Females during their period would use products such as sanitary napkin (pad), tampon, or menstrual cup. The most common to be sold and used in Indonesia are sanitary napkin. After these pads are used, they become wastes that cannot be recycled. The usage of pads cannot be reduced, because menstruation is a natural process that happens every month for 5 to 7 days. Let's say that for a day, two pads are used. Imagine how many pads are used in a female's lifetime times the female population. It's a lot and these sanitary waste cannot even be recycled nor reduced.

Before the appearance of these sanitary napkin, our elders and ancestors have their own version of sanitary napkin made out of cloth. However, their version of pad is just a strip of cloth. Meanwhile, the current version of pads ensure that no blood would leak out. I can't even imagine wearing a pad from the old age because I'm used to pads sold in the market.

There is fabric pads now though. Not like the strips of cloth our ancestors wear, but pads that are similar to the ones sold in the market. The pads have layers and they also ensure that blood won't leak. These fabric pads are reusable so they would reduce waste. The users just have to be diligent in washing these pads and then hanging them to dry. Washing fabric pads shouldn't be a problem because non-reusable pads have to be washed as well.

Other benefits from fabric pads aside from reducing waste is that the users wouldn't have to spend anymore money to continuously buy pads. Aside that, fabric pads would feel just like underwear so they won't cause irritation making it comfortable.

Fabric pads are sold at certain places. I bought mine at a menstrual hygiene day event. It is also sold online, so people can easily buy them. Can you imagine if most young generations using this reusable pads, how many wastes that can be reduce ? The impact would be good for the mother nature.