Menstrual cups are a great option for women who worry about the damaging ecological and personal health implications of paper or plastic menstrual products, but for women who lack access to any menstrual products at all, these cups are an easy, reliable, and reusable resource for personal hygiene. 

500 million women worldwide lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management, so when Cherie Hoeger, an entrepreneur and mother of five daughters, launched her menstrual cup company, Saalt, she made the commitment to donate 2 percent of the company’s revenue to aid menstrual health, education, and sustainability in developing areas. 

Menstrual cups can be worn for up to 12 hours, require minimal water for cleaning, and can be discreetly carried around in a purse or backpack. Reliable menstrual products decrease the chance of women missing school or work and prevent personal hygiene concerns from interfering with their daily lives. Not having to worry about where you will discard your disposable menstrual products or where you will access more means time to focus on other important daily activities and goals. 

The added sustainable bonus of menstrual cups is that they eliminate large amounts of waste from tampons and pads that would otherwise be thrown away after use. Menstrual cups can last for years, eliminating some of the 200,000 tonnes of waste per year generated from disposable menstrual products. 

Back in February, we talked about Eco Femme, a company which makes reusable pads and provides distribution and female health education in developing countries. Saalt is yet another great solution for empowering women with the knowledge and resources they need to overcome the burden of lack of adequate personal hygiene products.