Reusable period products supporting the UK human and natural environment for health and wellbeing

The textile industry is one of the biggest polluting sectors and a tendency for overconsumption of materials and natural resources urgently needs to change. Innovation and research have enabled textile products to evolve to perform better and support our daily lives however synthetic fibres and finishes underpin many developments contributing to microfibre pollution in both water and soil, and contribution to Greenhouse Emissions (GHG) emissions due to their carbon heavy production methods.

An area contributing to significant waste is the feminine hygiene sector, due to being based primarily on disposable products. Recently there have been significant advancements to improve disposable products to address the growing waste problem however these products still contribute to landfill and polluting sewerage. The market for reusable hygiene products is gaining momentum with consumer awareness and the dispelling of myths surrounding their hygienic credentials, efficacy and practical purchase and maintenance. Previous AHRC DEP funding (with Femme Tasse) has allowed the team to undertake market sector analysis, benchmarking reusables, consumer feedback and education and identify areas for product development and increase consumer engagement. Phase 2 aims to address some of the biggest textile sector challenges, namely, impact on the environment, use of natural resources and the end-of-life management of textiles. There are many products that claim to be sustainable, recyclable and/or biodegradable however these claims can be confusing and misleading to the consumer. Many of these products will still exploit natural resources, have negative effects on the local environment and can only be recycled or biodegraded if disposed of in the right conditions where appropriate facilities exist, in contravention of the Green Claims Code. Focusing on reusable feminine hygiene products as a proof-of-concept area to follow, this project aims to address how a complex undergarment can effectively perform whilst positively supporting the UK environment from raw materials through to the end-of-life management. The project aims to create an effective product that at end of life is viably biodegradable and to work towards the ultimate creation of a compostable product mitigating harmful residues and giving back to the natural habitat helping to support biodiversity. One of the key stumbling blocks is the processing, dyeing and finishing of a textile that encompass processes that leave potentially harmful chemicals on a product at end-of-life.

The key aim of the project is to develop reusable period pants utilising underused UK grown fibres including various types of wool fibre, flax and hemp that support biodiversity and British farming. The goal is to create a biodegradable product that at end of life does not contribute to waste and ideally gives back to the environment further supporting the UK ecosystems.