Putting Cloth Pads on the Market

When I began learning about how much safer and comfortable cloth pads are compared to disposables, I was eager to try them. After two years, I realized that I don't want to go back to disposables and hope I can share with people around me the benefits of "going green."

I decided to branch away from the cheap Amazon brands I've been using and invest in a large stash of homemade pads from small businesses that I know will last me years as long as I take good care of them. I'm not going to lie though, adding up the total was not fun even though in the end I know I'm still saving money and using a lot less waste. After doing months of research about the types of fabrics to use for cloth pads, what's best for certain flow types, and how to make reusable pads, I decided to build a website with a gender-inclusive name where people could learn more about reusable menstrual products, feel more comfortable discussing periods, and try some of the products I made.

This is where I hit a roadblock.

As I began to grow my website and prepared to launch it, I learned online that menstrual products are classified as "medical devices." This means that pads, tampons, and menstrual cups undergo stringent regulation procedures by the FDA. You may wonder, "what about menstrual underwear?". Those are considered to be their own patent and aren't FDA approved-----just "period approved."

Because these "medical devices" are regulated, as of 2020 businesses are required to pay an annual registration fee of $5,236 to the FDA. For large companies this is only a sliver of their profit but for small businesses, this is the reason why many have to shut down. They must first be legally approved and some cloth pad businesses who became name-brands were shut down and fined thousands of dollars by the FDA for not complying with their policies. Then, they have to buy the materials. If they're selling from a profit buying and selling website then they're not making full revenue.

The cost adds up quick.

You may wonder now why pads are considered luxury goods because we're also being taxed for products we need. That's what I continue to wonder too. While I agree that companies manufacturing disposable products should be getting screened because they're making products from scratch and using various chemicals (which they're not bound legally to disclose), why should pieces of fabric suddenly be considered medical devices as soon as they take the shape of a pad? After all, there are already regulations put in place for textile manufacturers and fabric stores to ensure that materials reaching consumers don't contain toxic dyes. I agree that things like tampons, menstrual cups, and sea sponges should be screened on the market for obvious reasons. For those who argue that fabrics can cause allergic reactions, even things legally approved by the FDA like disposable pads can create a reaction. With reusables, you're better able to test and try various materials that won't cause you discomfort.

As I was building my own stash of cloth pads, I noticed that most of the popular sellers are Canadian such as Pad Thai Cloth, Homestead Emporium, Tree Hugger Cloth Pads, Soft Taco Reusables, Lunapads (now Aisle), etc. Additionally, many shops selling fabrics used for cloth pads/diapers are located in Canada. After doing some research into why this country seems to be a hub for cloth pads, I learned that cloth pads are considered garments and don't need any federal approval to sell. Many makers are also located in the UK and to my knowledge the only thing they have to do is submit tax returns and buy protective insurance when starting a cloth pad business. If anyone is selling to American customers, then they're supposed to undergo the same legal procedures through the FDA.

When learning all this, my heart sunk because I don't have the budget to spend all this money especially because this website is only directed toward young students. I did learn, however, that there are many businesses that sell pads on places like Facebook and are kept private. They're able to create a small community where people can buy and sell cloth pads.

I want Cloth Buddies to be a small educational place for young students where they can have access to and try homemade cloth pads. These are not intended to be used as medical devices, but rather intended to serve as educational products. Of course, I would love to make them for free but I do have to cover the material cost. Until it can be decided whether menstrual products are medical devices or luxury items, I'll continue making pads for those who need them.

• I've purchased all my fabrics from the following accredited fabric stores: JoAnn Fabrics, Fabric.com, and Kinderel Organic Fabrics.

• Products are sewn in a house with cats.

• The materials have been pre-washed with OxiClean detergent.

• All images and videos on this website are mine except several used for the blogs.

• This site will be running throughout the academic year.

Works Cited

Center for Devices and Radiological Health. (n.d.). Medical Device User Fee Amendments (MDUFA). Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://www.fda.gov/industry/fda-user-fee-programs/medical-device-user-fee-amendments-mdufa

FDA 510K Costs. (2020). Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://510kfda.com/pages/fda-510costs#:~:text=Our%20FDA%20510(k)%20consulting,%2D%20%2416%2C000%2C%20depending%20on%20complexity.

S., Alysha. (2014, December 08). FDA Compliance & The Cost of Doing Business. Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://periodaisle.com/blogs/all/fda-compliance-cost business#:~:text=Cloth%20pads%20have%20been%20considered,FDA%20compliance%20since%20the%201990's.&text=Like%20many%20cloth%20pad%20manufacturers,paying%20the%20Annual%20Registration%20Fee.