What is period underwear?

If you have heard of period underwear but are not quite sure what it is or whether it really works, this is for you.

What it is

Period underwear looks and feels like ordinary underwear. The difference is what is built into it: absorbent layers that hold your flow, keep moisture away from your skin, and stop leaks reaching your clothes.

You wear it instead of a pad or tampon. Not as well as. Instead of.

How it replaces what you use now

A pad sits on top of your underwear and has to be thrown away. A tampon goes inside you and has to be changed. Period underwear does the job of both, and at the end of the day you rinse it, wash it and wear it again.

One pair lasts two to three years with reasonable care.

Does it actually work?

Yes, if you match the absorbency to your day. That is the part people get wrong. Every Mongato style carries a flow rating, so you can pick a heavier pair for your heaviest days and a lighter one for the tail end of your cycle.

What about the cost?

A pair costs roughly what you would spend on a few months of disposables. Over two to three years, the maths is not close. And you stop running out at the worst possible time.

Where to start

Three pairs covers a cycle for most people: one on, one in the wash, one spare. Start there, see how your flow sits against the ratings, and build from there.