How Are Reusable Period Products Sustainable?

When you think about sustainability, you might picture reusable shopping bags, metal straws, or riding a bike to work. But have you ever thought about how your period products fit into that equation? Disposable period products, like pads and tampons, can have a significant negative impact on the environment. But they don’t have to! Reusable period products like menstrual cups, menstrual discs, and period underwear are a game-changer, and here’s why.

Learn: how to insert a menstrual cup

The Environmental Impact of Single-Use Period Products

The average menstruating person will use around 11,000 disposable pads or tampons in their lifetime. These products not only take years to decompose, but their production also consumes enormous resources. Saalt period cups and menstrual discs, with proper care, can last up to 10 years, making a huge difference! 

And let’s not forget about the plastic—most pads and tampons are made with or wrapped in plastic, which ends up in our landfills, oceans, and ecosystems. To put things into perspective, using just one reusable period product can save thousands of disposables from our landfills. 

Learn: how to insert a menstrual disc

Reusable Period Product Options

Switching to reusable period products like Saalt’s menstrual cups, discs, and period pants is one small change with a big impact. Each reusable menstrual disc or cup or pair of leakproof underwear can be used for years, meaning fewer trips to the store and fewer items in the trash. 

But that’s not all—here’s how each of our products contributes to a greener, more sustainable planet:

Learn: menstrual cup vs. disc

Period Cups & Period Discs

Made from 100% medical-grade silicone, Saalt’s reusable menstrual cups and discs are durable, safe, and completely reusable. As mentioned above, your period cup and disc can replace thousands of tampons and pads with the bonus that silicone is much more environmentally friendly to produce than plastic. It’s non-toxic, doesn’t degrade into harmful microplastics, and lasts a long time without breaking down.

Period Underwear 

Saalt’s period panties are designed to be absorbent, leakproof, and reusable, but how does leakproof panties work? Unlike disposable pads, which take up space in landfills, period underwear is machine-washable and can last well over a year. By investing in a few pairs, you’re significantly reducing your monthly waste. We have various absorbencies so that you can wear your period underwear throughout your cycle. Check out our different absorbances here. 

Learn: what is period underwear

Saalt is a Certified B Corp 

What’s a B Corp and how does it help us and other B Corp companies with sustainability? A Certified B Corp is a for-profit corporation that has been certified by B Lab, which is a non-profit company that measures a company's social and environmental performance against the standards in the online B Impact Assessment. It’s a way to hold companies and those with whom a company does business with accountable for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance. 20 billion menstrual products are disposed of annually in the United States alone. At Saalt, our goal is to lower that number as much as we can while supporting our staff, donating to causes, and advocating the end period poverty. 

Here are some ways Saalt as aided in sustainability: 

• Saalt has donated over 104,000 products 
• Saalt gives back 1% of revenue to helping end period poverty 
• Reducing shipping waste by using recycled materials or by sending replacement cups and discs in cloth bags. 

Better for Your Body, Better for the Planet

Besides the environmental benefits, our reusable products are also better for your body. Saalt’s products are free from chemicals like BPA, latex, and toxins, and are FDA-registered and compliant. 

Supporting a Global Movement

By choosing Saalt, you’re not just buying a product—you’re joining a global movement toward sustainable periods. Choosing reusable period products is one of the easiest ways you can contribute to sustainability. You don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle or make extreme changes—just start with your period. By making this one simple switch, you’re helping create a cleaner, greener world for future generations.

In the end, a sustainable period isn’t just good for the planet—it’s good for you, too. From reducing waste to saving money to supporting your overall health, reusable period products offer benefits that last far beyond your cycle. 

If you’re not sure which product is right for you, take our Saalt cup and disc quiz for 10% off your first purchase.