Bathroom & personal care
Disposable pads → organic cotton or reusable options
Most disposable pads are largely plastic. Cotton and reusable options cut that, with honest trade-offs.
Swap Priority
54/100
Worth doing
Swap Priority 54 out of 100: Worth doing- Plastic avoided
- ≈ 600 g a year
- Typical cost
- £3 – £25
- Swap from
- Disposable pads and applicator tampons
- Last reviewed
- 26 September 2026
How strong is the evidence?
How the dials work- Exposure evidenceHow strong is the evidence that the plastic version exposes you to microplastics or plastic chemicals?
- Weak · 1/4
- Environmental evidenceHow strong is the evidence that this swap cuts environmental harm over the product's whole life?
- Moderate · 3/4
- Claim verificationHow well has the alternative's plastic-free claim been verified?
- No product yet
Why swap
Conventional pads use polyethylene backing and polypropylene top layers, in intimate contact with skin for hours. Applicators are single-use plastic.
What to look for
- 100% organic cotton pads and tampons with cardboard or no applicator
- Reusable cotton pads
- Period pants — check the leak-proof layer
Watch out for
- Menstrual cups are silicone, which counts as plastic under our definition — many people are happy with that trade-off
- Most period pants use a polyester or PU leak-proof layer
More swaps in bathroom & personal care
Bathroom & personal care63/100Swap Priority 63 out of 100: High priority
Shower gel bottles → bar soap
The easiest bathroom swap: same job, far less packaging, and usually cheaper.
High priority · about 700 g of plastic a year
Bathroom & personal care56/100Swap Priority 56 out of 100: Worth doing
Plastic toothbrush → wood handle, natural or replaceable bristles
A wooden handle cuts most of the plastic — but nearly all bristles are still nylon.
Worth doing · about 80 g of plastic a year
Bathroom & personal care50/100Swap Priority 50 out of 100: Worth doing
Shampoo bottles → shampoo bar
Bars cut bottles entirely. Expect a week or two for your hair to adjust.
Worth doing · about 500 g of plastic a year