I’ve been obsessed with 'green periods' (as in having a menstrual cycle that doesn't harm the planet) ever since I found out 2.5 million tampons, 1.4 million pads and 700,000 panty liners are being flushed down UK toilets every day. Yikes!
And don't even get me started on the stuff that gets thrown into the bin (which is 200,000 tonnes, btw.) All of which obviously goes straight to landfill, as it’s mostly plastic. Then there are the microplastics that pollute the sea, plus 2018 data that reported you're likely to find four items of period waste per every 100m of beach. Ew.
So, yes, it’s possible that your used menstrual items could be strewn on a picturesque coastal spot right about now. Not quite the image you had in mind when nonchalantly flushing your bloody tampon, is it?
Ok, while I (kind of) joke, I am serious about going greener with reusable menstrual products. And you can trust me when I say period pants are the best option, because I’ve tried a lot of alternatives (including a menstrual cup, which while good for some doesn’t work for everyone – my first attempt left my bathroom looking like a crime scene and most aren’t designed with disabled customers in mind).
Enter the era of period-proof pants. I’d heard of the knickers you just bleed into before, but had low-key been super suspish. As someone with drastically heavy periods, I’ve always doubted the existence of a material that could handle my flow. Then, Modibodi told me its knickers are so absorbent, and you can wear them on your heaviest days without so much as a drop leaking through to your clothes. Yeah, I didn’t believe it either...
How Modibodi period pants work
Modibodi’s reusable pants look perfectly normal and only have a 3mm-thick gusset (so you can take your adult nappy jokes elsewhere) that can hold 20ml of blood, or two tampons worth. There are different levels of absorbency, ranging from ‘super-light’ to ‘heavy/overnight’. They don't just have to be used for periods, either. Modibodi really has thought about everyone, designing them for heavy discharge and bladder leaks, too.
They have three layers of fabric that wipe away moisture, fight bacteria and absorb all the fluid. Made from bamboo and Merino wool (sorry vegans!) they come in loads of different styles, from lacy to comfy classic briefs, and an array of different colours. Plus, the brand offers a pair of sustainable period gym leggings that you can wear commando (yes, really!). And thirdly? There's a Modibodi swimming range – and we are so here for it.
How much is Modibodi period-proof underwear?
Good news! Modibodi knows we're not all super rich and don't have unlimited funds to spend on expensive underwear. So, they've made their period-proof panty range relatively affordable for all us working people, pricing the panties at anything from £5.20 (for sale items) to multi-pack bundles that are £176 (but this is for three pairs of overnight shorts and three pairs of pants). For a standard one-off pair of pants, you're looking at around £20.
OK, we hear you shouting "20 quid for a pair of knickers?!" at your screens. But have you thought about how much you actually spend on period products each month? Studies show that the average woman spends up to £5,000 in their lifetime, which equates to around £10 a month. So when you consider the pants are a one-time purchase and they're reusable, it puts it all into financial perspective.
Plus, there’s a range specifically for teenagers (and their parents) aimed at eradicating period shame for that age group.
Period-proof Modibodi products
So, I (sceptically) tested different styles of Modibodi pants on the first two days (read: heaviest) of my period, to see if they really work.
The first test: Overnight
I usually put my menstrual cup in just before I go to sleep, and when I wake up it’s full to the brim. Honestly, taking it out in the morning is a delicate procedure that frequently ends in bathroom chaos. I’m really not sure if a pair of thin pants are going to be able to handle it, but, I pop some classic bikini briefs on and get into bed. They’re comfy and feel like every other pair of knickers I usually wear. I decide to wear PJ bottoms instead of just sleeping in the pants, I’m not quite that brave yet. Plus, I’ve just put on my favourite fancy sheets and I’d cry if they got stained.
I'm drifting off and for the first time in ages, I can feel the drops of blood. It’s weird, but kind of a novelty. I’m so used to having my cup wedged up there, that actually feeling the flow do its thing is kind of cool. Bizarrely, I feel more in touch with my body. A teeny bit afraid and still not trusting of the pants, I try to fall asleep lying flat on my back, like a corpse in a coffin.
