how do we forgive our fathers?
[boy 2010, dir. taika waititi // gin and a pandemic, georgina marie guardado // connor, syml // and my father’s love was nothing next to god’s will, amatullah bourdon]
To AWWA
I’ve been using AWWA since it’s I Am Eva days and I have no regrets. In fact, you should probably have no regrets with period undies (period briefs guide/must knows blog post to come) but I have around 6 pairs of these and they make a huge difference to your zero-waste period life.
I have some cotton briefs, synthetic briefs, the swimwear brief and a waterproof bag - yes, the lot. I have used them for years so feel like I can definitely review them (I always give things a good crack before reviewing them). I couldn’t rave about the cotton briefs more. I wish this was an option when I first bought these undies as they are so light, comfy, and soft. Sometimes I forgetthat I’m wearing period undies! In addition, the briefs (both synthetic and cotton) keep you feeling really dry while you free-flow. I personally have found the synthetic briefs wear out a bit quicker, can feel stretched, and are just not as comfortable as the cotton pairs (but still fairly comfortable). I’ve never used a heavy period brief on my heavy days, so I can’t comment on that but on my lighter days, these work a charm! I take it into the shower with me, wash it with cold water (you know at the start of the shower when you’re waiting for the water to get warm, that’s the time to wash it!) and then straight into the wash.
Their waterproof bag is also super handy for when you’re travelling/camping and can’t get to a washing machine ASAP. The bag also doubles up as great storage for wet togs. Speaking of which, I’ve worn the swimsuit bottoms at the end of my cycle a couple of times. While I’ve never actually bled in them, it was nice knowing I had that layer of protection. Whether it would actually hold much blood flow, I’m not sure just yet. It’s also not as comfy as your usual togs but it does serve a greater purpose so we can look past that.
Now the question you’re probably dying to ask - how ethical are they? Yes they prevent disposable period products from entering our landfill (which in of itself is massive) but aside from that, are they actually sustainable and ethical? In my opinion, yes! AWWA are transparent about their supply chain (as seen on each of the brief’s page) and note if the factories are certified (such as with GOTS which measures if the product is organic, and Oeko-Tex which is also a textile assessor, but I’ll be honest with you, I need to learn more about these certifications). Materials used are either recycled nylon or organic cotton, and the company is carbon positive, meaning they have offset 120% of their carbon footprint according to EKOS. That’s pretty impressive! In terms of labour, I am aware that the undies are made in Sri Lanka and that the AWWA team visit the factory often but that’s as much as I know. In saying that, AWWA are Certified B Corp which will answer a few questions you may have about that.
I do have a couple of warnings though. Firstly, these undies will stain decently from you free flowing - it’s just a fact of life and you’ll adjust to it. Secondly, if you’re a VPL (visible panty line) hater, this probably isn’t your vibe. The lines go through my pants and are pretty prominent BUT you can now get period thongs that solve this problem. In saying that, the quality of these undies make up for that and leave you not caring about the VPL. They don’t smell, you don’t feel wet and gross, and to be honest, sometimes I forget I’m still bleeding (this is in the end days of my period when the cramps have stopped doing their thing. Trust me, I know when I’m on period at the start!).
I also just want to note that I personally think they do overshoot with how much blood they can hold. Maybe I’m heavier than the norm, but I have a moderate pair and I’d only use it on my light days. I’ve definitely leaked through on my more moderate days. A friend of mine has also found it to be the same but though that may be the case, the AWWA team are really receptive to feedback. If you have questions or concerns, they are really responsive and willing to try to make something work for you. I have a peer that has struggled to find a pair of undies to accommodate their flow and AWWA have been really responsive and supportive of helping her find the right pair so all in all - a top quality team and an ace company! I do recommend them!
Me te aroha xx
You ever be so comfortable in bed, you start rubbing your legs together like a cricket?
tumblr dot com posts are getting so relatable im convinced the government has 24/7 surveillance on me and is feeding it to me through this website to see if i notice
Why is Ohio always brought into the strangest posts?
Because Ohio is that strange of a place.
