In the pursuit of a more Zero Waste lifestyle, I wanted to rid my guilt of disposing panty liners everyday and pads every time it was the Time of the Month. Did you know disposable pads and liners take roughly 500-800 years to decompose? That’s a long time to be sticking around. I wanted an out to a constant dependency on these disposable single use products and discontentment of subpar female hygiene options. I voiced my frustrations with these disposable pads to my sister-in-law and she introduced me to Hannahpads.
What is it?
Hannahpad is a reusable/washable cloth pad. It is made in Korea. It is non-toxic and organic alternative to conventional disposable menstrual products.
Certified organic cotton reusable pads vs. Disposable pads
Conventional disposable menstrual pads are usually made of a combination of plastics, cotton, synthetic fibres, wood pulp and fragrances. The use of plastics, bleaches and moisture absorbing chemicals leads to a few disturbing consequences:
- Plastic lining the disposable pad traps the heat, moisture and air flow which causes a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria growth.
- Disposables use synthetic fibres like rayon. Rayon is a super-absorbent material which will absorb all the blood but it will also absorb all the moisture in your lady parts. This effectively dries out the natural protective mucous lining of your vagina.
- Bleaching chemicals to make the pad white exposes the skin to harmful substances that are carcinogenic.
For the purpose of this review, I will be comparing what I’m used to using (Ultra Thin Disposable Pads) and Hannahpads (Medium, Small and Panty Liner).
Price
Hannahpad
Panty Liner $10.95 AUD
Light Pad $16.45 AUD
Regular Pad $21.95 AUD
Super Pad $27.45 AUD
You can purchase sets which are cheaper and they regularly have discounts for new users. Prices here
Over 2 years for 10 panty liners, 3 Light pads, 3 regular pads = About $250AUD
Seeing that I will be using Hannahpads for more than 2 years, I think this is a clear winner in terms of price.
Normal disposable pads
Panty Liner $4 AUD for a box of 30
Light Pad $4 AUD for packet of 16
Regular Pad $4 AUD for packet of 12
Over 2 years for 24 panty liners boxes, 16 light pad boxes and 16 regular pad boxes = About $224AUD
Winner: Hannahpad
Hannahpad 1 | Disposable Pads 0
Ease of Use
Hannahpad operates like a normal pad but you click the buttons together to secure it to your underpants. However, because it does not have a sticker on the back, it tends to move around if you don’t position it correctly. So I would say, it is more easier to position the normal pads as they have a sticker to prevent them from moving.
Winner: Disposable
Hannahpad 1 | Disposable Pads 1
Life expectancy
Hannahpads claims to last for 2 years, in my experience, I’m certain that it will last longer if I take care of the pads. Compared to normal pads, that only last for 4 hours a time.
Winner: Hannahpad
Hannahpad 2 | Disposable Pads 1
Comfort
Hannahpad is very comfortable and very breathable. The regular pad definitely feels thicker, however, it’s not a show stopper. I use to have issues with breathability which caused rashes and the Hannahpads have solved it for me.
For disposable pads, I found even the cotton disposable pads which are meant to be more breathable than regular synthetic pads, to be not breathable and uncomfortable over a long period of time.
Winner: Hannahpad
Hannahpad 3 | Disposable Pads 1
Practicality
Hannahpads are good for when you are not travelling. You can wash this pad in the comfort of your home and air dry the pad. However, when travelling it is almost impossible to coordinate washing and drying and is just not practical at all for multi-city travelling.
Disposable pads are very practical as you dispose of the pad as you change. However, if there is no bin, you will need to hold onto it. It is definitely much more practical when travelling as you might not stay in a city long enough for the reusable pad to dry.
Winner: Disposable pads
Hannahpad 3 | Disposable Pads 2
Overall
I’ve had the Hannahpad for over 2 years and it’s still going strong! I can imagine another 2 years with these babies. Large investment upfront but it think its paying off in the long run. Shame I can’t bring these during my holidays.
On the other hand, I have never had a good experience with disposable pads. They are not breathable as the plastic lined pad traps moisture and makes the experience very uncomfortable. I’m glad I stopped using these because they were causing an unpleasant time of the moment even more unpleasant. Good riddance!
It is a close win for Hannahpad. For new users, I would definitely recommend using Hannahpads for your period when you are mostly at home or working. I would switch to disposable pads only when travelling. Otherwise, plan your travelling around your period and you won’t have to deal with disposable pads ever!
Ultimate Winner: Hannahpad
The Good
- Love the breathability of these pads
- Good for the environment
- Cute designs
- No disposable waste clogging the landfill
- Air drying
The Bad
- Finding a place to wash the Hannahpads.
- Dealing with the washing.
The Ugly
- Facing the blood. Oh man the bloood…
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