“I just wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for your products. I’m a new user of the GladRags cloth pads and love them. I’ll never go back to disposable pads again! I saw the cloth pads on sale at my local Whole Foods and, being more earth-conscious, decided to give it a shot.

I admit, at first I was rather squeamish at the idea of a reusable pad, but I think that was more because our society has conditioned women to think that their menstrual cycle is disgusting and should be disposed of without any evidence, thus the disposable products advertised and sold to women.

My period is more pleasant (which I hadn’t thought possible) and more comfortable using the cloth pads. The oilcloth travel bag is great, and the waterproof wet bag works like a charm when I’m away from my home. The cloth pads clean very well with minimal, if any, staining, and with proper care I can see them lasting for many, many years. The up-front cost is a little overwhelming, but each cycle I use them, I’m happily reminded that I will never have to purchase disposable products ever again.

I only wish I had known about GladRags years ago! I had no idea such products were available. Thank you for such a fantastic quality product. I love that it’s sustainable and made in America. Please extend my appreciation to all your staff.” - Jennifer G.

It happened to me in high school.

I had just started my period and wasn’t very good at keeping extra supplies in my backpack or locker. I found a quarter in one of those obscure backpack pockets, ever so slyly slipped it into my pocket, and prayed to the gods that no one would be in the bathroom so I could buy my tampon in peace and no one would have to know I was on my period.

But of course, I was not alone, and I had to buy my tampon with another girl in the bathroom, who probably didn’t even notice me.

It was one of the most mortifying moments of my life, and became even worse when the machine didn’t work. I left the bathroom and found one of my friends in the hall, who in fact did have an extra tampon on her, as she was on her period, too.

Knowing that my friend was on her period at the same time as me was oddly comforting. Shocking, I know, that it took a fourteen year old almost a year into her period to come to terms with the fact that she couldn’t possibly be the only girl in the world on her period at any given moment. But that’s what got me through that week, and now I’m thinking that’s all that matters. Although I never did get that quarter back.

It’s these kind of moments where I wish I had known about GladRags. Before this semester at school, I didn’t even know that there were alternatives to disposable tampons and pads. I had asked my friend if she had an extra tampon (I’m sensing a trend here about myself) and she told me she had never used a tampon. She had only used a menstrual cup since she started her period. I started doing some research, and was considering trying out a menstrual cup. I was also looking for a summer job at the time and Bitch magazine shared a summer internship opportunity, and I found GladRags.

My period is nothing to be shameful about, and now I think it’s more embarrassing that it took me years of being on my period to figure this out. The experience illustrates something that I think needs to change, and that’s how we talk about, or more likely not talk about, our periods. Finding GladRags and its community of followers helped me find that period positivity. It’s an empowering feeling that is central to the GladRags mission, and I am proud to be a part of that.

About the author of this post:
Bronte Dod is the summer intern at GladRags and attends Willamette University, studying politics, history, and women’s and gender studies. She is passionate about education, dance, and hiking with her dog.

I couldn’t make it to the awards luncheon so my awesome dad accepted the award on my behalf. He even wore a tie! Here he is, after telling the audience that he was sure that if I WERE there, the first thing I would want to do is thank my father (funny and true!).

Way cooler than any of my soccer trophies.

You can read more about the Small Business Administration awards luncheon here. Since I wasn’t there to tearfully accept my trophy in a beautiful evening gown to a crowd of thousands (I may be suffering from the delusion that I’ve won an Academy Award), here’s a quick list of the organizations without whom I would be lost:

• The Small Business Administration and SCORE
• Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon
• The PSU Business Outreach Program

Additionally, the following women deserve my eternal gratitude for their support in my journey with GladRags: Brenda Mallory, Leslie Siegle, and Alyssa Beers. And of course, to our customers — who choose to support small business over massive corporations, who believe that woman-owned and USA-made is worth the extra money, and who are generally an incredibly savvy group of ladies — thank you.

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, travel, read, and cuddle with her favorite cat.

