Mondays... Lil-lets... Tampax... Kotex... O.B.... Natracare...
Different brands, packaging and messaging for sure. But how different can the tampons be? VERY is the answer!
The tampon is not a new invention (like the menstrual cup it was invented in the 1930’s) and has proven to be, for many, easy to use and convenient, especially for sports. Most important are that they are reliable and safe.
Take the time to find out the differences
Many of us to watch what we are eating, surely it also makes sense to find out what we are put in our bodies every time we have our period!
With all of the THREE SECONDS we spend in the Femcare aisle of a supermarket - yes just 3 seconds versus the average of 20 seconds in the pasta aisle - it is a confusing choice with many different options and many of us grab what we always take, without the thought that is needed.
Mondays differ to most mainstream brands
Mondays tampons are made of 100% organic cotton, just the ONE ingredient. This is not, unfortunately, the case for the majority of mainstream femcare brands:
| COMPONENTS | Mondays | Majority of Brands found and sold in supermarkets today |
| Absorbant Core: The main body of the tampon which absorbs and holds your blood | 100% Organic Cotton | Rayon (derived from wood pulp uses toxic chemicals to process) or Viscose (regenerated cellulose from trees) |
| Veil: thin layer covers the core, for maximum absorption without losing fibres | 100% Organic Cotton | Mixture of polyester / polyethylene |
| String: helps remove the tampon | 100% Organic Cotton (for extra security it's sewn into the core) | Polyester and/or cotton (often glued into the core) |
Mondays tampons are free of dyes, perfumes, bleach and chemicals. None of us would ever consider eating any of these substances but often the period products we use contain them. Phrases like ‘soft like cotton’ do not actually mean the products are ‘made with cotton’ or contain ANY cotton.
| PACKAGING | Mondays | Majority of Brands found and sold in supermarkets today |
| Applicator: for a smooth and guided insertion | Cardboard (with a rounded tip and a little security mechanism, twist to unlock) | Plastic |
| Wrapping: individually wrapped tampons offer security of hygiene | Paper | Plastic |
Mondays cardboard applicators are super smooth, they have a set of little ridges on the outside for an easy grip to insert the tampon. They are biodegradable unlike the common plastic applicators that can last over 450 years if left in the environment. Did you know the fifth most found item on the beach are period products!
11’000 plastic applicators (we use about 11,000 period products on average in a life-time) are the equal to 5,500 plastic bags! So using cardboard applicators instead of plastic ones will make a huge difference to our planet.
Regular Tampons are perfect for light to medium flow
Tampons should be selected carefully. Take care to always choose the right tampon for your flow. If you use a tampon that is too high an absorbency you risk forgetting to change it regularly enough. This can be dangerous.
Leaving a tampon in for too long a time is associated with an increased risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). TSS is a rare but potentially life-threatening infection resulting from the accumulation in the body of toxins produced by certain bacteria.
You should change your tampon every 4 - 6 hours, it should be easy to remove and not leave your vagina dry. If it is dry, the absorbancy of the tampon you are using is too high for your blood flow.
So for your lighter to medium flow days select a Mondays blush coloured, 2 drop regular tampon.
Just like all regular tampons on the market with 2 drop absorbency, a Mondays blush tampon will absorb up to 8g of fluid.
We opted for applicator tampons as opposed to digital tampons at Mondays because we were unable to source digital (or non-applicator or naked) tampons that were wrapped in anything other than plastic. Being committed to #plasticfreeperiods - tampons wrapped in plastic are simply not an option for us.
Make the switch to a product that is better for you and better for the planet! Set up your Mondays Bespoke Box subscription for your own mix of organic cotton tampons (and pads) delivered on a regular basis or simply buy our unique Tampon Kit a mix of regular and super tampons, just the once, or have it delivered every 4 to 8 weeks.
If you love your Mondays Box of tampons we are delighted to receive feedback, or see posts / stories on Instagram (be sure to tag us @organicmondays) but the best compliment of all is when you recommend Mondays to your friends!