•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sustainable Packaging Updates for our August Pads
Having a sustainable menstrual cycle and August period care, name a better duo… we’ll wait! We are making some exciting packaging updates in the name of sustainability. While our old packaging and wrappers were already planet friendly, we are always looking for ways to make our products more sustainable. At our community’s request we’re bringing you less packaging and compostable wrapping for our organic cotton pads and liners!
We’re all about meeting our community where they are at by taking the period care they know and love, and making it more sustainable. For those that aren’t a fan of menstrual cups and reusable pads, our biodegradable disposable pads are an easy switch to your routine to have a more sustainable menstruation.
When we first launched, we decided to start with smaller box sizes to make it easy for you to customize your box. After analyzing the box building patterns from our first 6 months of sales, we are creating larger pad boxes sizes to reduce our packaging waste. Our famous winged pads are now going to be available in boxes of 4 and 12.
In addition to the larger pad boxes, we are introducing new and improved compostable August pad wrappers! The new wrappers are made out of Polyvinyl Alcohol commonly known as PVA, a biodegradable, water-soluble synthetic polymer. And the best part? These wrappers actually melt when immersed in hot water.
For those of you who prefer tampons, we also have the best organic tampons available on our website!
Why did we bother upgrading our biodegradable wrappers to be compostable?
Biodegradable items are made of any material that breaks down and decomposes back into the environment. The benefit of biodegradable items is that they reduce waste. Compostable items are made of organic and nutrient rich materials. The benefit of compost is that we use it as a fertilizer and improve soil health. So while both are amazing for the environment, we wanted our waste to be able to serve a purpose. Our pad wrappers are now a nutritious meal for a growing plant.
What are the new wrappers made out of?
Our pad wrappers are made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA): a biodegradable, water-soluble synthetic polymer. There are two definitions of PVA, and we want to be clear that we are NOT made of polyvinyl acetate (aka the stuff they put in elmers glue) that decomposes into a toxic chemical.
The new PVA wrappers are compost safe & non-toxic!The August pads themselves are fragrance free, chemical free, pesticide free, tampon tax free, and the healthy choice for your flow! Check them out for sustainable products built for long-lasting protection!
How does PVA wrapping dissolve?
PVA is water soluble and dissolves in boiling water. Its formulation means that it can biodegrade both in a landfill or compost bin, and in boiling water. Once it comes into contact with the right microorganisms, it fully breaks down into CO2 and water. It makes for a great visual and speeds up the compost time significantly! If you don’t have time to dissolve it, don’t worry! You can dispose of them in a regular landfill or compost it! These wrappers are BPI certified to be compostable and will fully breakdown in a year.
Does PVA leave behind micro plastics?
No!! Microplastics have received a lot of attention in recent years, because some plastics break down into tiny, non-visible particles of plastic which can have long lasting detrimental effects on the environment. However, PVA will fully degrade, and thus is not contributing to microplastic pollution.
The microorganisms needed to break PVA down are found within all water supplies in the US, and especially so in wastewater treatment plants in the US. While certain waterways will definitely break down the PVA faster than others, PVA will break down fully into its original components of CO2 and Water.
We are so excited to take these big next steps in our sustainability journey! Stay tuned to see how we will be reimagining our August tampons and their packaging in the coming months. If you have any questions about our packaging updates please feel free to email chesley@itsaugust.co.
