In general, the concepts of "blood" and "bleeding" are omitted in the massive advertising of menstrual products.It was until recently that, with a little fanfare, the commercials began to show a red liquid in the demonstration of absorption, instead of a blue one.
However, in the case of the pantis for the period - a type of increasingly popular underwear made with extraabsorbent fabric - it is difficult to avoid it.He was at least at the time of talking with the founders of The Period Company, a brand that arrived in October stating that their underpants for the period were more affordable and sustainable than other menstrual products.For them, bleeding is a fairly deep act.
“Something begins to happen on an emotional plane when you bleed on your underwear and do not wear a buffer or a sanitary towel;You are not generating waste and you have the freedom to only be in your period, ”said Sasha Markova, who, along with Karla Welch, founded the company.
"Flowing is a very different experience, and we feel an almost evangelical fervor about it."
Markova, creative director for a long time, does not exaggerate with evangelizing;Consider that starting to use your product is a "conversion" and expresses it in phrases such as: "We really become the idea of using these underwear" or "how incredible you can start doing with generation Z that is to say:'Very good, we already have them.Now go and turn their older sisters and their mothers. ”
This approach has a spiritual element, because it falls into a space between the typical Californian wave and a kind of harmless cult.But conversion is really essential for business operation.The newspaper Company and all the other brands that manufacture alternative products (such as the menstrual cup) need customers who have a sufficiently open mentality to break with the products they have always used, the products whose use instilled their mothers for many years, ““ “With a sigh and a huge load, ”said Markova.
It is not a simple change, especially when generations of women have been raised to fear leaks.(There was a time when the fear of humiliation was a distinctive element of menstrual products, along with the mysterious blue liquid).And there is a growing product competition for people willing to make the leap.
That is why the company has been co -founded by Welch, a high -profile stylist whose clients include Tracee Ellis Ross, Olivia Wilde and Sarah Paulson.(On Instagram, Chelsea Handler and Busy Philipps were some of the celebrities who promoted the brand for free when wearing matching sweatshirts that said: "Dear Mother Nature: Thank you!").Welch has also designed a t -shirt line in collaboration with Hanes, initially inspired by her Justin Bieber client, and jeans with Levi ’s.
Four years ago, when the first menstruation came to his daughter, Welch was suddenly seen in great trouble trying to guide his teenager, who does not identify as a woman, regarding the use of traditional options.
"That reminded me when the rule came and my mother didn't even talk to me about the subject," he said.
Welch had also decided to reduce his personal waste more and more, which included the plastic he threw in the trash whenever he used a sanitary towel wrapped in an individual package.
"I thought:" There must be a better option, "he said.
Redefining convenience
This kind of heat is quite common in the world of alternative menstrual products.The articles and videos that preach the gospel of the cup in particular abound on the Internet - even more than that of menstrual underwear - and the destructive evil of disposable tampons.
In 2018, this devotion motivated Shelton Group, a marketing company focused on sustainability, to conduct a survey on these products, and with it he gathered the responses of more than 2000 people who menstruate.
In the survey, almost 60 percent of the people surveyed said they have used or considered using reusable menstrual products.
"We were very struck by that figure," said Susannah Enkema, research vice president and group ideas.However, it was no surprise that most of that group had between 18 and 34 years, the age group most concerned with the environment.
"It is the perfect product category for the Z generation and young milénials, who, without a doubt, more than any other age cohort, feel a desire - and to some extent an obligation - to be more ecological," said Suzanne Shelton, directorfirm executive.
Jockey combined with Kotex
When Welch turned to menstrual underwear for his teenager, it was a solution, but not a perfect solution.Most pantis cost between 25 and 40 dollars, and she didn't want to pay $ 40 for youth underwear.
The two dominant brands of the market are Thinx and Knix, both founded in 2013. At a given time, Thinx was considered one of the fastest growing companies in the United States.He arrived at the headlines for his ads in the subway and for the fact that his founder Miki Agrawal, who autonombró "She-Eo", a word game with "She" (she) and "CEO" (Executive Director),It was dismissed in 2017 after being the target of accusations of sexual harassment, which he denied.Another rival, Tomboyx, specializes in neutral gender underwear, while Ruby Love (formerly known as Pantyprop) was founded to help deal with urinary incontinence.
The founders of The Period Company claimed to be admirers of these brands, but, as Welch, Markova and she are more interested in being like jockey, because they offer basic underwear without ornaments, than like pearl.Its prices range from $ 12 to $ 14 (compared, a package of disposable buffers or towels usually cost just under 10 dollars).
His underwear fits well to the body, but it can be stretched, so it is something similar to a girdle that had a towel sewn in the crotch between two thick cotton layers;Opting the use of menstrual underwear seems to be easier for people accustomed to using sanitary towels.There are a few different cuts, such as high shot and bikini.All panties are black, except two models that are gray and youth status.After a day of use, the product must be rinsed in the sink and squeeze;Then you must throw yourself to the washing machine or wash by hand.The sizes reach up to 3xl, although the company expects that for the Christmas season they will reach 6xl.
"The only way to achieve a true change is that the product is available for everyone, at a good price and ready to enter a mass market," Welch explained.“We don't want to be luxurious;We want to be accessible. ”
