Menstrual products have been getting a major makeover in recent years, with products becoming more eco-friendly, body positive, and more efficiently designed than ever before — and now, new company is hoping to make a big splash (pun intended) in helping you manage you period in these ways and more. Called Conscious Period, they're using a one-for-one model to provide access to menstrual products for every woman who needs them. "[We're] embarking on a mission to make healthy period products available to all women, with a 100 percent organic cotton tampon with plastic applicator and a dual giving model that provides organic cotton pads to women in need," a company representative tells Bustle in a statement. Their Indiegogo campaign launched today, and it's definitely a cause worth supporting.
Conscious was founded by Margo Lang, a former TOMS employee, and Annie Lascoe. Both women (pictured below) were concerned about the safety of commercial tampons; they also wanted to create a positive impact in the world. The dynamic duo teamed up to create the brand and have been going strong ever since to realize their mission of social entrepreneurship.
The products they offer are organic, BPA free, and best of all, work on a one-for-one giving model. This means that for every purchase of a box of Conscious tampons, they'll give a box of biodegradable pads to a woman in need. Although this idea sounds both amazing and an obvious way to make the world better, they're actually the first menstrual product company in the United States to implement such a giving policy.
Many women in the United States don't have access to tampons or pads, due in part thanks to the feminization of poverty and the taxes placed on menstrual products. Menstrual products are not covered by welfare or government assistance programs like food stamps; moreover, they're actually considered a "luxury product" in most states — which means that not only are they unnecessarily expensive for every woman, but worse, they're increasingly out of reach for low income women. As Conscious puts it, "Millions of women face tough choices about period products every month," which could mean having to choose between eating that night or being able to manage their period.
The company's Indiegogo goal of $30,000 will cover costs for the first batch of 140,000 pads. Eventually, the company hopes to partner with homeless shelters and other nonprofits to create jobs for women in the communities they serve.
You can preorder your tampons via the Indiegogo fundraiser, which raised over $7,000 in its first six hours on the site. Since their tampons are 100 percent organic and not filled with harsh chemicals, you can be sure that you're getting a high-quality product while also supporting women in need. This menstrual product disparity along class lines is devastating — but Conscious is a way to make a solid change. "Together, we can give all menstruating women access to period products that are health conscious, eco conscious, and socially conscious," they write — and I couldn't agree more.
Images: Courtesy of Conscious Periods
