Young people’s voices are loud when it comes to climate action so it’s no surprise that more and more young people are looking to ditch disposable period products like pads and tampons for more sustainable options. 

To help get reusable period underwear into the hands of young people, the UK Government has turned to leading absorbent apparel brand, Modibodi.

The new partnership will see 22,000 state funded schools and 16 educational organisations across the UK given access to ModiBodi’s game-changing period underwear.

The program is set to be a cycle breaker on period poverty among teenage girls and young people who menstruate, while also reforming students’ relationship with single-use, disposable sanitary products.

“This program will help to ensure all students can manage their period in a confident, healthy and sustainable manner,” Modibodi’s Head of Sustainability, Sarah Forde, said.

“We hear from our young people that sustainability is important to them, and they are worried about the damage of disposable products on the environment.”

Founder of Modibodi, Kristy Chong, first developed the period and leak proof underwear brand back in 2014, revolutionising how we think about periods, incontinence, and women’s bodily functions.

Sustainability was also top of mind for Chong, who knew there had to be a better solution beyond single-use sanitary products.

“When I created this brand, I wanted to give people a very simple solution,” Chong says. “Often the sustainability world is complex but with our undies you just need to wear them, rinse, wash, hang them to dry and repeat. It’s not that hard.”

Modibodi has never been afraid to push boundaries, producing thought-provoking advertising showing uncensored menstrual blood, and advocating for improved awareness of what happens to our bodies after childbirth and during menstruation.

The partnership with the UK government comes after jurisdictions around the world, including here in Australia, have introduced free single-use period products like pads and tampons, in schools.

How sustainable is reusable period underwear?
Very sustainable! They produce up to 60 per cent fewer carbon emissions than equivalent pads and tampons, and they reduce waste.

Designed to be a complete replacement for single-use, plastic disposables, Modibodi’s moderate-heavy absorbency underwear can hold 15ml of fluid which is the equivalent of 2-3 tampons.

Reusable underwear can replace about 432 disposable products each year, per person. In a lifetime, this comes out to 15,000 disposable period products staying out of landfill. That’s massive!

Offsetting the rising cost of living
On top of being good for the planet, reusable underwear is also cheaper than having to continually buy pads and tampons every month. As the cost-of-living rises around the world, it can make a noticeable difference in your monthly shopping budget.

Period poverty is a big issue, with young people often going without period products when they need them. Research says about 25 per cent of girls in the UK have reported having to “make do without period products during their period” and that 1 in 9 girls missed school or college because they could not afford period products. 

Reusable period underwear can help remove the stress of finding space in the budget for disposable products. 

Accessible to all
Modibodi’s Shared Value Program is also aiming to make period underwear accessible to all students who menstruate and ensure menstruation doesn’t affect students’ ability to get a quality education.

It’s central to the program that all students can manage their period in a confident, healthy and sustainable manner.

According to Forde, feedback from students is already showing that access to reusable period underwear is increasing participation in extracurricular activities and sport.

And students with periods seemingly prefer to use the absorbent underwear with it being more comfortable.

“Time and time again we hear from learners who menstruate, including students with disabilities, those with Menorrhagia (heavy bleeding) and other gynaecological conditions, that they prefer reusable absorbent underwear,” she says.