The Malaysian Insight

MENSTRUAL cups are becoming popular among Malaysian women as an eco-friendly alternative to disposable sanitary pads, a zero-waste store owner said.

Seedy Zero Waste Store’s Grace Teong told The Malaysian Insight more women were purchasing the flexible and foldable silicone-made cup that can be emptied, rinsed out and used again, as environmental consciousness grows.

It is one of the store’s hottest selling items. An average of one menstrual cup is sold every four days, since the small business started in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, 18 months ago.

“It is well-received by customers between 23 and 40, whether single or married. It is starting to attract campus students.

“Recently, I had a customer who bought it for her 12-year-old daughter in preparation for her coming-of-age,” said Teong.

The cup’s reputation is spread through word-of-mouth and educational efforts, she added.

“New customers are mostly influenced by friends. The main motivation is the environmental cause, which for me was the reason why I first began using it.

“I hesitated for a while, but knowing that a single-use pad has plastic materials that need at least 500 years to degrade, that pushed my decision.

“A menstrual cup can last more than 10 years, compared to an estimated usage of 10,000-11,000 disposable pads in a lifetime,” Teong said.

New user, 29-year-old Tan Aisha, recently picked up the cup and enjoyed the new technique.

“I have used the cup for about four cycles or months. My husband, who is a huge ‘green’ guy, has been encouraging me to try it for a long time.

“I continue using it because it has been amazing. I get peace of mind because of the low-risk of spillage. After wearing the cup, it also significantly reduced my period cramps.”

Another cup user, Joyce Shamini, 27, described the menstrual cup as a “liberating discovery”.

“I’ve experimented with reusable sanitary pads since 2016, alternating between disposable and cloth pads then. Eventually, I switched to the menstrual cup at the end of 2017.

“The cloth pad, while a good option to wear at night, is quite thick and tedious for frequent change. So, I ultimately found the menstrual cup most convenient and fuss-free.”

Teong said that most women started off first with reusable sanitary pads before trying the menstrual cups.

“It does require some skill to wear the cup, but you get used to it after two to three cycles of usage. I have been using it for two years.

“Now, it is so comfortable that I often forget I am using it.”

Besides environmental factors, using the cup has also been helpful for women with skin sensitivity, compared to disposable sanitary pads, which can cause dampness and stuffiness after long use.

“The menstrual cup is made of medical-grade silicone, it does not absorb, only collects and prevents toxic shock syndrome.

“It is also for women who are sports lovers as they can exercise with ease, including swimming,” said Teong.

Millennials are especially receptive towards it, due to their exposure to science and understanding of biology, she added.

Sarah Liew Jing Yi, 29, said the cup does not give her rashes, unlike regular disposable sanitary pads.

“I started using menstrual cups back in February 2018 when I purchased one online after researching it.”

Teong, who gives educational talks and workshops in collaboration with schools, corporations and non-profit organisations, has had 15 years in the skincare industry, training beauticians and salon managers before opening her zero-waste store.

She said she wanted others to know that zero-waste can be practised along with beauty habits.

“I want others to know that zero waste is inexpensive.”

Teong said her zero-waste efforts received “cold water” in the beginning, so she named her store “seedy” to signify the planting of a seed that will one day grow and thrive because of the adversity and doubt others pour over it.

While statistically, the use of menstrual cups in Malaysia compared to regular disposal pads has not been measured authoritatively, the mushrooming of zero-waste stores around the Klang Valley as well as its availability through online shopping, is seeing the product being pushed out to more eco-conscious urbanites.

Retailing between RM50 and RM100 a cup, the cost is a one-off investment menstruating women will use every month, which environmental activists say will be a substantial cost savings in terms of regular sanitary pads and more notably, the reduction of waste sent to landfills. – December 21, 2020.