FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions.

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The taboo

What is a taboo?

Generally when we say taboo, we mean something that we are forbidden or restricted to do or talk about due to social custom. Interestingly, the word taboo originates from the word ‘Tapua’ which translates from Polynesian directly as “menstruation” and “sacred”. So periods, a natural monthly occurrence for 50% of the world, are literally taboo.

Taboos don’t still exist here, do they?

Of course they do - if we are still too embarrassed to discuss menstruation with others, they must still exist. What about the taboo of menstrual waste? We have banned plastic bags in the UK, yet one pack of disposable pads contain the equivalent of 4 plastic bags in each one. What about the taboo surrounding education? Many women still don’t know about basic aspects of their menstruation or practices around it. For example, many don’t know you shouldn’t flush tampons because they cause major problems to sewage systems, but no one ever told them. Or what about the taboo of women and girls living in poverty in the UK not having the money to buy pads or tampons?

What do people believe around the world?

All cultures and communities have different beliefs and taboos which have been passed down from generation to generation. Many traditions centre around restrictions on food, practices with water and religious practices while women are on their period. Some of which can be found on our map.

Why is your work currently focused in the UK?

Although we initially set out to work in developing countries what we realised soon after starting our work breaking down taboos around menstrual health was that there are still many taboos in the UK and period poverty is a large issue here. The more research we did the more we understood about working with people living in poverty in the UK and in particular the organisations they work with. This is the area we have currently decided to focus on.

I don’t menstruate - why should I get involved?

You may not menstruate, but everyone has a mother, daughter, sister, aunty or friend that they care about who does. Society as a whole has created the taboos around menstruation, so we must all work together to break down these taboos. If we are all well educated about menstruation, we can be more empathetic and understand some of the issues better. We encourage all genders to engage with our education when working in developing countries and so do the same here in the UK.

Conventional pads and tampons aren’t that bad, are they?

Each pack of pads has the equivalent of 4 carrier bags worth of plastic in it, which takes over 500 years to biodegrade. In a lifetime, each person who menstruates creates 150kg of menstrual waste, contaminated with blood which gets sent to landfill. There is very little landfill left in the UK, so much of this waste is sent abroad to be sorted by hand.
Conventional pads and tampons are not regulated. Many sanitary products contain dangerous chemicals such as bleach and dioxins which are known as human carcinogens. There are currently no regulations over what feminine hygiene companies can put into their products and, therefore, consumers do not know what chemicals they are putting into their body.

Woman hands holding pink menstrual cup and OB - female hygiene products

The products

What happened to the shop?

We’re currently taking a short break from a few of our activities here at No More Taboo, including, sadly, running our online shop. This is just while we restructure a few things at the organisation and take a good look at the way we run things so that we can come back better and stronger than ever! We’re still committed to the incredible power of reusables and the amazing suppliers we work with, so please find links to their fantastic products below.

Where can I buy reusable products from?
Why go reusable? Save money, save the environment and be healthier.
A menstrual cup lasts for approximately 10 years, in this time creating no waste.

A menstrual cup is compact and you only need one, it eliminates the embarrassment of running out of disposable products in a public place. It pays for itself in approximately 7 months, so you are saving money for the remaining 9 years of the product’s lifetime! Menstrual cups collect blood rather than absorb it and so only need to be changed every 12 hours. Menstrual cups create a vacuum seal, reducing the risk of leaks and offensive smells as blood only smells once exposed to air.

Contrary to what many believe, the menstrual cup is considered more comfortable than a tampon as it is made of medical grade silicon which, when heated by your body temperature, softens and moulds to the shape of your body. Compared to tampons, there is no risk of toxic shock syndrome, a serious medical emergency. Anecdotally, many women report less period pain and shorter period duration.

Reusable pads last for 2-5 years.

Environmentally, they produce little to no waste for this time. Additionally, reusable pads cause less irritation and are much more comfortable to wear than disposable products, as they are made of soft organic materials in comparison to plastic. They are easy to wash as can be washed with the rest of your laundry and you can get them in different shapes, sizes to suit your needs. Environmentally speaking, pads only last a maximum of 5 years and you need several of them.

How much money will I actually save by switching to a sustainable menstrual product?

