‘Everyone just hates tampons. They hurt and they’re not cool’: Lali, 19, from Hamilton
Of the six teens, only one said she used tampons regularly and paired them with menstrual underwear during her heavier days. But even then, she uses tampons with caution.
The tampon is on the decline as a new generation of heritage products offers individuals more choice. Photo / RNZ
‘I personally don’t worry about the feeling of (tampons), but it’s the thought of the chemicals that are in the tampon and whatever goes into your body’: Maia, 19, from Hamilton
Maia referred to research this year found toxic metals such as lead and arsenic in some major tampon brands. She now only uses organic tampon brands such as Toms.
But teens in the focus group haven’t exactly adopted the new alternative: menstrual cups. These are reusable silicone cups that are inserted into the vagina and collect the blood. Menstrual cups can be used during exercise and swimming. One menstrual cup contains as much blood as two or three regular tampons. Only one teen in the group said she used one regularly.
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‘I don’t think anyone has ever suggested menstrual cups. I think my mother did that once, but it freaked me out a bit. I was 15 or 16 and I was like, ‘What?’ I was so confused at first. She told me a bit about how it worked, but I wasn’t interested’: Maia, 19, from Hamilton
13-year-old Eleanor from Auckland was the only one in the group who received periodic education at school before her first period. Tampons and sanitary pads were suggested as the only options, even though period underwear and menstrual cups were sold in regular supermarkets at the time.
‘I normally use sanitary pads or menstrual underwear because I don’t really like tampons. They make me feel uncomfortable. If I have to swim and have my period, I normally just miss it, which is a shame because I really enjoy swimming. I haven’t tried anything else’: Eleanor, 13, from Auckland
Five of the six teens in the focus group said they regularly used menstrual underwear, which has absorbent padding and a waterproof lining.
Period underwear has been on the market for over a decade. Manufacturers claim that one pair can have an absorbency equivalent to three to five sanitary pads before being rinsed and thrown in the washing machine to fight another day.
When asked about her favorite menstrual product, 13-year-old Jane from Wellington said menstrual underwear was easier to use and more sustainable.
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Period underwear has been on the market for over a decade. Photo / RNZ
“It’s definitely a period underwear thing because I just don’t have to worry about it that much. It’s not that stressful and you can wash them which is really great because I care about the environment’: Jane, 13, from Wellington
Despite the popularity of heritage underwear in the focus group, sales of heritage underwear have remained stable, according to Woolworths. A spokesperson cited the barrier of the higher upfront cost of purchasing numerous period underwear, each costing about $30. Multiple pairs may be needed to cover your entire cycle.
‘When you’re struggling financially, you often opt for the free menstrual products at school… I just wore standard sanitary pads because they’re the most accessible’: Lali, 19, from Hamilton
About 12% of New Zealand students from years 9-13 have difficulty accessing menstrual products because of the cost, according to the Youth19 Survey. Nearly 100,000 girls say they miss school because they can’t always afford menstrual products. Māori and Pasifika students are often hit hardest when it comes to period poverty.
Pads remain the best-selling period product at Foodstuffs, the parent company of Pak’nSave and New World. Woolworths sees the highest sales growth for sanitary towels. Affordability is one reason, as is new technology that allows sanitary pads to be made thinner and more absorbent, a Woolworths spokesperson said.
‘I’ve only tried sanitary pads and menstrual underwear. I prefer sanitary towels because they are very convenient’: Tulsi, 13, from Auckland
Endo Warriors Aotearoa is a Wellington-based organization that provides periodic education and free menstrual products. Often teens don’t understand how menstrual underwear works, but once they do, they want to use it – if they can afford it or get it for free.
“When we hand out items, teens always choose period underwear,” said Endo Warriors spokeswoman Yessinia Sandoval.
And some parents learned how to use this new generation of historic products from their teenage years.
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“My mom said, ‘I’m going to buy some period underwear because that seems to work for you.’ It seems to be the more sustainable option,” says Jane from Wellington.
“It’s cool, but it’s also embarrassing when we soak them in a bucket and our period underwear gets mixed up, which is quite a pain.”
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