Is This Reusable Tampon Applicator A Step Toward A Greener, Eco-Friendly Period?

Elissa Stein and Susan Kim, in their book Flow: The Cultural History of Menstruation point out, that the average period-having person throws away anywhere between 250 and 300 pounds of waste related to menstrual products during their lifetime. That’s not a small amount. A company called DAME wants to help work on reducing that amount, and they’re starting with a reusable tampon applicator.

After 14 months of rigorous testing and creating, DAME — launched by Celia Pool and Alec Mills —has created a fully functioning prototype called ‘D.’ Close collaboration with medical engineers has made sure that D is both incredibly hygienic and easily and comfortably used.

D is made from medical quality Mediprene®, which is a BPA free plastic that’s meant to be durable. It also boasts self-cleaning technology, with antimicrobial Sanipolymers® inside the applicator’s material. The plastic is also made with a smooth finish that will ensure comfort for all users, and it’s heat-resistant, which means you can sanitize it with boiling water without worrying about damaging it. And, made with just two pieces that are covered by a lid, there aren’t many parts to worry about losing and it won’t take up space.

DAME includes a storage tin, travel pouch and six of their organic tampons with each purchase of D.

It can be assumed that production of these amazing applicators isn’t cheap, and so DAME created a Kickstarter for their product. You can contribute to their product and purchase D at the same time.

“Not enough people are using reusable period products — the desire is there but the habit change is too much of a barrier,” their Kickstarter says. “We want to keep things simple. Using D is what you do already, you just don’t throw it away.”

• eco-friendly
• menstruation
• periods
• tampons