We often receive messages and emails from women who have bought one of our menstrual cups stating how “life-changing”, they are and that they “wish they had known about menstrual cups sooner”, which is quite ironic considering that menstrual cups and tampons were in fact invented in the same decade! The very first form of the menstrual cup was invented by a woman in 1937, she was an American actress called Leona Chalmers. The cup was made from latex rubber and was very similar in design to how we know menstrual cups to be today. Keep in mind back then, the use of words like “vagina” and “menstruation” was strictly forbidden which made the marketing of such products extremely difficult. You would think we would have progressed somewhat since those days, some taboos however still remain today. The first “modern” advertisement for feminine hygiene products illustrating blood and using the word “vagina” was only released as recently as 2010! Back to the story…In 1959 a man by the name of Robert P. Oreck launched his own menstrual cup company called Tassette Inc, Robert was smart with his awareness campaign and did so by sending free menstrual cups to nurses nationwide, in return the nurses were asked to recommend and advise others on the benefits and solutions the cups offered. Even though woman had made headway in the 1930’s many were still not comfortable with the idea of using a menstrual cup especially considering touching your parts and internal protection was seen as ‘improper’, let alone inserting things. In order to compete with the emerging market Tassette created a disposable cup called “Tassaway”, however, too much was spent on marketing and the company eventually closed their doors. At the beginning of the 21st century a new material made from medical grade silicone was introduced to the design of the menstrual cup, a real blessing for those who were allergic to latex rubber. It wasn’t long before a growing number of companies saw the menstrual cup as an opportunity to reduce waste while helping women and girls to have safer periods worldwide. Both women and period products have come a long way in 100 years and continue to evolve. Little by little, obstacles in the way of having a worry-free and healthy period are being broken down by brave pioneers like Leona Chalmers. We have yet to completely break down these obstacles however at Baobabe we strive to educate those who menstruate of the less mainstream & healthier options available to them. Let's break the cycle of disposable sanitary products and promote sustainable living, our planet needs it! www.baobabesa.co.za "soon to be in a vjayjay near you"