Wuka period Wear – review
WUKA PERIOD WEAR
If I spoke to you about free bleeding while on your period, most of you would screw up your faces and tell me that’s disgusting. If you had asked me about free bleeding, I would have responded the same, which is before I experienced it. Now hold on a minute, I like you was also freaked out by the idea, so stick with me and hear me out.
A couple of weeks back I wrote about how Scotland is tackling period poverty by providing sanitary products to all under the age of 18 and adults with low income, this includes moon cups. I was contacted by Wuka who make the very controversial period pants that promote free bleeding and also saving the planet. In the name of research and because I am a curious lady, I said “let’s do this” and they sent me a pair to try.
The product arrived quickly but the thing about trying out period pants is you have to actually be on your period to try them and mine had just finished on the day of arrival. So the pants sat ready and waiting, I often looked at them, picked them up and wondered how on earth these simple looking pants were going to work. Shaking my head as I put them back down, my husband was also fascinated that these pants could hold blood. Periods are very much a part of life for a woman, they are natural but that doesn’t stop them being a right pain in the butt every time they show up and ruin your favourite undies. Us ladies in the UK have it lucky with the sanitary products just a short trip to the shop, think of the poor woman who have none of that and have to use anything they can find.
Often shamed and forces to be apart from their families during that “time of the month” as they are seen as “unclean” We also don’t have to go far to see woman and young girls struggling to scrap together money for the monthly highly taxed luxury that is, tampons/pads.
WUKA PERIOD WEAR – REVIEW
Period poverty is very real here in the UK with 71% of young women unable to access hygiene products. You can read my post here. We have to find another solution fast and i think these pants could be the answer. It’s clear we need a more affordable and sustainable solution.
Enter: WUKA period wear. Founded by environmental scientist Ruby Raut, WUKA (which stands for Wake Up Kick Ass) makes ultra absorbent, machine-washable underwear that is designed to be worn throughout your period, eliminating the need for disposable sanitary products – and the mountains of waste they produce. WUKA claims that the pants, which cost £29.99 a pair and are available in sizes 6-20, can be worn for up to eight hours a day or all night long, and hold the equivalent of four tampons’ worth of menstrual blood.
Ever since having my babies, my periods have changed. They don’t hurt like they did but my dear god are they heavy. Think the last scene in the horror movie Carrie with extra horror included. It isn’t pretty, I also don’t like tampons, never have. Don’t know why I just find them fiddly.
The pants were a standard brief, very comfy and as I was recommended to size down from my normal dress size they fit perfectly. I like the fit and the padding is very thin and discreet that I can’t feel it when it’s on. I decided to wear them on my heaviest day but in the safety of my home. That way if I leaked or needed to make a quick change I would be in the embarrassment free zone.
WUKA PERIOD WEAR – REVIEW
I wore them all day and it took some getting used to as I was bleeding freely into a pair of pants I had no idea how the voodoo worked. I often ran to the toilet to make sure they were working and they were: magic was at work. My period was as heavy as it always was and no leaks, I felt pretty dry throughout the day and the pad was doing what it was supposed to. I was truly amazed. I only had one pair so that evening I put them in a wash and hung them to dry but they took ages to dry – actual days and this is properly because of the absorption power of the built in pad.
That was a big down side as I couldn’t wear them the next day and had to return to my normal routine. After they were finally dried, I wore them to bed and I would say they are the perfect sleep wear for period times.
Comfy, no leaks and no mess. I also wore them on a night out!! It was fab, I didn’t have to think about taking pads or tampons out with me and making trips to the toilets to change them. It was very liberating. Overall the experience was great and I will continue to wear them. They are great for sleep time or for wearing when changing pads or tampons will be an inconvenience but I wish they dried quicker as this means you will need to have lots of pairs for your period and at 29.99 that could be expensive. Its a great start to something that should have happened many many years ago and have the potential to revolutionise your period, so very very close.
WUKA PERIOD WEAR – REVIEW