We’re counting down the days to the restock of our period underwear, in particular our fan favourite Boxer Brief 🎉 

While we wait, we thought we’d take a moment to list some of the top reasons our boxers are so well-loved, and what they’re particularly great for.

A great replacement for disposables 

Tampons and disposable menstrual pads can take upwards of 500 years to decompose, and it’s estimated that a single person will use roughly 11,000 products in their lifetime — that's a lot! But what choice do we have?

Every Aisle Boxer Brief replaces 81 disposable menstrual pads, which keeps 810 grams of waste out of landfills. Green Story helped us dig into the eco impact even further, finding that every boxer worn (instead of single-use pads or tampons) adds up to the equivalent of 4.8km of driving emissions avoided and 104.3 days of LED energy saved. So, if you’re looking for a way to make your period care routine more sustainable, our boxers are a great place to start!

Curious about how we got these numbers? Check out Why this Period-Care Brand is Offering a “Cradle to Grave” Analysis in Vogue Business. 

Sustainable Fabric

Our underwear isn’t just sustainable because it’s reusable. It’s also made of high-quality, high-performing, eco-friendly materials. The body of our period underwear is made with organic cotton and Tencel™. The undies also have a layered leak-proof panel in the gusset, which features Truetex™ fabric technology in the absorbent core. This proprietary blend of hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibres allow the undies to do what they do best without any added chemical finishes. To learn more about the materials we use, take a peek at Our Tech.

Plus sizes that actually fit

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At Aisle, we believe that in order for clothing to truly be sustainable, it has to fit every body. After all, you’re not going to wear an item of clothing if your measurements don’t even show up on the size chart — and if it doesn’t fit well and feel comfortable, it’s more likely to end up in the landfill ahead of its time. We’re proud to carry period underwear styles that go up to a true 5X. To read more about our fit and sizing process, check out Allure’s The Only Plus-Size Period Underwear I Actually Enjoy Wearing (spoiler alert: it's ours!)

They can help with dysphoria

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We designed this particular style of period underwear with trans masculine and nonbinary menstruators in mind, which means they look and feel like a pair of your everyday boxer briefs. There’s a big difference between claiming to be gender-inclusive and actually just doing it, and we are proud of the work we’ve done to make sure our boxers fit the bill. 

Great for young menstruators

With an extended size range (XXS-5X) and extra coverage, this style of period underwear is also one of our top picks for teen menstruators. They’re super comfortable and come in a variety of bold colours, which means that your kid can feel safe and secure on their period while also expressing their style and feeling affirmed in who they are! No period shame here, thanks.

They’re perfect for sleep 😴

The Boxer Brief is our top pick for sleep because of the extra-long gusset, which goes most of the way up to the waistband in both the front and back. They’re also super absorbent, holding two tampons’ worth of fluid in the gusset, and another two in the booster, so you won’t need to worry about getting up in the middle of the night to change. The longer length of the legs means they work quite well as shorts, too, so you can skip the extra bottom layer on warmer nights.

Super comfortable for long hours of sitting

Have we mentioned how comfortable these are yet? (Even the folks at Wirecutter agree!) The dreamy blend of organic cotton and Tencel™ makes for a soft and buttery fabric that feels so nice against your skin. These period undies are perfect for long hours of sitting while studying or working, or just binging your favourite shows at home. The booster is also easy to swap in and out if you need a refresh during the day. The fabric in the gusset is wicking, absorbent and breathable, so that you can feel dry and comfortable, no matter what you spend your day doing.

Great for yoga

The stretchy fabric of our boxer brief is great for movement, which means that they’re ideal for an at-home yoga session. Side note: yoga can be really helpful for dealing with period cramps, by the way - nothing hits quite like relaxing into a Child’s Pose on a heavy flow day. 

...or an errand-filled day

The two tampons’ worth of absorbency in the gusset plus two tampons’ worth of absorbency from the booster means that these period undies will be right there with you - whether you’re running errands, chasing after kids, walking the dog, or just meeting a friend for a long-overdue catch-up session.

A perfect camping companion

Going camping and want to make it eco-friendly? Period underwear is a great option, either alone or as a backup to a menstrual cup! Just make sure to bring along a waterproof bag to carry your used products so that you can keep all your other clothes clean and dry, and then pop everything in the wash when you get home.

Get excited!

Our boxers will be restocked soon and we’ve got all-new colours landing as well!

Be sure you’re the first to know when they drop by signing up for restock notifications on our website. head over to our Boxer Brief page now, select a size that’s out of stock, and click “Notify me when available” to sign up.

I live in a country where abortion is illegal and at a young age, I got pregnant. But this is not about that. This is not about access to abortion or the lack thereof, nor is this about sex education. This is about what most sex education misses - the trauma that can come after an unplanned pregnancy.

 Quick Backstory

The moment I learned I was pregnant, my first thought was, just like in any unplanned teenage pregnancy, holy sh*t. But I told myself I would move heaven and earth to become the best mother I could be. Since I felt like I’d failed at being a responsible teenager, I figured the very least I could do was become a responsible mother.

