FAQ'S
What are the benefits of switching to cloth?
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SO much more comfortable!
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Eco friendly, the amount of landfill saved by switching to cloth is quite phenomenal
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Economical, an initial investment but totally worth it in the long run with the savings you’ll make. Plus you’ll never run out! Buy them once, keep them for good!
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Breathable, no more irritations
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Many women have experienced less cramps, lighter flow, shorter periods!
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Much healthier for your lady downstairs as those sensitive tissues will no longer be absorbing synthetic chemicals and bleaches which have been known to cause many issues
What do I start with?
Taking a measurement of the pads you currently use can be very helpful to give you an idea of where to start. The 10" pad is the closest size to a regular disposable pads. If you don't already use pads I recommend starting with a 10" pad and go from there. The Starter Set's I offer have one of each size to try so they are a good option for those of you new to cloth.
How many will I need?
Consider how often you change your pad/tampon/cup in a day and double that.
Our recommendation is if you find that you change your pad about 5 times a day, having a stash of at least 10 cloth pads would be perfect to start with. This way while the first 5 pads you have worn are being washed and dried you have enough to cover you for the following day.
How often you wash your pads is a matter of personal preference. If you don’t want to do washing everyday then ideally you would have enough to wear for each day of your cycle and wash them all at the end.
Hand washing is also an option to always have your pads in rotation.
Cloth pads are very absorbent for how thin they are and you may find that you only need to change 1-3 times a day although every 4 hours is recommended by healthcare professionals.
How do I wash/care for them?
- Cold rinse after use until water runs clear
(rinsing them while in the shower also works well)
- Place into wetbag after rinsing until you do laundry
OR
Place into a container of water to soak until you do laundry
(you can add a little lemon juice, vinegar, tea tree, lavender or eucalyptus oil,
changing water daily)
- Wash with you regular laundry no hotter than 60 degrees
(you can use a lingerie bag to keep separate if you like)
- Hang to dry
- Do not use fabric softens as it will affect absorbency
- Do not tumble dry on hot (warm is fine)
- Do not iron as it will melt the waterproof layer
How to wear:
- Place into underwear pretty side up with the stitching towards you, fold wings around gusset and snap together.
- Wear as long as feels comfortable but generally,
- Changing every 4 hours is ideal
Stains?
If you find your pads are staining, there are a few things you can try:
- Firstly try to cold rinse your pads as soon as possible after use (when blood dries it can stain and rinsing in hot water can set stains)
- Sunbake! Sunshine has wonderful stain removing properties, just lay them in the sun for the day and that can be all you need.
- For a little more stubborn stains try rubbing a little of either peroxide/baking soda/laundry detergent into the pad then soak overnight
What are they made from?
- The top layers that are against the skin are either: bamboo velour, bamboo spandex or cotton spandex and minky. Printed or hand dyed fabrics
- The I dye use is a fibre reactive dye called Procion which is nontoxic and
eco-friendly, never washes out and is hypoallergenic to the wearer.
- The back layer is a plain cotton knit fabric
- The hidden waterproofing layer is called PUL (polyurethane laminate) it is a thin, breathable layer that prevents any fluid flowing through the pad onto your underwear.
- The snap fasteners on the wings are made from a durable resin plastic placed onto the pad using an industrial snap press machine.
-The absorbent layer is bamboo fleece and reaches peak absorbency after about 6 washes.
( It is prewashed 3 times before sewn into the pads)
* Bamboo fleece is a very thirsty fabric and is a favourite among many. It can hold 3 times its own weight in liquid and is more absorbent than cotton or hemp.
I use 1 layer of 340gsm for the light flow pads
1 layer of 420gsm for moderate flow
2 layers of 420gsm for heavy flow
3 layers 420gsm for super flow
Each level of absorbency is marked with a coloured heart snap on the back of the pad.
White – Pantyliner
Light Pink – Light
Bright Pink – Moderate/Regular
Red – Heavy/Overnight
Black – Super/Postpartum
Absorbencies
What is the difference between the top layer fabrics?
Here at Her Rhythm natural fibres are prefered in all cloth pads but there is a small percentage of synthetic material used for good reasons which is listed below.
- The cotton/bamboo spandex fabrics have 5% spandex which gives the pad that extra silky softness. (given the stretch of the fabric it's also best for making panties with).
- Bamboo velour is the deluxe of natural fibres, such a fantastic fabric. It has a very effective wicking ability (drawing fluid into the fabric), super absorbent and super soft. The favourite of the hand dyed fabric!
- Minky is the one synthetic topper fabric used and if you have felt it you would know why. Luxury at its best, stain resistant and also has great wicking ability (as it has such a long plush pile.
- Quilting cotton is a very thin and lightweight fabric. Being woven it doesn't have a very good wicking ability and so is better for liners and light flow. It is mostly used for making wetbags and wrappers.
