Periods suck. I started mine when I was 12, so have been having them monthly for over three decades now. Menstruation is a messy thing for a body to do and can be frustrating and expensive to keep in check. I tried using one of those reusable washable silicone cups, but the leaks were just too frequent for me to want to continue practicing. Also, it’s a little bulky to keep in your handbag just in case. So, back to tampons and trying to find panty liners that aren’t scented (come on, FFS people, why?!). That’s why I was interested to hear about Freda, an organic, eco-friendly period care range which launches today.
Aimed at modern, health- and socially-conscious women, its tampons are made of 100% certified organic cotton that are biodegradable, hypoallergenic – and free from chemicals and synthetic fibres commonly found in some big brand tampons – whilst their pads contain 100% eco-friendly, biodegradable materials. Freda is on a mission to break down taboos and stigma by normalising conversation around periods. The company has been created for women by women – and they give back to women as a portion of every Freda purchase is donated to initiatives worldwide tackling period poverty.
“From transparency to responsibility to access, the whole femcare space needs rebooting. And Freda is here to reboot it”, says Freda founder Affi Parvizi-Wayne who started the company after seeing refugees stuck at European border crossings on the news and wondering how they managed their periods. “We want to talk openly about the subject without patronising women or telling them how to live their periods. We want to embrace how we experience periods and start recognising them as a sign of a healthy woman”.
Freda is an online subscription service, but, as everyone’s cycle is different, it allows you to select your own combination of products and absorbencies. You can use the service to predict your start date, and the online tracker allows you to ensure your delivery of Freda products arrives a few days before your period starts. Individually wrapped in bio-film, Freda tampons and pads contain no dyes, fragrances, deodorants or any polymer-based absorbents found in some big brand period products – and are hypoallergenic for sensitive skin and improved protection.
As many women already know, perfumed products are not good for vaginas, so stop using those scented sanitary towels and give Freda a try. Your body will thank you and, because the wrappers are biodegradable, so will the planet.
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