Before the infamous pads and tampons as we know them dominated the period market today, how did centuries and millennia of menstruators deal with them? Here is a brief history of the evolution of period products.
The Ancient World
According to the book, Flow: the Culture Story of Menstruation:
- The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations used lint wrapped around the wood and inserted them into their vagina, like the stone age version of a tampon.
- Ancient Egyptians used papyrus which they softened in the Nile river just enough that it could absorb blood.
- Ancient Japanese were found to use paper.
- Native Americans used moss and buffalo skin.
- In early English societies, free bleeding was encouraged.
- In China, women used bags filled with sand to absorb blood.
There is not much data present about how ancient Indian women dealt with menstruation, but we surely know that the practice of using sand and sawdust to absorb blood is still in practice.
The 1800s
In the early 1800s, the ladies safety-pinned cotton cloth or flannel to the inside of their “bloomers”. This method sounds a few ways away from poking yourself into another type of bleeding.
It’s safe to assume that using cloth was widely in use until the invention of the first disposable pad.
In 1880s in the United States of America, the first disposable pad was launched by Johnson and Johnson; the Lister’s towel and Lister’s belt, targeted towards the everyday woman to help them free up their time from washing their cloth pads.
It was in 1885 in India that we can find the first ad about a period product in the newspaper the Times of India. It featured Southall’s belt. It was targeted towards modern women and mainly upper-class women, not as a necessity but as a luxury as a more “hygienic” option.
Nurses in France during World War 1 noted that the cellulose in bandages which were used to treat wounded soldiers worked much better at absorbing blood than cotton. The nurses began using this as pads which were later branded as Kotex.
In 1933 the first tampon was patented, even though using cotton rolls and placing it in the vagina was prominent since about 1733 (when rolls of cotton were used to stop bleeding from bullet holes), this was the first tampon with an applicator which made the process of inserting it much more hygienic.
In India, in 1929, Kotex entered the Indian market as an “economical option”. But the knowledge of pads is not widespread.
The 1950s
In the western world, tampons became the popular choice and along with it came the question of whether tampons really compromised a girl’s virginity. The misogyny strikes again! The modern menstrual cup was invented but didn’t gain popularity.
In India, pre-independence, Kotex targeted mainly European women and Anglo Indian women, but after India achieved independence, Kotex started marketing more towards the modern Indian women.
The 1970s-80s
Around this time, self-adhesive pads were making their way into the western market. Also, the first disposable menstrual cup “Tassaway” was sold all over Europe. A Latex menstrual cup called “The Keeper” gained popularity and is still available today.
In India, with the popularization of radios and television, and the huge audience it garnered, and lots of girls going to schools, colleges and beginning to enter the workforce as secretaries, nevertheless, pad started to become more and more favoured as the go-to product.
The 1990s
In 1992, Procter & Gamble launched Whisper. This led all the other companies in India to push the advertising into high drive. While Carefree, Johnson and Johnson, etc., were targeting audiences which were already using pads, Kotex was on the move to convert non-users with its significantly low pricing. Where Whisper charged ₹38, Kotex was charging around ₹16.
The 2000s
In the west, birth control pills and IUDs were popularized. The main goal was to make the already existing period products safer, more hygienic, and longer-lasting.
In India, however, a very small percentage used pads regularly. Some people used pads occasionally and cloth on other occasions, some people only used pads. Nevertheless, even though pads were easier to use, most women preferred cloth and still do. Cloth pads are hygienic if cleaned and dried properly. So many girls and women are still using it to this day.
Tampons never really made their mark in India. Inserting anything up an unmarried girl’s vagina was simply out of the question; still is.
The 2010s
The main objective of the Indian government and the people see guarding periods was to raise awareness and educate menstruators about how to have a safe and hygienic period. Naturally, the disposable pads became the number one option. They are widely distributed by NGOs and government schools.
The late 2010s and 2020
With the risk of global warming becoming increasingly real and climate change being visibly felt. Bourgeoisie women all over the world are looking towards more sustainable options to deal with their periods since disposable pads and tampons create more than 3.2 million kilograms of waste. Also seen that most tampons and contains cellulose and plastic taking 500 to 800 years to decompose.
Sustainability is trending; I pray it never goes out of trend. The new and reformed menstrual cups were launched with medical-grade silicone and softer and smoother texture. Not to mention that one cup lasts you approximately 5 years. This significantly cuts down the yearly budget for period products and is a much more eco-friendly option at the same time. Same goes with period underwear.
Though not many women use it in India, they are widely available on online websites like Amazon, Flipkart, and the independent sites of the company. And in my opinion, menstrual cups and reusable pads are here to stay.