Sounds pretty straightforward. And for the most part, it wasn’t that bad. I had a solid support system. I quickly learned who my real friends were and they let me lean on them. Generally speaking, I was doing just fine.

I unconsciously subscribed to celibacy. Between motherhood, finishing high school, and figuring out what job I could do, there was no time or energy left for anything else, much less the rollercoaster of a love life or sex life. Plus, I knew I did not want to repeat the same mistake. So, celibacy it was. 

What That Trauma Looks Like

Nine years later, I found myself in bed with someone I didn’t plan to have sex with. All my life I’ve had friends that I feel comfortable just sleeping next to, so when I found myself saying yes to spending the night with this man, I really didn’t think about sex. I actually thought about staying awake the whole night, talking about anything and everything under the sun. After all, we hadn’t seen each other in months and were the kind of people who enjoyed deep conversations.

The sex wasn’t bad. I was actually okay with it. It felt good to be held like that again.

But given that it wasn’t part of the plan, we didn’t have protection. Gotta say, I got lucky this time. I was back to my 16-year-old irresponsible self but thankfully, he was more responsible and careful. After that night, we saw each other again and he kept telling me, “you’re not alone in this.” We talked about a plan of going to Cambodia for a legal and safe abortion, just in case. Actually, it was his plan. I was just a lost girl so consumed by fear that I couldn’t think straight. I was okay with his plan. I was more than okay, if we’re being honest. I was grateful he had that sense of responsibility. But the assurance of me not being alone in this, and having a plan just in case, wasn’t enough. Heck, even having my period again wasn’t enough. Trauma has a weird way of sneaking up on you. And it’ll find a way to grow.

I needed the nine months and the total lack of contractions to confirm I was not pregnant. Maybe the baby is just so tiny my belly isn’t growing? Maybe I am pregnant despite Google saying you can’t be pregnant and have a period at the same time? These thoughts were practically consuming me. I was too scared to visit my OB-GYN. I was too scared to buy a pregnancy test kit. It was paralysis like I’ve never experienced before. Nine months of paralysis and worry. And then I was finally able to breathe again.

Months later, for reasons I’m not ready to share yet, I found myself in the same situation again, but with a different man. Well, not exactly the same situation but you know - man, woman, alone in a hotel room. He wasn’t the same as the first guy; he wasn’t that caring. Probably because we didn’t have that strong of a foundation. But sex-wise, this was better. At least it should have been. We had contraception. But, like I said, trauma will find a way to grow.

I bought a scale to keep track of my weight and make sure there was no other human growing inside me. I rushed to an OB-GYN the following morning and asked for emergency contraception. I double-checked the condom after he left my condo unit to make sure it had no tiny holes. Despite what my eyes were seeing - no tiny holes on the condom, periods back on a monthly basis, numbers on the scale looked fine - I found myself high on worry again. Whenever I missed eating a particular food I’d think it was pregnancy craving. Whenever the weather was too hot, I’d wonder whether it was the increased amount of blood in my body due to pregnancy. The cycle began - another nine months of worry and fear.

You know how cancer cells just grow inside you and you don’t realize it until it’s bad enough that you’re showing undeniable signs? That’s what this trauma looks like. You don’t really know it until it knocks your mental health around. Years of celibacy protected me from worrying about unplanned pregnancy but now, nine years later, I’ve realized I have problems staying calm after sex. I discovered the new heights my anxiety could reach. 

Above All Else, Trust Your Body And Love Yourself

I think anxiety comes from the knowledge that you cannot control certain things. We’re so obsessed with taking control that when we find ourselves in situations where we practically have no control of what’s going to happen next, it scares the sh*t out of us. It revives memories and mistakes and paralyzes us.

And an even scarier truth is, you cannot really erase anxiety. The more you fight it the more exhausted you will be. And at the end of the day, you’ll lose. I knew I’d lose if I kept going down this path. So I have learned to give it space. To talk to it and understand where it’s coming from. Where the trauma is coming from. I have learned to navigate through the whirlpool of thoughts and emotions and wild imagination so I can still think straight.

It takes a good amount of courage to admit trauma. It takes a lot of time to rebuild your relationship with love and sex. More than these things, teaching yourself to trust your body more than your wild imagination is an everyday practice. It’s also an everyday practice to trust that this time, you are more responsible and more capable of handling your body and whatever happens to it, as well as your thoughts and wherever they may bring you.

Tammy Danan is a freelance storyteller based in the Philippines. She reports on environmental and social issues. She also covers film, photography, and sustainability and how they intersect with our everyday life. Her words have appeared in Al Jazeera, VICE, Ozy, ZEKE Magazine, Audubon.org, and others.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Excerpted from The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World by our Co-Founder Madeleine Shaw

Social entrepreneurship as a concept has been around since the 1980s. The “social” part is shorthand for positive social and/or environmental impact. (There really is no separating them!) Under this approach, the core motivation for undertaking an initiative is to make the world a better place in some way.

