An Origin Story

We know the history of humankind. The wars, the conquests and everything in
between. We’ve all heard and read of many great men, few great women and the
rest. Why is this so? Because for a long time, the pen (or the quill, if you will), was held captive by men. What we know of our past is something narrated to us by the male gaze, a universal paradigm in patriarchy. This explains the ill-explored history of menstruation.

Menstrual products throughout history were constantly evolving. Initially, women
used to scrap together rags of cotton to bleed on. This is where the term ‘on the
rag’ comes from. These were reusable products, which had to be repeatedly
washed, dried and used. Imagine a time when you had to stick a cloth down there and ensure it remains clean and germ-free!

After this, women used sanitary belts. This structure was meant to hold the
reusable pad in place. However, it was not efficient, and would result in a lot of
leakage. It was as uncomfortable as it sounds: a belt looping around your waist and holding up a reusable pad (which is uncomfortable in itself) which you have to constantly change.

The basic structure of tampons and pads came around in the 1900s, saving women from wasted effort and uncomfortable menstruation. But as the products we use evolve, the ecological importance of reusable pads is becoming increasingly important. Sanitary waste, which we’ll touch upon later, falls under the bracket of single-use plastics. A reusable alternative which also works could do wonders for global waste

A menstrual cup is a silicon structure which collects menstrual blood. Since it
collects a lot more liquid than other period products and is also reusable, it saves a lot of unnecessary waste.

Even though we’re in an era of change and technology, the science behind period
products hasn’t evolved. Research and action in sustainable and compostable
period products is the need of the hour. Today, the idea of the sanitary belt or rags may seem incredulous to us modern women. We often take the ease with which we menstruate for granted. Such lessons are both interesting and eye-opening.