Vuokkoset is working for eco-friendlier periods. A single person’s periods will produce on average 125-150 kilograms of period product waste, so your choice of pads and tampons clearly makes a difference. Eco-friendly and more sustainable choices can extend from food, clothing and cosmetics to disposable daily goods.
Continuous development work has resulted in the Vuokkoset Bio product range, which is made from biodegradable raw materials. The surface fibre used in the pads and pantyliners is 100% organic cotton and only natural cellulose is used as an absorbent. No chemicals that are harmful to people or the environment, such as unnecessary fragrances, lotions or dyes, are used to manufacture Vuokkoset products. The eco-friendliness of periods can be considered from two angles: the amount of waste produced and whether the products are chemical-free.
In order to make more sustainable choices and an eco-friendlier lifestyle easier, we have listed three points to consider when choosing a period product.
1. Domesticity – where are the pads and pantyliners manufactured? How far do they have to travel from the factory to your home?
Delipap Oy is a Finnish company that manufactures Vuokkoset products. The products, which are marked with the Key Flag symbol, are manufactured in Veikkola using renewable hydropower, which does not generate any carbon dioxide emissions whatsoever. By choosing Vuokkoset, you are also supporting Finnish employment.
Production in Finland also guarantees a shorter logistics chain and lower emissions. Throughout the production process, Delipap Oy strives to choose Finnish raw materials and service providers wherever possible.
2. Recycling – what goes in the biowaste? What goes in the mixed waste container?
Many of us are already familiar with household recycling. The biowaste container is filled with leftover food while plastic food packaging is placed in its own plastic waste container. But what about period products? Where should I put a used tampon or pad?
Vuokkoset Bio pads and pantyliners, along with Organic Tampons are biodegradable, as is the Bio pads’ individual packaging wrap. You can put used products in your home compost. Biowaste sorting varies by municipality due to regional rules – some municipalities require that waste containing human waste, such as period blood, must be disposed of as mixed waste. Please check your municipality’s instructions.
You can put all Vuokkoset pantyliner and Organic Tampon cardboard packaging in the cardboard recycling container. Vuokkoset Organic Tampons do not have an applicator, so they do not produce any excess plastic or cardboard waste.
3. Materials – a chemical-free option for sensitive skin
Vuokkoset pads, pantyliners and tampons are marked with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and have been awarded the Finnish Allergy, Skin and Asthma Federation’s Allergy Label. The products do not contain any substances harmful to health or the environment, and the materials used in the products must be manufactured with minimum possible emissions and without burdening the environment. The products are also fragrance-free, and the Vuokkoset Bio range is completely vegan.
Pads, pantyliners and tampons are always in contact with mucous membranes and sensitive skin. By choosing a safer option, you are protecting your body against unnecessary chemicals and irritation.
Source: Sitra
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