Did you know that 90% of the average menstrual pad is made from plastic? Even tampons have plastic in them too – not just in their packaging and applicators, but even in the string.An average of 12,000 disposable period products are being used by each person during her menstruating lifetime. Thus it is not surprising that motivated entrepreneurs started on a journey to create reusables.

A single Ruby Cup can be used at all stages of a period for up to 10 years, replacing around 2,000 disposable period products! This makes it a fantastic alternative to tampons and pads, if the idea suits your needs. A cup is convenient, and is keeping an enormous amount of waste out of our landfill and CO₂ out of our air. This is as close to a zero waste period as it gets!

The Ruby Cup is made out of medical grade silicone which has been tested to be safe for human use.

What's also great is that a properly fitting menstrual cup can stay inserted for up to 12 h without you even noticing it. Just wash it in the shower, re-insert and keep going about your life. Learn more about the Do's and Dont's of a menstrual cup here.

Tip: One of our favourite ways to get close to a zero waste period a using a menstrual cup 'backed up' by period underwear on the first, heavier days or overnight! No leak, no smell, no waste, no trouble!

After they performed extensive research in Kenya in 2011, the three co-founders of Ruby Cup decided they did not only want to create a healthy menstrual solution for every woman. They decided to make a difference for every person that doesn’t have easy access to health care products. Around 1 in 10 women globally have been unable to afford protection for their period at some stage in their lives. The consequences of that are enormous. From missing out on school, education and other activities to being held back from contributing to the wider community - having no access to period care can be detrimental. Taboos, stigma and misconceptions around this most natural and productive stage of a women's cycle are still very common.

Starting from 2012, every single Ruby Cup sold has been accompanied by another cup donated to women in need. Oover the last decade, Ruby has donated to 13 different countries with the number of donated cups now being over 100,000 - and growing. In addition to that, Ruby does a lot of work to normalize the topic of menstruation and educate around it. The team is constantly partnering with various organizations that are committed to their individual local communities. Ruby's approach to those partnerships is special, as the team studied social impact and donation programs extensively before setting theirs up. This is to avoid reliance on donations and the undermining of local supply chains. The company only partners with programs that donate Ruby Cups as part of a menstrual health education programme. This ranges from international organisations like CARE.org and Global Communities, to grassroots community organisations. Ruby also works closely with their partners to provide follow-up visits, mentorship and more. All of which helps provide support to girls whilst they are learning how to use the cup.

Read Ruby Cup's impact report here.