FAQ’s
HELP
Frequently Asked Questions
Cloth pads are just like disposables, except you can wash and reuse them several times, therefore saving money and creating less waste. They are a great eco-friendly option.
The average menstruation period lasts from 4 to 6 days. Most women experience a heavier flow during the first 2 – 3 days.
It is difficult to predict as the flow varies from woman to woman as well as within the period for the same woman. An average range per 24-hour period is 2 – 4 pads. In the beginning of the period when the flow is the heaviest – three during day and one at night. Towards the end of the period one to two pads per day and one at night.
It is difficult to predict as the need is very individual and depends on your flow. If the flow is within the average range and you wash every day, you will be able to manage with one pack of MeraPad™ (four pads).
Women usually bleed between 10 to 40 ml per menstrual period, most often being strongest in the beginning. A single regular daypad has the capacity to absorb approximately 15 ml.
Our pads are made of natural fiber bamboo charcoal. The inside of the pad is made of super absorbent polar fleece (the number of layers differs according to the pad model). The back of the pad is made with a PUL (polyurethane laminate) leakproof layer with beautiful prints to make you smile.
This is a personal matter and the answer would depend on the user, but we have very good feedback regarding the comfort of MeraPad™ as it is made of natural fibre and is a natural anti-bacterial, skin-friendly, odour-protective, rash-free, moisture-wicking, and has many more features. The comfort of MeraPad™ against your skin and between your thighs is better than plastic and feels less wet, brings less skin irritation, and our customers love their softness!
MeraPad™ Cares My Dignity Pack consists of 3 x Regular Day pads (11 inch L * 8 inch W) and 1 x Overflow Pads (13 inch L * 8 inch W).
The grey plain natural-coloured bamboo charcoal fabric is worn facing your body and the beautiful printed patterned leak-proof side faces your underwear. The Snap buttons are fastened around your underwear.
MeraPad™s have wings which fold around your underwear and are fasted with a press button below. We recommend wearing well fitting underwear whilst using our pads to ensure the pad fits snugly against your body.
Provided the care instructions (4 to 5 minute soaking, rinsing, squeezing and drying) are followed, MeraPad™ will withstand at least 120 washes, usually more, depending upon how you care for the product. Assuming that the pad is washed twice in a period, 120 washes translates into 5 years of use. As the top layer is Made of bamboo charcoal, it is known to be a naturally anti-bacterial and also tested and passed by TUV Rheinland that the product can be used as per the mentioned timelines.
For the environment and to save money.
Women have been using cloth for thousands of years before you. This doesn’t mean it is old fashioned or even outdated. In fact it is all the opposite, absolutely up-to-date, eco-friendly, beneficial for health, and cost-convenient. You quickly incorporate the routine of using, changing, soaking, washing, drying, and reusing. Many users have reported the benefits of feeling more emotionally connected to themselves and their cycle.
Cloth pads can be washed easily by hand or in the washing machine. The secret is to first soak the pads in cold water for 4 to 5 minutes before washing in up to a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius. Most of the blood comes out in the soaking process. After that, it’s just like washing your clothes., But do take care NOT to brush or bleach, just a simple handwash is needed
Pull your wet pad into shape to prevent shrinkage then dry on the washing line in full sunlight for best results or tumble dry on low heat.
The back of the pad is made of a leak-proof PUL (polyurethane laminate) layer. Beyond that, using cloth pads is just like using disposables. Whether disposable or reusable, a pad needs to be changed in time before it leaks, according to your personal flow.
The blood doesn’t stay on the top Layer. The liquid gets absorbed into the inner middle absorbent layers. If your body expels clots during your period, you will find these on top of your pad. If your pad starts to feel wet it means it’s time to change it with a fresh one, just as with any other product. In fact many users report feeling less wetness and more comfort with bamboo charcoal fabric against their body as compared to sticky plastic pads.
You should change your pad about as often as you would change a disposable pad, every 6 to 8 hours, as needed, depending on your flow. You will easily learn when it’s time to change.
When wet, squeeze the water out of your pad. If the water is transparent, it means that the blood has been washed out of the inner layers of your pad.
Yes, cloth pads are perfectly safe and hygienic to wear when they are washed well, dried in direct sunlight and stored properly. Cloth has been used by millions of women across the world to manage menstruation for generations. The real question is not whether cloth is hygienic, but whether it is cared for hygienically. Are panties inherently unhygienic? Issues related to cloth pads are linked to unhygienic practices such as poor washing or drying, rather than the cloth itself.
MeraPad™s have a natural anti-bacterial feature as made of bamboo charcoal, but we suggest soaking used pads in cold water prior to washing in warm water, as to ensure the pads remain stain-free. Blood is washed out easily when initially rinsed in cold water. After that you can wash the pad in warm water. However, harmful bacteria can develop when the pads stay moist. It is not so much the washing but the drying of your clean pads that matters! Dry your pad in a tumble dryer or in direct sunlight (best as UV light kills germs) and you’ll be sure that it is safe to use!
We have found that washing cloth pads doesn’t take much more water than washing underwear or any other cloth of the same size. Especially if you use a washing machine, after the initial cold water rinse, you can just add the pads to your regular laundry machine load.
Our decision to use a layer of PUL (polyurethane laminate) is the trade off we have made in order to make our pads functional. We needed a leak-proof solution for women to be confident using cloth pads. PUL is an international standard used in reusable cloth diapers and other reusable cloth pads while being the best option to minimize waste at present. One of our cloth pads is the equivalent of approximately 120+ disposable pads so it is a much more eco-friendly option than disposable pads.
Our top layer is made of natural fibre with natural colours. No chemicals or dyes are used. The inner layers are unbleached and undyed.
The answer is ‘Yes’. And here are the details:
When we started MeraPad™ production in 2018, we decided there was a need to make cloth pads affordable for women with a limited means of income. This guided our choice to start with a natural fibre, i.e bamboo charcoal.
We then set out to find ways to offer our product to be natural and safe. We wanted to stay within our values of providing a product that is healthy for our bodies and our environment, and it turned out to be feasible!
Although cloths do not legally require any testing, we still had the anti-bacterial testing completed through TUV Rheinland for customer assurance about the fabric being used to be a natural anti-bacterial and the fabric received the certification.
In addition, MeraPad™ has also been awarded the vegan PETA certification: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
In India, women have traditionally used scrap cloth from old saris or towels, folded and held in place by underwear or a string “belt.” These cloth scraps are generally used for 2 to 3 months, then burned or buried. To this day, most – an estimated 74% – of Indian women are still practicing this traditional method of managing menstruation. Some women improvise using locally available materials such as sand, ash, rice husk, plastic and paper. With such practices, hygiene is a major concern. As Indians have more disposable income, there is a trend toward the use of commercially available disposable sanitary napkins, but even better, as awareness is growing in the past few years, a trend for cloth pads and menstrual cups!
