Making reusable the standard

Contributor –AllMatters

In collaboration with –Photographer Nikolaj Møller

Disposable menstrual products, along with their packaging and wrapping, account for more than 200,000 metric tonnes of waste annually. Pads can contain up to 90% plastic, and generally end up in landfills; globally, over 12 billion disposable menstrual products are used per year.

AllMatters offers an alternative. They began by selling a simple and sustainable reusable menstrual cup in 2012, made accessible through a democratic price point and wide distribution. The product has been a great success, selling more than two million items, and is stocked on the shelves of over 7,000 shops worldwide. It’s an example of design that meets the future, reducing waste and emphasising longevity and reusability.

The experience developing and selling the cup showed the AllMatters team that small changes can have a significant impact. They added reusable, waterless personal care products to the line-up in 2021, along with reusable period underwear in 2022. Their belief is that by making sustainability accessible and effortless, they show that changing everyday habits can make a difference. The company also became a certified B Corp in 2022.

In addition to challenging the narrative around reusable personal care products, the company runs TABOO: Global Periods, an ongoing project with photographer Nikolaj Møller. It aims to bring the overlooked subject of periods to people’s attention and foster a better understanding about it and the obstacles it poses. Through the project, they raise awareness about cultural practices and taboos around the world. The stories are published on the project website tabooglobalperiods.com