When I wake up, I’m basically upside down and on the other side of the bed. I jump up, excited to inspect the sheets and my PJs – nothing. I’m genuinely confused and run to the loo to check I am actually on the blob. Sure enough, I wipe myself with a tissue and ta da – blood! But looking at the gusset of the pants, there’s nothing. I can’t see any blood on them, and when I touch them with my bare hand, there’s still nothing.
Partly because I’m a sicko and partly for ‘research’, I give them a sniff. There’s the faintest period smell (an ex once likened it to “ham and old pennies” and I think that’s pretty damn perfect).
The second test: A day in the office
For the office, I opt for a fresh pair of the classic full brief. As soon as I get to work, I’m telling everyone how I’m bleeding straight into my pants. The news is met with mixed responses – everything from, “I’d feel a bit dirty if that was me,” to “I am so jealous of you right now.”
As a precaution, I’ve worn dark jeans, but ask work pals to be on ‘blood watch’ for me. Aka, check my crotch to see if I leak at all throughout the day. As per, I’m bloated, crampy, spotty and emotional. With a cup in, cramps aren’t exactly a barrel of laughs because you can almost feel it moving. But today, I feel much comfier.
Normally, I spend the day worrying that my cup’s getting full, or that I haven’t put it in properly/made a seal. It’s refreshing not to have to waste valuable brain space on that.
When I go to the loo at lunch, it’s the first time I can see blood in the knickers. There’s no big red stain or anything, it’s just a little clotted bit that can’t be absorbed because it’s so thick. I wipe it with a tissue, and that’s it.
The third test: The gym
OK, this is one - understandably - where you'd worry the most. While spotting a bit of blood with pals isn't a major deal, the thought of having a big red stain on display while squatting is the thing of nightmares. But, in the spirit of research, I head to the gym sans menstrual cup.
After work, I swap into a new pair of sensual hi waist bikini. Again, for research purposes, I’ve chosen a pair of light grey running tights. The gym is super busy, and I grab a treadmill at the front, positioned directly in front of a guy roughly my age. He’s basically got a bird’s eye view of my butt, so if I leak, he won’t be able to miss it.
After a 30-minute HIIT workout (we’re talking quick, long strides people), I’m feeling pretty... moist down there. It really does feel like I’ve leaked, so I dash to the loos to check. Turns out it’s just my sweaty butt, so that’s cool.
I’ve since tested the brand’s period leggings and they work pretty much the same way. It’s an even weirder experience with the whole free-drip sensation, considering you are literally exercising sans knickers; but it’s actually surprisingly comfortable being commando. Plus, there’s no sign of a VPL – no matter what strange yoga position you find yourself in.
These leggings are doubly as impressive when it comes to green credentials, considering they are made from 78% recycled fibres derived from plastic waste. And if you really can’t get on board with the whole ditching your pants thing, just wear ‘em as backup on a super heavy day at the gym.
Washing Modibodi period-proof underwear
Just like I would with any other pair, I’ve been chucking the pants into the laundry basket after one wear. But, because I’m not a total monster, I firstly take them to the bathroom for a rinse before they go in the machine. It’s oddly satisfying seeing the blood washing out as I ring them under the bathroom tap.
I think I was expecting that scene from The Shining when I opened the washing machine door, but everything comes out totally fine. No blood-soaked corridors in my flat.
I’m never going back
Yeah, so, I’m obsessed with Modibodi now. Now I know they’re not going to leak, even when my period’s at its heaviest and I'm lunging away in the gym, I’ll be using them every cycle. I’ve also told anyone who’ll listen about them, and plan to buy a few more pairs for lighter days.
I think the best thing about these panties was how freeing and chill I felt about bleeding directly into the pants. I loved not having to faff around with changing tampons, rinsing a cup out, or carrying sanitary products around with me.
While I’ll definitely use my cup when I'm swimming (although I will def be giving the brand’s high-waisted bikini bottoms, available in sizes 10-20, a go before my next hols) or wearing my favourite expenny white dungarees, these babies are going to be my go-to from now on.
Shop the full collection of period-proof pants, activewear and the brand’s new latest swimwear drop at modibodi.co.uk
Paisley is the former Sex and Relationships editor at Cosmopolitan UK. She covers everything from sex toys, how to masturbate and sex positions, to all things LGBTQ. She definitely reveals too much about her personal life on the Internet.
