As consumers, we are becoming more label-conscious and savvy than ever. Many people are no longer happy to eat mass-produced, e-number & pesticide-laden food, or slather on any old toiletries that may be loaded with animal-based ingredients, petrochemicals, and synthetic perfumes, all of which can be harmful to our health and to the environment.
But how many of us think about the impact that our monthly use of feminine hygiene products can have?
Most conventional tampons, pads, liners and wipes are laden with plastics, synthetics, chemicals, are chlorine-bleached, and often doused with synthetic perfumes or colours. And those “cotton-soft topsheets” in many cases contain no cotton whatsoever. Studies have shown the use of these materials can cause health issues such as Intimate Irritation (otherwise known as Vulval Allergic Dermatitis), the symptoms of which (soreness, itching, inflammation, etc), are similar to thrush and so women often mistakenly treat it as such, and wonder why it keeps coming back every month.
Synthetic and plastic-filled femcare products also have a massive environmental impact, both in their production (through the use of petroleum-based materials) and in their disposal, of which 45 billion items are dumped per year! Because of the high plastic content incineration can result in potentially toxic releases, but landfill just means they persist in the ground for perhaps centuries.
People are beginning to understand that after years of simply throwing things away, out of sight is not out of mind. The disposable nappy mountain frequently hits the headlines, leading to a surge in demand for washable cloth nappies or biodegradable disposables, but on the same front, many women still feel bound by the old taboos and daren’t discuss their feminine hygiene like they would their choice of babies’ nappies.
Since 1989 Natracare has provided women with a truly natural & organic choice in feminine care products. Every product is totally chlorine free, made with sustainable, renewable materials, and free from plastics & petrochemicals, which means every one is at least 90% biodegradable. There are products to suit everyone; certified organic cotton tampons, natural pads and panty liners that have soft organic cotton top sheets and biodegradable bio-film base layers, and handy organic cotton wipes that contain organic and natural plant extracts and no petrochemicals or parabens.
Because of all this Natracare is recommended by gynaecologists & genitor-urinary consultants across the world, and was named “Ethical Business of the Year 2008” by a panel of judges for the WEBA (Women in Ethical Business Awards), run by Triodos Bank.
Natracare is also the only feminine hygiene brand worldwide to complete an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) which is an independent and accurate assessment of the environmental impact of a product from raw materials to disposal. These trusted figures enable Natracare to offset their actual emissions through work with the Woodland Trust’s Carbon Plus programme.
