D.I.Y. Notebook & Reusable Cloth Pads

D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) Notebook

If you are into recycling and d.i.y. stuff, you know for sure that there are many ways to save money while being creative at the same time. Before I start a project, I make sure to find inspiration first. I usually pick ideas from Pinterest. 

The idea of making a d.i.y. notebook came to mind while I was putting away my niece's old books (we have donated all the books, btw) and notebooks, I noticed that there are many unused pages so I thought why not recycle instead of throwing them away? When I saw a denim covered notebook on Pinterest, I knew for sure that it will be my inspiration for this. I'm glad I found an old denim jacket from a pile of used clothes that we are looking to donate soon.

Look how thick it is

Cover (front)

Cover (back)

(Inside) Back

Worth recycling

Inside

I started by binding the pages together with a fastener, then I cut a piece of the denim jacket to the size of the front and back cover. I just basically hand stitched the inside so it will not come off. I also use a glue stick to attach the cloth to the paper cover of the notebook. Lastly, I added a gift wrapping paper to make the inside cover look a little bit artsier.

Reusable Cloth Pads Are Back

It is foldable just like disposable
sanitary napkins

Back in the late 80s until the early 90s, I remember using cloth pads during my period although disposable pads or sanitary napkins already exist. It was my mom’s advise not to use disposable pads all the time because it is dangerous and may cause cancer since it is made of plastic materials with chemicals in it. Disposable pads are not very absorbent or leak-proof back then. Cloth pads a.k.a. “pasador” in Tagalog, is not leak proof at all that is why it is for home use only.

The grey side is the bamboo

charcoal that provides protection 

against slippage and leaks

In my case, I use both disposable and cloth pads during my heavy flow days, unfortunately, I still often experience leaks. Only regular pads are available in the market. There is no such thing as with “wings” or “overnight pads” yet so imagine having to deal with the embarrassment (although later on, I realized that it is nothing to be ashamed of) and agony of removing sudden blood stains on your school uniform skirt while feeling helpless about the situation. My point is if you haven’t experienced any of these, consider yourself lucky.

After thorough research and experiments, disposable pads’ functionality has improved a lot over the years. Cloth pads have become a thing in the past, gone for good. Well at least that’s what I thought until a few months ago, I noticed that it is slowly making a comeback. Online shops selling washable reusable cloth pads (that’s what they call it now) are sprouting like mushrooms. Gone are the days when it is just a piece of cloth, now it comes in a variety of size and printed designs. There are regular and heavy flow or overnight pads. According to the product description that it is made from soft, breathable fabrics so it is less irritating. I thought hmm…really? How is that possible? I was apprehensive at first because I know how cloth pads work. I even checked out Youtube reviews until I was finally convinced that I have to give it a go. 

The outer covering is made of
soft and breathable material

I  bought my first cloth pads from The Vegan Grocer PH when I went grocery shopping for vegan supplies (yes, I am vegan). I got myself a heavy flow pad and panty liner (just one of each) since I am not certain yet if it is going to be worth it or not.

So how do you use it? First things first, make sure to wash the cloth before use to make sure that it is clean. Wash it using mild soap and water then let it air dry. I tried using the panty liner first and I must say that it is quite promising because it feels comfortable, it’s barely there. It moves a little because there is no adhesive but it did not bother me at all. When I finally have my period I got excited to try the heavy flow pad. In case you’re wondering why I got the heavy flow pad, it is because I am more comfortable with longer pads not because I move a lot but I just feel like I am more protected from leaks. So did it work? Yes, it did, and I am ecstatic about it.  Similar to the panty liner, it is comfortable and surprisingly absorbent. There’s no leak because of this bamboo charcoal thingy. Amazing right? It's very easy to wash but make sure to do it properly. Use mild soap, rinse (with cold or tap water but definitely not hot water) and dry. 

You can fold it like this

Final thoughts:

I think these reusable pads saves the day. I don't have to buy a pack of sanitary napkins every time I have my period so I must say that it is a good investment after all. It also changed my perception regarding cloth pads that it is not reliable. I have dealt with leak problems since I was a kid but now I am definitely switching to help reduce waste in our landfills to save mother earth. I have been vegan for almost a year now and if I can help save animals then it would not hurt to contribute to saving mother earth. Maybe I cannot save the world but always remember that whatever we do for the earth no matter how big or small, it definitely counts.