Attention everyone: THINX has done it again!
Asking yourself: “What the heck is THINX?” Don’t worry; I’m about to rock your world.
In 2010, Miki Agrawal and her twin sister Radha Agrawal created the innovative company THINX when they found that there had been any big innovations in menstrual care since disposable tampons. The company created sleek and beautiful underwear that can hold anywhere from 1-2 tampons full of blood, no liners, pads, or cups needed.
Wanting to break taboos and talk about the issues concerning people with periods, the Agrawals have used aesthetically beautiful marketing to draw people in. They haven’t been running without controversy, however. In 2015, the company went back and forth with the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority in NYC to be able to run their ads on the subways. Backed by people anywhere who dared the MTA to say that sleezy ads persuading women to get breast augmentation were okay but ads about periods weren’t, the ads went through and THINX has been riding high ever since. (Learn more about this ad debacle here: https://www.bustle.com/articles/122564-thinx-underwear-ads-on-nyc-subway…)
If you don’t already love THINX for creating smart, beautifully done, and inclusive period underwear (Have I told you about their trans model Sawyer Devyust? Check out his story “People With Periods” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRrJvHuCNQY), let me sweeten the deal. THINX announced at the beginning of 2017 that it had made our lives better once again. They have just created a silicon reusable tampon applicator called RETA that can be accompanied with their 100% organic cotton tampons. THINX suggests that the tampons are to be used for your heavier days, while the infamous underwear can be used on their own for your lighter days.
You may be thinking “What’s wrong with the plain old ones you get in a box?” Well, young one, 20 billion applicators end up in landfills every year. Not to mention, by 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean is going to be more than the amount of fish. Unless you’ve caught up with the sustainable menstrual cycle times and are using washable products, reusable products like cups or the THINX undies, or have found a way to free bleed, you’re probably adding to the plastic applicator waste. Don’t even get me started on disposable pads. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s an absolute privilege to be able to drop 30 smackeroos on a little silicone cup or to be able to have the physical ability to even create or use certain products, so I’m not here to shame. I’m just here to help you explore your options.
Back to RETA. This applicator has been in the works for two years and looks as sleek as a lipstick applicator. If you try to purchase one now, you’ll be put on a waitlist. But, if you have the funds and resources, and you want to start to transition to a waste free cycle, check out the page here: https://www.shethinx.com/pages/tampons and check out this video for a little more info and a view of the lovely Miki Agrawal telling you more about what I just said but with the lovely background of nature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQcrKX5aKOo .
Can’t wait to see what THINX comes up with next!