The pads themselves look pretty funky, made from what appears to be black towelling with patterned cotton fabric on the reverse, stuffed with a thicker cotton absorbent core. They fasten onto your underwear by means of a single press stud and are pretty simple in design. Mine are quite friendly-looking with their eighties-style patterns that make me think of the spandex ski-pants I had as a child. What's particularly cool is that no two pads will ever really be alike as the manufacturers try to be as eco-friendly as possible; matching complementary colours but trying to reduce waste wherever they are able to do so. Despite this, I'm quite happy that I did get a darker colour combination. Although I am not particularly squeamish when it comes to my own body, it is nice to disguise the inevitable staining that happens over time. However, I wouldn't advise investing in the all-black variation also available, for reasons I'll discuss later.
As expected, the pads are pretty easy to use -- just snap on the press-studs, arrange the pad so that it sits comfortably in your undies, and you're good to go. If you haven't worn pads in a while, it might take a bit of getting used to. I switched to tampons very soon after beginning my period, and have used a Mooncup since 2009 so the bulk of the cotton pad was very pronounced at first. The middle area meant to collect the majority of menstrual fluid is noticeably thicker than the wings, but not uncomfortably so. If you enjoy wearing thin leggings or tights instead of pants, you might need to engage in some wardrobe-facilitated distraction techniques to disguise the shape of the pad through your clothes, but a regular pair of denim jeans will probably conceal the bulge just fine.
In use, the pads work remarkably well. The smaller size lasted a full day without any leaks despite being moderately active on my lighter starting flow, while the larger one gave me 24 hours of use near the tail-end of my period. While the large size is okay during what counts as heavy flow for me, it was at saturation point by the end of that day. Those who want to use cloth pads exclusively need to have a few on hand to switch out for evenings, although naturally those who use birth control that reduces menstrual volume might find a single pad gets them through the heaviest day of their cycle just fine. It's all up to you knowing your body.
But when should you change your pad? As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't recommend getting all-black reusable pads, and my reasoning is purely because it's hard to tell when they are full. The cotton is so absorbent that I didn't immediately feel any noticeable dampness when trying to check saturation status. You can always wait to change them when you start seeing spots in your underwear, but that's not quite the point, is it? Eventually I realised that checking the patterned underside for stains would allow you to see when the pad is close to soaking through, which obviously is impossible when the pad itself is all black despite how chic you might feel.
As for clean-up, it's important to soak the pad in cold water as soon as possible after removal to help prevent staining. I made sure that I would be home most of the time I tested these pads, because I didn't want to shove a bloodsoaked cottony mass into a ziplock baggie in some unfortunate public bathroom only to have to deal with the dried fabric scab when I got home. So while I don't know how well the pads react to being left for a few hours, I can tell you that a swift soak will get rid of pretty much everything. After soaking for a few hours, a good hand-wash is good enough to prep them for their next use (after drying, of course). After my cycle was done, I chucked my pre-washed pads into a protective delicates bag for a round of deep-cleaning in the washing machine, just to make sure. However, I'm fairly certain that soaking and washing by hand is fine so this is up to personal preference.
So, are there any cons to using the Woman-Kind reusable cotton pads? Well, naturally, but it's important to remember that in terms of functionality and ethics they are a clear winner over generic disposable pads. The cotton is gentle on sensitive skin that might react to the fabric or adhesive of single-use pads, and once you get past the added bulk they really are very comfortable. I did find that my usual choice of period panties (read: overstretched and faded underwear that are good for nothing except bleeding in) betrayed me in this instance, as they didn't provide much support for the large pad to stay close to my body. One particular day had me walking about 3kms with a pad that constantly tried to shift forward in my underwear, until I could get home and solve the problem with a pair of stockings that kept it snugly in place. Making sure you wear sturdy undies that will keep a slow-filling pad in check will really improve your experience of this product. Also, those new to the eco-friendly pad scene might initially get frustrated with the washing schedule necessary to keep your pads in rotation, but a little forethought and a good sunny window to pin your pads up in are your friends.
Also, some people really worry about the potential smell associated with periods and wearing pads. If this is a concern of yours, I'd advise you try adding some tea-tree or lavender oil to your soaking/washing water. Both these oils have anti-bacterial qualities and will imbue your pads with a subtle scent that should help you feel more confident.
Overall, I actually really liked this product and would recommend them to anyone looking for a ethical, sustainable alternative to generic sanitaryware. Buy them through Faithful to Nature at the link below! And be sure to say hi to them on social media.
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