Confession: I cropped my underwear out of this photo… OF MY MENSTRUAL PADS.

I’m writing this post in Puerto Rico (for a wedding and family festivities) and am enjoying the sunshine and the ability to dry clothes outdoors! Last week as I was drying my pantyliners on the clothesline I started thinking about all the places my cloth pads have traveled with me.

As far as I can remember, my stash of GladRags and my menstrual cup have gone with me from my home in Portland, Oregon to the following places:

• The Bay Area & Los Angeles, California
• Seattle, Washington
• Bremen & Berlin, Germany
• Greece & Turkey
• All over Puerto Rico

That’s quite a list! In addition, they’ve tagged along on countless camping trips or weekends at the Oregon coast. I’d be hard pressed to find another item in my life that’s so well-traveled. Even my phone or shoes wear out and have to be replaced long before they make it on this many trips!

Just sun-drying my pantyliners next to Paquita the parrot and the Puerto Rican jungle, no big deal.

If my GladRags have traveled this far, what  interesting places have your cloth pads visited? Comment with the interesting and unique places you’ve brought your cloth pads or menstrual cup. Bonus points for photos!

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, run around her neighborhood, and cuddle with her favorite cat.

Our friends at Rockin’ Green a giveaway-a-day from May 13th through May 26th. You could win a GladRags prize pack  (Day Pad, Pantyliner 3-Pack, and bag of Femme Rock) or one of the many other awesome prizes! What are you waiting for? Enter the green giveaway now!

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, run around her neighborhood, and cuddle with her favorite cat.

1. People

Last week almost 400 workers were killed and hundreds more injured in a garment factory collapse in Bangladesh in one of the worst industrial accidents in history. Worse, the supervisors knew the building was unsafe, and ordered workers to report to work anyway. Our hearts ache for the lives lost, and for the blatant disregard for the well-being of the workers.

People often ask us, “wouldn’t your products be cheaper if you just made them in Asia?” The answer is yes, the dollar cost to the consumer would be less, but the overall cost to the world would be far greater. We’re not willing to sacrifice the health of human beings just to compete on price. Our customers — the hundreds of thousands of smart, compassionate women who choose GladRags — understand this, and we thank them for it.

We choose to go beyond “do no harm” to the workers and communities we interact with. We want to actively create good for the people involved in our business. This is why we work with our employees and suppliers to ensure healthy, happy work situations for all.

2. Planet

It’s easy to see that our products are good for the environment. Cloth pads and menstrual cups keep tons of plastic trash out of our landfills, off our beaches, and away from our bodies. We think that’s great, but it’s not enough. Businesses should create products and services that do right by the world, of course, but our actions should reflect that, too.

GladRags chooses to support the environment in myriad ways, big and small. Every decision we make — from how to package our products to what kind of packing tape to purchase — we ask ourselves, how can we make the right choice for the environment?

Our customers will notice that their products ship in minimal packaging that is recycled, recyclable, biodegradable, or all of the above. You might notice that our marketing materials are printed on FSC certified paper with wind-powered printing, too. Behind the scenes, we commute to work by bicycle or by public transportation, and we’re proud that we rarely need to take out the trash more than a few times per month!

We choose to be a Certified Benefit Corporation because it holds us accountable for our actions, and encourages us to confront every opportunity with the questions: does this reflect our values? How does this serve people and planet?

Currently, 20 states are considering B Corp legislation, and 12 have passed bills recognizing B Corps as a corporate structure whose ultimate goal is to positively influence people and the planet. Here’s hoping Oregon soon joins the ranks!

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, run around her neighborhood, and cuddle with her favorite cat.

1. No more soreness.

When I was in high school, I hated my period with a passion because I was painfully sore “down there” for a week. Little did I know… that’s not supposed to happen! Once I switched to cloth, I realized that my body was irritated by the moisture-wicking chemicals inside regular disposable pads. Now my period is relatively painless (except for the occasional bout of cramps when I don’t take good care of my body throughout the rest of the month).

2. Pretty colors = major mood boosters.

So pretty!

