
"Cloth Pads are a Sin" - A Social Perception -Myth or Fact?
We live in a modern world. A world where traditional practices are questioned for being conventional and a misfit. Speaking about questioning, how can we forget the good old Cloth Pads, which often find themselves in the witness box because the world assumes these to be unsafe and unhealthy (of course, in the absence of proper evidence)?
Going by the year-old statistics, it was found that 50% of women residing in India, especially ones in the age group of 15 to 24 years, still use cloth pads. Even though comfort and convenience are one of the reasons behind making this choice, the affordability parameter tags along right after.
And why not?
If women can experience happy and healthy periods without causing a hole in their pockets (by opting for high-priced sanitary napkins), why should they even be stopped from deciding what is best for them?
That's exactly where social perception pops up in the picture. Let us not overlook the influence that media has on young minds. Be it Bollywood celebrities endorsing the so-called "modern" sanitary napkins to movies being open to indirect marketing of these products, the influence is strong and unimaginable.
Despite that, there are cloth pad loyalists, including the founder of Avni and all our customers, who continue to buy and reuse cloth pads for years now. Not to forget, Avni as a brand has grown purely out of word-of-mouth publicity, which in itself underlines the "happy experiences" cloth pad users have.
But no, there is media, popular public icons, Bollywood, and advertisers suggesting otherwise. There are silent and indirect claims about the usage of Cloth Pads being a sin. These are said to be unhygienic and unhealthy. There are claims about these leading to easy staining. And most importantly, it is said that keeping these clean is a task in itself.
This is just one side of the story, which is being fed to women in India. Let us now look at the other side of the same story - The Reality of the people, who are involved in manufacturing, distribution, education, and awareness of the humble cloth pads. In this case, Brand Avni!
Myth 1 - The Unhygienic Argument
Who says so, and why? Cloth pads in all probability are made from soft fabric, are washable, and reusable. The best part is that they do not cause rashes or infections of any kind, a common occurrence in the world of modern sanitary napkins.
All it takes is a good wash, sun drying, and storing in a clean place before you pull these out for reuse. To further elaborate on the hygiene quotient, based on one's flow, these reusable sanitary napkins can be changed every 4 to 6 hours, which again, is a sure shot mechanism of keeping the users safe.
In fact, brands like Avni are going the extra mile to tap into the benefits of antimicrobial technology, which adds an additional protection layer to reusable cotton pads, thus making these a safer and smarter choice.
Myth 2 - The Oopsie moment
Social perception has been riding on the misconception that cloth pads create way too many oopsie moments, that is countless instances of staining. Unfortunately, people making such claims are those who haven't used cloth pads all their life.
Now, if you are someone who has used both cloth pads and regular sanitary napkins, you must know that the former is way thicker than the latter, which completely rules out the possibility of uninformed staining.
All you need to do is make sure you opt for a brand that uses the right fabric to roll out these reusable cloth-based sanitary napkins. A brand like Avni, which has years of research to support the credibility of its products, is all you need to make usage of cloth pads a stress-free experience.
Myth 3 - The Stains won’t go distress
People who are against the idea of using cloth pads have yet another baseless argument to make. They are the ones who jump to a quick conclusion that stains on cloth pads tend to stay even after putting these under a thorough wash.
Team Avni wouldn’t want to agree to this claim. Reason? Most stains are sure to wipe off even after being placed under running water. Similarly, soaking these reusable pads under cold water is another doable way of getting rid of the stains. Lastly, these can be washed in the washing machine.
In case, a difficult stain stays back, just know it is just the visual and not inherently unhygienic.
If these are reasons that are keeping you away from trying the humble cloth pads, break free from these myths and give cloth pads a shot.
Don't forget that by saying Yes to cloth pads, you are giving plastic pollution, which is otherwise used in the usual sanitary napkins, a tough fight. By using cloth pads, you are not just making yourself ready for a happy and healthy period but are simultaneously contributing to the well-being of the environment.
Cloth Pads - Not a Sin, But a King Pin:
This is your chance to not allow the media and half-cooked information to play havoc with your mind.
Brand Avni has encountered multiple cases wherein women were both desirous and comfortable, with the idea of using cloth pads. However, all that was being fed to them from sources, which they otherwise believed to be credible, was nothing but misleading.
We at Avni invite you to know the humble cloth pad better and use it to your benefit, while not forgetting to spread the word to other women, especially the ones you care about.
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