Cloth pad tutorial
Disposable pads and tampons from the supermarket are expensive and, unless they are compostable, end up in the landfill which is not good for Papatūānuku. The blood that symbolises our connection to the Earth Mother, becomes trash! That’s really saying something! There are great alternatives out there, from compostable products to diva/moon cups to reusable ikura knickers. A cheap option is to make your own reusable cloth pads. Here’s how...
Make your own cotton pads from recycled fabrics
What fabrics?
Old towels are great, flannel sheets, old cotton t-shirts (avoid polyester)
How many layers?
Play around with this to see what suits you. Maybe start with two layers of thick towel or 4-6 layers of flannel sheets, another option could be a towel and a t-shirt together.
To avoid the pad getting too bulky, you can add more layers to the central section, where you bleed.
Try making a few with varying layers to start off with, when you find the right number of layers to suit your body - you can make multiple to see you through your cycle.
Video tutorial
Here’s a video that uses a slightly more technical approach, this cloth pad has wings that clip together with snaps. There are many different patterns and tutorials available if you search online, hopefully, one of these suits your skill level and budget.
