so I use them on my lighter days.
Daye Nude tampons
From £6.36 for 12 at DayeFrom £8.54 for 18 at Amazon
These are made from 100% organic cotton and are free from dyes and pesticides. The easy-to-use, super-smooth applicator is made from a bio-based plastic derived from sugarcane and comes packaged in water-soluble paper wrappers. Raye offers various subscriptions at a discount.
The best reusable period pads
Instead of the sticky strip or wings of disposable pads, reusable cloth versions have poppers to fasten to your underwear. They work like period pants, but are easier to remove and replace when out and about. Over the long term, they’re cost-effective – on average we spend about £130 a year on period products; one reusable pad is about £6 and can last about five years (though you will obviously need several on the go as you wait for washed pads to dry).
The two options below must be line dried (no tumble dryers); they took anything from several hours to overnight to dry, depending on air temperature.
Beware of antimicrobials such as silver – these chemicals are sometimes added to products to control odour but can have health implications. The options below are free from harmful antimicrobials.
Wuka reusable period pads
From £15.99 at Wuka
Wuka’s reusable pads are made from offcuts of Gots-certified organic cotton. The internal layer is made using CoolMax technology, a type of polyester that wicks moisture and helps the pad dry quickly after washing. The pads are easy to use and free from silver, chloride and antibacterial treatments. They feel soft and comfortable, but I needed to change them more regularly on heavier days than I would a pair of period pants. If I wasn’t going out, I would favour pants over pads, but these are great for when you’re not at home. You can buy a small water-resistant bag for storing the used pads when out and about.
Cheeky Wipes organic cotton sanitary pads
£6.49 at Cheeky Wipes
Also free from antimicrobial silver and chemicals, including water-resistant Pfos and PFOA, Cheeky Wipes pads are made from cotton or bamboo, with synthetic layers for absorbency. The regular pad I tried was soft and didn’t chafe, but it felt a little loose around my normal pants, and it was best for lighter-flow days. For regular and heavier days, I found that the pads advertised as “night” suited me better, as they’re longer and more absorbent. A good budget-friendly option.
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The best menstrual cups
Made from medical-grade silicone, menstrual cups collect – rather than absorb – blood. They’re inserted into the vagina and, using suction, sit in the vaginal canal. A single cup costs about £25 and, if well cared for, can last up to 10 years, making it the most sustainable and cost-effective option of all.
But poorly fitted cups can lead to infections, warns Shazia Malik, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Portland hospital in London. “I think it’s great to learn self-examination so you have an idea of where your cervix sits and how long your vagina is, but it can still take trial and error to get the right cup for you,” she says. Malik recommends sterilising a menstrual cup after each use and having at least two on the go.
As a beginner, it was trial and error for me every time. I didn’t find any difference when it came to the insertion and removal of cups from different brands. If you find vaginal insertion uncomfortable, menstrual cups may not be for you.
Ruby Cup
£25.95 at Ruby Cup
I’m not a fan of tampons, so I was apprehensive about trying a menstrual cup. But Ruby Cup’s website is full of helpful information and how-to videos, so after a couple of tries, I managed to insert it. Removal was messier – I did it over the bath – so give yourself a few cycles to get it right. Remember: the stem is not like the string of a tampon. To remove, you need to squeeze the bottom of the cup together to release the suction.
For every cup bought, Ruby Cup donates one to girls across the world without easy access to period products.
Mooncup
£21.15 at Look Fantastic£23.50 at Boots
One of the first menstrual cup brands, Mooncup’s original model comes in two sizes (based on age and whether you’ve had a vaginal birth) and is widely available from chemists and supermarkets. Both Mooncup and Ruby Cup felt slightly more rigid than Lunette (below), but I found little else different between each brand’s menstrual cup. Learning how to insert and remove was the tricky part – regardless of the brand. Mooncup offers plenty of advice online for how to use its products – which I consulted on my phone while in the bathroom.
Lunette
£24.90£24.50 at Amazon
The most beautifully designed period brand, you’ll want to proudly display these cups in your bathroom. Each box comes with a card illustrated by the artist Bea Müller and the definition of a Nordic word with a positive meaning – the brand is trying to remove the taboo around periods.
The pack also comes with detailed practical instructions, and there are videos online. I like that it has a slightly longer stem, as this makes it easier to locate, but equally, the stem shouldn’t be poking out, so make sure that it’s well inserted.
AllMatters
£30 at AllMatters
This is a disc, not a cup, but it works similarly by collecting blood. Discs sit higher up, at the base of the cervix, and don’t rely on suction, so I found it slightly easier to insert. The disc was much softer than the cups, although the rim is larger and more rigid.
But removal was trickier – in hindsight and as a first-timer, I should have tried it at the start or end of my period, not during one of my heavier-flow days. As with menstrual cups, discs take practice and will suit some better than others. But AllMatters offers lots of advice on its website, and the packaging features a QR code to help users get started.
The best period swimwear
Much standard, non-period swimwear is made from fossil fuel-derived fibres such as nylon, polyester and elastane. There are better alternatives made from Econyl (regenerated nylon from discarded fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring and industrial plastic), but I’m yet to find a 100% Econyl period swimsuit that works – none of the swimwear below is made from Econyl. Still, period swimwear can replace single-use tampons and offer an alternative for those who find tampons uncomfortable.
Crucially, it really does work. Water pressure (when submerged) naturally helps to reduce or slow down the amount of menstrual blood leaving the body, but once out of the water, the natural flow resumes. Period swimwear helps by having absorbent and impermeable layers in the gusset.
The gussets are more textured than non-period swimwear, but I didn’t feel any discomfort when wearing the styles below. Snuggs’ suit was particularly soft. All three were tighter than I’d normally choose, but I preferred it that way – it made me feel more secure.
Still, I was sceptical of its performance and had planned to try period swimwear in the bath first, but didn’t get around to it. As a regular swimmer training for a 6km swim, I’d been swimming several times a week. Terrified, I took the plunge at my local pool, looking down the whole time. All clear. This was a revelation.
There are many period swimwear options available, from high-street to specialist brands. The three below are a small sample I tried and recommend as they didn’t leak.
Wuka period racer back swimsuit
From £34.99 at Wuka
I tested Wuka’s simple, black swimsuit with a high leg (more flattering on me), which was ideal for swim training, although Wuka offers other styles and colours. I chose to hand wash after use to better retain its shape, and I was only wearing it for up to an hour at a time, but you can machine wash this style up to 40C, without fabric softener (which can reduce absorbency).
Azure Belle Oasis period swimsuit
£65 at Azure Belle
I’d normally prefer a higher-cut leg, but this costume – with its lower cut – was great for a one-hour training swim during a medium flow. The swimsuit is free from the harmful Pfas and Pfos chemicals, sometimes found in waterproof clothing.
Snuggs briefs
£34 at Snuggs
If you’re more into bikinis and don’t intend to train in a pool for hours, these bikini bottoms are stylish and reliable for lighter-flow days on the beach or at the pool – the bottoms didn’t leak even when I was out of the water. They’re comfortably snug and dry just as quickly as non-period swimwear. You might forget you even have your period.
Ana Santi is an author, journalist and content strategist specialising in sustainability. After struggling to find definitive, climate-friendly solutions to everyday problems, she decided to put experts on the spot and ask them directly for answers, which was turned into a book and published in 2022: Three Things to Help Heal the Planet. When not auditing her wardrobe or making at-home organic facial oils in the name of journalism, Ana is happiest in the water: she completed the 6km river swim in just over 1.5 hours (the tide helped …)