This one might sound silly, but it’s totally true for me. Cloth pads are pretty! And pretty colors make me feel happy. I enjoy picking out which pads I’m going to use each day during my cycle, and I have my go-to favorites that always brighten my mood. It’s kind of like wearing really awesome underwear. No one knows about it, but it makes you feel good anyway!

3. Your period will go by in a flash.

I am routinely surprised each time my period is over. “It only just started!” I’ll think. Then I’ll check my period tracker app and realize, yup, it’s about time to be wrapping up. Scientifically, it’s unclear if switching to cloth from disposables actually makes your period shorter, or if it just feels like it! But then… as long as it feels quick, does it really matter?

4. You’ll never waddle awkwardly to the store with a bunch of toilet paper stuffed in your undies at 9 o’clock at night to buy overpriced tampons.

This one speaks for itself, I think. Yes, I was that girl (multiple times). With my stash of cloth pads, I will never be that girl again. Thank goodness.

5. You might actually feel GOOD about your period.

The monthly ritual of using my GladRags makes me feel like I’m taking extra care of my body. When I use cloth pads, I find a deeper appreciation of my cycle and the work my body is doing. I no longer feel like my period is some sort of medical problem that needs to be bandaged up; rather, I feel like I’m honoring my body by making a healthy choice. My period is not always a welcome visitor, but it’s certainly not a curse since I switched to cloth!

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, run around her neighborhood, and cuddle with her favorite cat.

We are still waiting for Carrie to profess her love for reusable menstrual products…

Fortunately, there are some parts of our hometown that are 100% awesome and unpretentious, like the new Portland Made movement: “unique, quality, goods supporting a local artisan and manufacturing economy.” What’s not to love?

Check out their launch video below, with plenty of action shots of GladRags & menstrual cup bags being made! Oh, Portland, despite your occasional silliness, we really do love you.

Portland Made from Portland Made on Vimeo.

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, run around her neighborhood, and cuddle with her favorite cat.

Q: “Clean up!”

A: Cleaning cloth pads is actually quite simple! There’s a great thread in the Mothering community about soaking (or not!) your pads here.

My post, 7 Tips to Make your Cloth Pads Last Longer, also touches on some of the cleaning & care practices that will keep your pads as good as new!

Q: “I use cloth pads already but I’d like the option of using a cup too, but what holds me back is being uncertain of how to choose the correct size.”

A: Choosing a size can be daunting, but it’s really pretty simple. Most cups we carry make the distinction between whether you’ve given birth or not. Don’t worry about comparing millimeters or getting too complex — just choose the larger size if you’ve given birth or are over 35 (because of the way our bodies change as we age).  We have a very simple guide here that can be helpful.  We also encourage anyone who is feeling confused to get in touch with us and talk it out! We are always happy to help.

Q: “Frequent UTIs” and “I’ve heard people say that the reusable cups cause yeast infections. I’m prone to issues in that department. That’s what holds me back.”

A: Actually, if you’re prone to infections, reusables are a GREAT option. Many women report decreased infections after making the switch (probably due to the fact that the disposables they are using have caused irritation which exacerbates any predisposition). The one caveat is if you use a menstrual cup or cloth pad during a yeast infection, you’ll want to take extra care to sanitize the product so it doesn’t continue the infection. Otherwise, you may find relief with reusables!

Q: “Can you use the cup with an IUD?”

A: We used to say no, but now we can say: talk to your doctor first, but you probably can! A recent study out of Canada found that menstrual cups did not significantly increase IUD expulsion rate when compared to pads and tampons. So be careful, but plenty of women with IUDs are happily rockin’ the menstrual cup.

Q: “Looking forward to non-plastic Moon Cup…”

A: The Moon Cup is made of medical-grade silicone, not plastic. None of our products include plastic — we think our sensitive parts (and yours!) deserve better.

Q: “Worried about the leaking and inserting it properly. And they say to rinse and reinsert… how do you do that in a public bathroom stall? And even at home… hobble to the sink to rinse hoping you don’t pour out while doing that? I would love to make this change in my life, but don’t feel comfortable!”

