In the United States, 7 billion tampons and 12 billion pads are thrown away every year and end up in the landfill. Moreover, the average individual uses 11,000 disposable tampons or pads throughout their life. Yep, that’s a lot of waste. That’s where sustainable period products come in.

Not only are sustainable period products better for the planet, limiting the amount of waste that goes to the landfill. Because they’re reusable, they’ll also save you money. Take menstrual cups, for instance. While tampons will cost you upwards of $1,512 over a lifetime, the price of menstrual cups will only set you back up to $136.

“Reusable menstrual cups can last for six months to several years. This can vary based on how well you clean your cup and where it’s stored,” says Cathy Feller, MD, a family medicine specialist with UCHealth in Colorado Springs. “Evaluate your cup before each use to ensure good condition.”

In the hopes of reducing these statistics and making periods more affordable, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite sustainable period products below. 

4 Sustainable Period Products to Try

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