3000 days. That’s how many days on average a woman will menstruate in her lifetime. And if using tampons or pads, that equates to roughly 12,000 of these in the bin. The majority of sanitary products sold in Australia contain plastic, adding up to 120kg of waste per person sitting in landfill or floating in the ocean. Plastic period waste washes up on beaches all over the word as shown in these Instagram posts by @dingdongzippy and @dunnkati
There’s a groundswell of concern across the globe that’s resulted in a push for ‘environmenstrual’ alternatives. My Nickerbot is a Gold Coast based company that offers a range of period underwear as an alternative to disposable period products. I chatted with co-founder Nicolette to find out more about My Nickerbot period proof underwear.
Describe My Nickerbot in a sentence. Mynickerbot makes having a period super easy, waste and worry free.
How did My Nickerbot come about? Mynickerbot came about with my huge background in the healthcare industry and realising how much sanitary waste us women generate each month and how it all ends up in land fill. It is both unhygienic but also a terrible situation that just mounts up month after month all over the world! I also had a real horror story with my first period involving a waterslide, a major theme park and my end of year 7 break up party! My second one was at school camp. I now have 2 tween daughters. Say no more!!! Ha Ha!
How do they work? They work with special inbuilt hidden tech we call “ NO FREAK TECHNOLOGY” It is basically 3 layers that each play a part. The top layer wicks moisture away keeping you feeling dry and inhibits odours, the second layer absorbs the fluid and the bottom layer is the thin membrane that keeps you dry and protects your clothes, sheets etc.
Why should women make the switch to period pants? Women should most certainly try them out or switch all together as it makes life so much easier! How many times have you gone out only to forget your tampons or pads and have been stuck either jamming toilet paper in your knickers or asking a complete stranger for a tampon? This way you never have to worry about packing extra supplies into your already full purse! They are also so easy and comfy to wear. Then the whole waste issue is something that you will really notice. How much waste there is in each period cycle ?! Most women will use around 12,000 pads or tampons etc in a lifetime so this switch alone will remove so much from landfill. Then there is the waste that even someone who is not “green” will notice. It is not having to throw your pads or tampons into a bin in a public toilet where either everyone can see you or you have to touch one of those sanitary waste bins! Oh so much easier I wish I had these so many years ago!
What sets My Nickerbot apart from other period pants? Mynickerbot is a young brand aiming mostly for a young audience but as we have grown we have found lots of mums and Aunties and big sisters or cool friends have found us too. We are evolving and have new stock on its way too! We have 2 ranges. One is GOTS certified organic and we were early, if not the first, to have an organic brand of period pants here in Australia. Then we have a sporty range for active days or for all night wear.
How do you wash them? Washing them is easy. Just rinse them out in cool water then throw in the wash with your usual same coloured wash. If you want you can hand wash them too. Don’t bleach and DO NOT tumble dry. Hang dry on the line in the sun, preferably with stainless steel pegs!
Period waste statistics source: ABC News: https://www.abc.net.au/life/how-to-have-plastic-free-periods/11794212
Find out more about the #endperiodplastic campaign: http://elladaish.com/index.htmlhttps://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/endperiodplastic/