A: Good news: we definitely don’t recommend you bringing your cup out of the stall in the public restroom! Instead, simply remain seated on the toilet, pull the cup straight down and hold firmly with your fingertips. Once it’s removed, just tip the contents into the toilet. You can wipe the cup off with toilet paper or wipes, then reinsert. All in all, it’s about as messy as an applicatorless tampon (which is to say, not very). No one in the other stall will even know what you’re doing! When you’re at home, empty the contents of the cup into the toilet, then rinse and reinsert the empty cup.

Q: “What if I make the investment and I don’t like it?”

A: If it doesn’t work for you, we don’t think it’s fair to keep your money! We have a 90-day money-back guarantee on all of our branded products (GladRags cloth pads, The Moon Cup, and The Keeper). Now, don’t freak out! We won’t ask you to mail anything back (because we would never sell anything used, obviously!) and it’s a simple process to get a full refund on these products. We’re able to offer this because so few customers take us up on it — most women love their new way of managing their periods.

Q: “I feel more safe with a hermetically sealed tampon versus something I have to make sure is sanitary myself…”

A: Tampons and disposable pads are actually not sterile — they’re just bleached and packaged to seem that way! Personally, I trust myself more than I trust some random factory overseas to keep my menstrual supplies clean! Remember the moldy tampon incident? Yuck. And it’s not as complicated as it seems to keep your pads or cup clean. If you can keep your undies clean, you can handle reusables!

Q: “My husband is grossed out about the pads. Which is some kind of weird societal hangup, because we cloth diaper. Every time I say I’m going to buy some, he runs to the big-box store and picks up a giant pack of disposables.”

A: This is a really common reaction, unfortunately. We’re implicitly taught from a young age that menstruation is scary, shameful, and unclean and it can take time to “unlearn” these negative thoughts. While it may take him some time to get used to the idea, we hear from customers a lot that their husbands eventually come around! One of our customers writes, “He loves the money we save, not having to buy me any feminine products, no funny smells, and he never knows when my time is because I don’t get PMS or cramps anymore. I am happy and he is happy for me.” Ultimately, I’d encourage you to remember: it’s your body, and the type of menstrual care you use is your choice!

Q: “My teenagers and I don’t use tampons. I would use these products except I worry about leaks and keeping them clean when we are away from home (which is a lot). Also I wonder what their friends would think.”

A: You can use a menstrual cup if you don’t use tampons, although it may take a little bit of getting used it! I answer questions about using menstrual cups in public above, so I’ll discuss pads here. Using cloth pads on the go is fairly simply: just bring a small wet/dry bag with you. I have used my GladRags while traveling, visiting relatives, at a previous job in an office building, at networking events, while camping, etc…. And you know what? No one has ever once noticed that I was doing something “different”!

As far as leakage, lots of women find that cloth actually works better for them than disposables. Cloth pads won’t bunch, twist, or stick to your leg like adhesive pads can, and they have an absorbent core to keep you leak-free. To stay comfortable and secure, just make sure you change your pad frequently enough (about as often as you would a disposable) and choose the right absorbency for your flow. If you need help choosing, get in touch with us! We know what works and are happy to help find the right pad for you.

Q: “I’d like to but simply haven’t made the purchase yet. Nothing is really holding me back besides fear of the unknown.”

A: This is something we hear a lot. All I can say is — take the leap! Stepping into the “unknown” world of menstrual products has changed the lives of so many women… why not yours?

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page to learn more!

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, run around her neighborhood, and cuddle with her favorite cat.

If you live in the Portland area and are looking to gain real-world small business experience while working with a unique values-driven company, we’d love to hear from you. Please download the full GladRags Summer Internship information and follow the directions to apply.

About the author of this post:
Tracy Puhl is the owner of GladRags and is passionate about period positivity and empowering women everywhere. In her free time, she likes to volunteer, run around her neighborhood, and cuddle with her favorite cat.