The average UK woman spends between £65 and £95 per year on disposable sanitary products. That’s over £3500 in their lifetime.
The average woman menstruates for 37.5 years.
So, if you switch to a menstrual cup, you will need maximum 4 cups (as each one lasts 10 years), saving around £90 per year or £3400 over a lifetime.
If you switch to reusable pads, a set of 6 pads will cost approximately £40 (the set will last approximately 3 years), so you will save around £80 per year or £3000 over a lifetime.

Which is better - a menstrual cup or a pad?

It depends on your personal preference, whichever feels most comfortable. It’s good to experiment. If you are used to using conventional pads and not tampons, then the pads may be better or vice versa for tampons and cups. Environmentally speaking, pads only last a maximum of 2 years and you need several of them, meaning there is still some waste. However they are made of natural materials which can biodegrade and can often be sourced locally. Menstrual cups mean a large reduction in your waste as they last for 10 years. However, they are made out of medical grade silicon which can take a long time to degrade.

Is VAT charged on menstrual products?

Unfortunately, in the UK VAT tax remains at 5% on all sanitary products (including reusable products). This is a contentious issue as - although it was lowered from the standard 17.5% in 2000 - many, us among them, are unhappy that sanitary products are classed as ‘non-essential, luxury items’. Especially as men’s razors, helicopters and exotic meats are VAT exempt. We support Stop Taxing Periods campaign. Since the start of the campaign, the Government has decided to eradicate the tax in the future and in the meantime has set up a new fund for women’s organisations to receive the money collected by the Tampon Tax. We were one of the organisations accepted by our local Community Foundation Quartet to receive some of this funding.

The Social Enterprise

Are you a charity?

No, we are not a charity but 100% of our profits are donated to charitable projects to help women living in poverty manage their menstruation. As we are a social enterprise, unlike a charity, we will have a steady income stream from sales, but unlike a business we have the unique selling point that you receive a great product which saves you money alongside giving to charity.

So you are a business?

Yes, we are a business. We are a Community Interest Company (CIC), which means we have no shareholders and our profits must go to a cause helping to empower women around the topics of menstruation and sanitation. We aim to be clear and transparent about all of our accounting and governance. Our registered company number is 09452204.

Are you trying to inflict ‘western views’ on cultures/religions who have practices around menstruation?

It is unclear where the roots of many of the taboos/rituals in different cultures stemmed from. Often they are not related to religion in any way. We would never promote work which we felt was culturally insensitive and we will always work with local partners to understand beliefs and taboos.

For example, in a culture where the tradition is for complete female isolation during their period, we may work to see how we can help the women feel more comfortable during this time by providing proper shelter, toilet and washing facilities, opportunities for education whilst in isolation and appropriate sanitary materials. We are promoting women’s rights and environmental consciousness, we are not promoting ‘westernisation’.

How can I volunteer for you?

Unfortunately, we will not be recruiting any additional staff or volunteers until November 2019. However, we will update our website with the relevant information when we are having our next recruitment intake. Watch this space!

How can I donate to you?

Due to the fact that we’re currently taking a short break from the delivery of our Tackling Period Poverty programme, we are not currently accepting donations at this time. We really appreciate the support, however, so please keep up with us on our social media channels and we’ll update you when we’re back, re-energised and ready to take on period poverty again!

I have a load of pads and tampons to donate, will you accept them?

As our Tackling Period Poverty Programme works exclusively with reusable products, we do not accept donations of pads and tampons. We suggest getting in touch with the fantastic organisation The Red Box Project which provides boxes of free pads and tampons in schools and other community buildings.
Why not give your local food bank a ring or some of the homeless shelters near you.
Please be aware that most organisations can only accept unopened boxes/packets of pads and tampons and that they all have sell by dates on so may not be suitable for donation.

I know someone living in period poverty, what should I do?

Period poverty is a very sensitive issue due to the double taboo of poverty and periods, this means individuals may not be confident in talking about the situation they are in. Identifying period poverty is not always as easy as you think as it is not just about not having the money to afford sanitary products, it is also about having the confidence, knowledge and autonomy to be able to make decisions about your menstrual health.
If you believe someone you know is living in period poverty, you could try broaching the topic with them openly but don’t be surprised if they are not comfortable talking about their situation. We would advise it is worth thinking about what organisations they interact with and trying to help them become more period friendly, perhaps they could offer free products or some workshops to help broach the topic in a more open environment than one-to-one?
See our period friendly scale and hints and tips for more ideas of how you can support organisations that the individuals are accessing.

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