By, Adrianne Hutto
The average woman will use over 9,000 tampons in her life and that doesn’t take into account pads, diva cups, heavy vs lighter flows and irregular bleedings. Ultimately all of these products will end up in a landfill, our oceans or the sewage system. While diva cups are marketed as a sustainable period product, lots of women are uncomfortable making the switch. Additionally, the brand L., self proclaimed “sustainable feminine hygiene” brand, came under fire on TikTok a few months ago for having harmful ingredients used in their products.Â
This past summer I learned about Its August, a sustainable period product brand with the goal of making tampons and pads more widely available for menstruators without damaging the environment. The founder of the company is Nadya Okamoto, a Harvard University graduate who blew up on TikTok for showing viewers her used period products. In doing so, she created the character : “The Period Fairy” which she puts on when she goes to music festivals and photoshoots. While in this character Okamoto will often wear just underwear with a visible pad or a short skirt with a tampon string hanging out of it. Her goal was to normalize periods and help women to be less ashamed of their menstruations.Â
Okamoto has also been using her platform to showcase the ways in which Its August is truly a sustainable brand. In videos, she has shown how the Its August pads will actually biodegrade in water, without sacrificing durability and longevity. On Its August’s website, interested parties can learn more about the brand’s mission. Its August has proudly stated that their supply chain is carbon neutral, all emissions generated from production and distribution are offset from trusted partners. Its August tampons are made from 100% organic cotton and are fully biodegradable, with recyclable applicators.Â
“Our manufacturing partner is based in Saxony, Germany. What stood out to us about our tampon manufacturers is that they went above and beyond the regular certifications of their competitors! With an enforced code of ethics, annual sustainability reports, as well as an official commitment to the UK 2015 Modern Slavery Act” (https://www.itsaugust.co/traceability/).
Due to the newness of the brand, Okamoto showcases new products on her TikTok daily. The most recent being the “Night Pad,” which is like a larger regular pad. What makes these pads so different from other brands is it has two sets of wings to stick to your underwear, with the second set being curved to form around the natural shape of your butt.Â
Its August is a great brand for women who are interested in using sustainable products but do not want to sacrifice comfortability or change what they’re used to. If you’re interested in purchasing Its August tampons or pads they are available in some stores, however, you can buy directly from their website (https://www.itsaugust.co/traceability/) and select the number of pads and tampons you want per order or sign up for a subscription. If you want to learn even more, follow Nadya Okamoto on TikTok or Instagram for some more information and great female empowering content.