Thank you Lunapads
for providing me with products to review, free of charge.
These are my own honest opinions.

* This review contains information about periods and menstrual products. I hope you keep reading and find the information that I share with you helpful. *

I’ve always looked for green products. From clothes to cleaning products and everything in between, it just makes more sense to be to look for eco-friendly alternatives. Since becoming a mom, this urge has become even stronger because I see no valid reason to expose my daughter to chemical-filled products and products that are harmful for us or the environment when there are safe options available.

We went the cloth diaper route, we got rid of all non-natural cleaning products, we don’t use plastic bags either for groceries or for lunches anymore. I know there are still many small changes to implement but I feel we’re slowly getting there.

Strangely though, there was one type of green products that I’ve known for a while that I didn’t make the change to right away, namely reusable cloth pads such as the ones you can find at Lunapads. Why? I’m not really sure myself.

It’s not that I really get grossed out by that sort of thing. I mean, I’ve been dealing with cloth diapers for over 18 months now, so I think I can deal with a little menstrual blood. I think even if you’re not used to that, most women would get over the gross factor quickly. Also, many people who use cloth pads report their periods are shorter and lighter than they are when they used disposable pads so dealing with soiled pads might not be as yucky as you’d think.

It’s not that I mind the cleaning, because I know it’s a pretty straight forward cleaning procedure and again, I’ve been dealing with the washing routine of cloth diapers for a while now. It’s not like one more thing to wash was going to be a big deal. In fact, Lunapads are quite easy to care for. The pads and liners can be hand washed or machine washed in any temperature with your regular detergent. It is recommended that you pre-soak or rinse your pads in cold water prior to washing as this will help with stain removal. They can can air dried or machine dried. You shouldn’t use chlorine bleach nor fabric softener as they will damage your pads and make them less efficient (meaning less absorbent). I want to mention that you might notice some discoloration of your pads over time which is related to your body secretions’ PH level. Rest assured, it won’t affect the effectiveness of your pads in any way though.

It’s not that I don’t like to wear pads. I’m actually the other way around: I don’t like wearing tampons. I find them uncomfortable and the thought of having synthetic fibers inside me really irks me. There is the risk of toxic shock syndrome, bacterial infections, and all kinds of nasty problems that can be caused by tampons. So I always use pads anyways.

It’s not that I like having to buy disposable menstrual pads. Really, it’s more annoying than anything to have to make sure you have enough, have the right kind for different days during your cycle, etc. Plus, it’s a total waste of money in my opinion since Lunapads will last for years whereas disposable pads will be used for only a few hours. Even if cloth pads are more expensive at first, they really end up paying for themselves.

It’s not that I don’t care about the environment because I really do. I guess I just got in the habit of using disposable pads because that’s what everybody does and that’s what’s supposed to be most convenient. However, when you compare the environmental impact of cloth versus disposable diapers, there’s really nothing good about disposables. They are single use products, made of synthetic materials, and take hundreds of years to decompose! Even the plastic wrapping that is used to package them individually and used to throw them out has nothing green about it.

Frankly, when I started thinking about it, I couldn’t think of one good reason not to switch to washable reusable cloth pads exclusively. Can you?

Lunapads offers many menstrual products, including pantyliners, pads, liners, underwear, the Diva Cup as well as laundry products, body care products, etc. Their products are designed, tested, and used by women so you can be certain that their products work. Their pads come in 6 different sizes and they also have 4 sizes of pantyliners. They have many fabric choices and also offer organic cotton pads. The core and liners are made of 100% cotton fleece which is a soft and absorbent fabric. Not only are their products effective but they are also uniquely designed.

For example, contrary to most cloth pads, the liner is placed on top of the pad, not inside. The liner is held in place thanks to 2 strips of ribbon. It means you can easily change the liner without changing the pad (unless it is soaked). How is that a good thing? The fact that you only change the liner means you only need a few pads (typically one per day should be enough) and more liners: fewer items to purchase and fewer items to wash!

What’s been my experience with Lunapads products so far? For this review, I received a mini pantyliner and a maxi pad, both in the Funky Trunks print. Since I am pregnant at the moment, I don’t use them for my period but I use them for daily discharge and light incontinence (sneezing and laughing while pregnant just aren’t the same if you know what I mean!) Both products are held securely in place with snaps (fleece panel toward your body, print fabric against your underwear).

The mini pantyliner is the thinnest of Lunapads option and the most breathable (unlike pads, it doesn’t have a layer of nylon). The pantyliner doesn’t come with an insert and doesn’t have ribbons to hold one in place. It is meant to be used on its own for days of light flow or spotting, light incontinence, or daily discharge. It measures approximately 8 inches by 2.5 inches when fastened which is longer than other cloth pantyliners I’ve seen. I don’t find I personally need the extra length at the moment but since I don’t feel that I’m wearing it at all, it doesn’t really matter and I’m sure I’ll be glad to have extra coverage when I use it for my period.

The maxi pad comes with an insert. It measures 10 inches by 2.5 inches when fastened. It is designed for light to average flow. I was a little wary of the ribbons at first because I thought they might be uncomfortable or itchy but this hasn’t been the case. I actually don’t feel them at all and they do keep the insert securely in place. I like that you can easily customize the absorbency you need by stacking liners (extra liners can be purchased separately if needed). This pad has a thin layer of breathable nylon to prevent soaking through and you can also get wing liners to add lateral protection against leaks.

I have to say I’m really impressed with the overall feel of Lunapads cloth pads. I actually don’t even feel like I’m wearing anything other than soft underwear. It is really nice to have found products that don’t stick to my skin, nor get all bunched up like disposable pads do. I also like their unique design. I find them quite easy to use, even on the go. I just bring a small wetbag (fabric bag with a waterproof lining) with me to store wet/soiled pads and inserts. For extra safety, I roll up the top of the bag where the zipper is to make sure there are no leaks and no odor. It works like a charm!

As crazy as it might sound, I am looking forward to having my period again once Baby no.2 comes along and I see it as a totally different, more positive experience.

I cannot end this review before telling you about the Pads4Girls initiative. Through Pads4Girls, Lunapads has been providing girls and women in developing nations with cloth pads and underwear so that they can attend school or work during their period (menstrual products are very difficult to obtain or too expensive). Since 2001, around 100,000 women were helped mostly in Africa and Central/South America. They are also partenering with AFRIpads to support local employment of women in Uganda. When you purchase an item identified with the ‘One4Her’ logo, Lunapads will support the production of a pad by women in Uganda which will then be donated to girls in schools.

Buy It: Head over to Lunapads to see for yourself the selection of eco-positive menstrual products they offer. Orders over $75 ship free within Canada or to the United States! Lunapads is also offering Emily Reviews’ readers a special coupon code to get 15% off their orders over $35. Simply use the code BLOG15 during checkout. The coupon code is valid until August 31st 2013.

Connect: Don’t forget to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Pinterest, and subscribe to their YouTube channel for all the latest news and promotions. Lunapads also offers amazing customer service. They are available to answer any of your questions and they are really knowledgeable with anything to do with their products. Use the ‘Chat Online’ feature (at the very top of the website) or leave an offline message and they’ll quickly get back to you.

Rachel