Are reusables expensive?
I was initially shocked by the cost of reusables, however have you ever thought about how this compares to your monthly spend on tampons or sanitary pads?
I was born with the over-thinking brain of an analyst, so at some point I had to do a solid cost comparison to satisfy my curiosity.
Cost vs. long term money saving was one of the main reasons to swap that won me around. So I thought this is worth documenting for others who are going through a similar thought process!
Does the up front cost of reusable cloth pads work out cheaper in the end?
Are reusables cheaper? Or do reusables actually save you money?
If this is you, then please read on.
What I’ve discovered in the below, has opened up some home truths, that I didn’t even realise until I wrote all this down.
How did I calculate?
These figures are based on requirements for a relatively light, or average period:
an average 7 day period
changing protection 3 times per 24 hours
using an equivalent regular/day absorbency
and use real prices, from ranges on sale at Boots online (including famous branded and their own brand versions). Some mail order only options are included from other websites.
Cost comparison
So what’s the detail?
As we are looking to keep the comparison fair, all the single use options chosen were those that would have the least negative impact on your health. Below I have also included the cheapest items available, taking into account the needs of most consumers, just to see how these also compare.
“Organic” tampons
Are the only comparable internal option when you consider the negative health implications of the majority of tampon brands.
Tampax Organic Cotton Core, Flo, &Sisters, Dame, Yoni or similar. Usually organic tampons cost between 17-24p each, and therefore between £217-£303 over 5 years.
The cheapest own brand tampon is 4p each for a non-applicator tampon, and therefore costs £50.40 over 5 years.
“Fragrance free” disposable sanitary pads
Focusing again on the option that is healthiest for your body, (or in reality those marketed as being made of “natural” materials including cotton, whether they truly are or not) single use sanitary pads work out as follows:
Always Organic Cotton Topsheet or Always Sensitive, TOTM or similar start from between 5p-24p each, and therefore cost from £63-£303 over 5 years.
Bamboo versions such as Flo or Natracare can be between 21p-40p each, which equates from £264.60 to £504 over 5 years
“Flushable” or “biodegradable” pads such as Fluus are around 46p each delivered, a wopping £579.60 over 5 years.
The cheapest own brand wingless pads are around 4p each, and come to again £50.40 over 5 years.
Mainstream confusion?
If you’re still reading, then this cost analysis is basically a statement in itself:
The cheapest plastic filled pads cost 10% of what a more “eco friendly” or greenwashing bamboo or biodegradable pad does.
This revelation has disturbed me and my brain is already trying to figure out the reasons why…most likely that developing and launching a new product to market is inevitably going to cost more than the existing fossil fuelled conglomerates probably already invest. But that will have to wait for another blog.
It’s good to know anyway there is no cost difference between the cheapest tampons or single use pads. So at least if you are stuck with little room to manoeuvre in your budget, then you’re not getting ripped off either way.
Period pants
I insist on comparing only good quality brands here, because I really don’t believe scrimping on period pants is a good way to go. Buy cheap, buy twice is my motto, and if you want to read more on my reasoning around this you can find it here.
8 pairs of average cost Wuka pants bought using mulitipack deals costs around £133, and similar for Modibodi at around £150.
I did originally calculate based on the recommended minimum 8 pairs, but if I follow my period pad logic it is theoretically likely that you would need 12 individual pieces of period underwear.
But lets keep the figures consistent with those that I already shared on social media.
Reusable pads
Of course I am comparing here based on the brands that I already stock, and not from less ethical alternatives. But as an estimate, enough pads for a lighter or average period would include:
6 x 2 packs of La Petite Ourse day pads which are (now after a slight increase) around £4.12 each, or 12 x around £9 max for a higher value single pad. This works out between £49.50-£108 for a workable pad stash.
The pricier pads are still significantly cheaper by comparison, than for fewer period pants.
I’d also urge you to consider here that the lifespan of a reusable cloth pad is longer than period underwear, and so pads are a better investment.
What is most surprising is that reusable pads are comparatively the same as the £50 benchmark cost as the cheapest own brand tampons and single use pads.
Menstrual Cup
Between £20-35 depending brand, this is a single straightforward cost, and a cup should be replaced at least every 5 years. If cost is your main driver, then there is no cheaper option out there.
But the drawback is you have to be able to use a menstrual cup, and I tried, but I just can’t.
So I’ve found my cheaper alternatives that cover all scenarios for me. And I don’t feel guilting about using the odd tampon when I’m swimming. It’s the odd one off occasionally that makes my life worth living!
Kudos to you if you can and do like using a menstrual cup - you rock!
What about the cost of washing your reusables?
It's worth noting that contrary to myth and legend, you can simply include reusables in with normal laundry using your existing detergent, which neither adds to their usage cost or to your time and effort.
But I’ve spent enough blog time covering that, so let’s bring this to some form of conclusion.
Conclusions
Comparing costs in more detail than I even did before has shed light on a few points I hadn’t considered up until writing this.
There are even more options now in the single use pads space than when I first tried this back in July last year.
The fact is that the up front purchase cost of a reusable pad stash costs exactly the same as the cheapest possible tampons and single use sanitary pads over 5 years.
But I think my real discovery when you look at the cost of £49.50 for a 5 year stash of reusable pads compared to £579 for "flushable” pads that could still block your toilet.
The cost of less than 10% seems to fully justify the tiny amount of effort required to include reusables in your normal wash routine. But hey, you could even include the cost of a new mesh bag against that and it would still not even come close to flushables!
Still on the fence when it comes to reusables?
Perhaps you've discounted reusable pads before because "they're just not for me", but maybe comparing the long terms vs. up front savings could lead those eco-conscious niggles in the back of your mind to think again...
Get in touch and ask!
I’m always happy to answer questions or make a recommendation if you’re a bit stuck.
That’s exactly why I am here 🙂
I recently got the sewing machine out and made my own mesh bag by hand, just to prove to myself that I could, LOL
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