Why Cloth?

Our Organic Cloth Pads and Liners are the best, most comfortable option for you, the clean choice for the planet and are more cost effective than disposable options!

Comfortable

This is our number one, every day reason to switch. Organic cloth pads and liners are simply more comfortable than disposable options. Women don’t need a medical product for a completely normal process.  We need healthy, comfortable solutions.

Bluebird Pads:

  • are soft and breathable.
  • do not itch.
  • do not feel sweaty.
  • do not create unnecessary, unpleasant odours.
  • do not have a sticky backing to deal with.
  • do not make crinkly sounds when you walk.
  • do not contain latex.

You don’t like them, so you say. Try them, try them and you may! Try them and you may I say.
– 
Dr. Suess

Healthy

There are many reasons women believe cloth pads are a better choice. Here are a few possibilities.

Undisclosed or unhealthy ingredients.
Disposable menstrual products don’t always have ingredients listed on the label, but this is a range of likely ingredients.

  • Synthetic fibers, rayon, plastic, cotton and wood pulp;
  • BPA, DEHP and BPS (industrial chemicals used in processing certain plastics);
  • Phthalates (chemicals used in manufacturing plastic to make it softer and more flexible);
  • Synthetic fragrances and odour neutralizers; and
  • Bleach, dioxins, pesticide and herbicide residue.

Airflow and Breathability.
Plastic in disposables may decrease airflow and trap heat and moisture, which may encourage the growth of bacteria and increase risk of infection.

Skin is absorbent.
The area in and around the vagina is especially absorbent due to the fact it is thinner and more vascular than other areas. What products we choose to use in that delicate area may impact our overall well being.

Bluebird Pads are a fantastic alternative. The materials we use in our pads and liners are eco-friendly, organic, ethically sourced and certified.  Our pads are healthy. Period. For the cotton farmer. For the mill workers. For the earth. For you.

Clean

Not only are Bluebird Pads a healthy option for you, they are a great choice for the planet as well! Switching to Bluebird Pads reduces associated landfill waste and the use of pesticides (used in traditional cotton farming) and chemicals (used in manufacturing disposables).

Lifetime of Cotton in Landfill 2 years
Lifetime of Disposable Pads in Landfill 500 years

Imagine This Scenario

Fact: In one year, Canadian women purchased 62.58 million packages of sanitary protection products.*2

If only 50% of the products purchased were disposable pads (the remaining are disposable tampons, menstrual cups and other alternatives), this is what the waste looks like:

One Woman's Lifetime Waste

Annual Canadian Waste

Disposable Feminine Hygiene Garbage Per Year

Cost Effective

Not only are Bluebird Pads & Liners comfy and healthy, they will save you money in the long run.  Do you know how much you spend on your products?  Here are a couple of examples showing what women who use disposables may spend.

Example – U by Kotex Disposable Pads:

Kotex recommends changing pads every 3-4 hours. A pack of U by Kotex with wings costs $7.99 for 36 items and U by Kotex Nite costs $4.49 for 14 (that is $.22 and $.32 per item respectively). If a woman changes her pad about every 3 hours during the day she would use 5 daytime pads. She would then put on a U by Kotex Nite and wear it for the other 8 hours. That usage would cost her $1.42 per day for her 5 day cycle. She has a period every 28 days, with 13 cycles each year. Using U by Kotex costs a total of $92.30 per year.

Example – Natracare Organic Cotton Maxi pads:

Natracare Organic Cotton Maxi pads cost $5.49 for a package of 14 or .39 each. Natracare Night Time pads cost $5.99 for a pack of 10 or $.59/each. If a woman changes her pad approximately every 3 hours, she will use 5 pads during the day and one nighttime pad each night. At that rate, she will use $2.54 per day for 5 days each cycle. She has a period every 28 days, so has 13 cycles each year. Using Natracare Organic Cotton pads will cost $165.10 in one year.

Bluebird Classic Essentials Kit: (2 Petite, 4 Classic, 1 Super Day, 1 Super Night)
Cost: $150.99

Unlike disposables that are used once and thrown away, Bluebird Pads are crafted to be washed and reused over and over again for years! Bluebird pads are handmade in Canada with only the best, organic fabrics and are made to last.

Here is what our suppliers say about the fabrics chosen for Blushing Bluebird Essentials Cloth Pads & Liners:

Organic Cotton (top layer, bottom layer & core):
With proper care, organic cotton will actually last longer than traditional cotton because it has not been subjected to chemicals such as formaldehyde and metals that inevitably alter the quality of the cotton.

Waterproof Layer:
Quality, breathable, eco-friendly Polyester/Polyurethane beats generic PUL in the market with a duty cycle of 300+ washings.

 

 

Sources/Details:

http://www.thechicecologist.com/2010/04/the-environmental-impact-of-everyday-things/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/483974/sales-volume-of-sanitary-protection-products-canada/
http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/menstruation.html
http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/menstruation.html
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/demo10a-eng.htm
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2015/05/28/feds-scrap-tampon-tax
https://www.statista.com/statistics/483974/sales-volume-of-sanitary-protection-products-canada/