I was first introduced to this type of thinking via The Body Shop, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, and Patagonia. While these are large-scale examples, they were much smaller when they started in the 1980s and stood in stark contrast to the “greed is good” ethos of the day, as epitomized by the film Wall Street. They were remarkable in their approach and made a deep impression on me, all the more so as someone who came of age in an era characterized by conspicuous consumption and little regard for social and environmental consequences. These businesses were unique in that their charismatic founders genuinely wanted to do business in an explicitly progressive manner, finding creative ways to integrate initiatives like opposing animal testing, promoting environmental stewardship, and offering in-house child care as part of their basic value propositions and business processes. 

In building their businesses this way, these founders—Anita Roddick, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, and Yvon Chouinard—gave their customers the ability to use their purchasing power to support meaningful social and environmental change. These founders also shared the characteristic of coming from a non-traditional business background. Roddick was a mom looking for a sustainable way to support her daughters while her husband worked abroad; Cohen was a college dropout and Greenfield worked as a lab technician; and Chouinard was a rock climber and outdoor enthusiast. They also did not start their ventures with the primary aim of growing massive, internationally recognized brands; rather, their goals were to offer innovative people and planet-friendly solutions above all else. They were ordinary people who used the tools of business in service of the greater good. 

The decades since have practically seen a revolution around environmentalism and other forms of social change activism, and how they intersect with entrepreneurship. In response to concerns about climate change, plastic pollution and JEDI (justice, equity, diversity & inclusion) on teams and in policies, consumers like you began demanding explicit and verifiable commitments to social and environmental justice from the organizations that you buy from and donate to. Some of the best-known, largest for-profit companies currently attempting to do this creatively (with mixed results, I should add—good intentions are not enough to actually ensure doing good - a topic covered at length later in the book) include TOMS shoes, Warby Parker, and Seventh Generation. Organizations like B Lab—a nonprofit that rigorously evaluates and ranks businesses’ overall social and environmental impact and certifies those that pass as B Corporations (known as B Corps for short, of which Aisle proudly counts itself as a founding Canadian member since 2012)—have arisen in order to create community, ensure transparency, and fight greenwashing. 

Although large companies like these have the reach to affect more widespread change, to me, social entrepreneurship at the grassroots level represents the most potent means of remaking capitalism itself. We are small but mighty, nimble, creative, and canny. I realize that this may sound a bit grandiose, but imagine for a moment that you and everyone who has ever had the inkling of a social impact initiative actually went for it: it would literally change the world. 

I firmly believe that it’s time for all initiatives of all sizes to prioritize tackling social and environmental issues as their primary raison d’être. This is not just about taking some of the profits of a mainstream business and then giving back (as laudable as that can be), and it’s no accident that “social” comes before “entrepreneurship”: I am advocating for impact as the whole point, not as a nice-to-have. I also believe that it’s time to recognize the value of projects and ventures of all sizes, not just those with the capacity to scale. (Scale, as readers of the book will see, is something that I am borderline obsessed with unpacking and reimagining.) 

To date, scale—often even over profitability in recent years—has been the principal measure of successful organizational growth, with a focus on performance indicators like sales and number of customers. But should these metrics be the main or only ones? What about social and environmental impact: shouldn’t these constitute part of how we evaluate and define success? 

I started writing this book shortly before COVID-19 hit. Initially, I wondered whether it should be put on hold until the pandemic was over; then I realized that “over” was likely not going to be definitive, and if anything, the book’s core message—essentially, do what you can with what you’ve got to make the world a better place where you are—was going to be more relevant than ever as we moved into a “new normal” (or as I like to think of it, “post-normal”). Sensing that our very definition of things like “normal,” “work,” “opportunity,” “resources,” and “community” were never going to be the same again, I decided to double down and recommit to seeing it through. 

I think you’ll agree that we find ourselves in a time of global reckoning. The structural and social flaws that existed before COVID-19 and George Floyd’s murder were already there—there just needed to be a spark cast upon a bone-dry forest for the flames to erupt. Everything that wasn’t working before has now been exposed and exacerbated. 

As I see it, widespread social enterprise in all its forms has the potential to become a global paradigm for building a better future, if we can just let go of the assumption that bigger is necessarily better. To be clear, assuming that a venture has social impact embedded at its core, scaling it necessarily increases its benefit; what I am pointing to here specifically is an argument for there being more mission-driven initiatives started by a far more inclusive group of founders, rather than fewer, scale-driven entities. 

Which brings me to you, wonderful ‘everyday’ person who wants to change the world. Let’s do this, together. My feeling is that when we include everyone, especially those who have been marginalized or are underrepresented, we start to see the most healing, innovative, and game-changing ideas emerge. It’s an opportunity to redefine ourselves and what matters to us in order to move into a new era of inclusion, creativity, and values-driven entrepreneurial practices. As famously put by the beloved author Arundhati Roy, “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” Today, this post-COVID world, metaphorically speaking, is that quiet day. This is a time of immense possibility and potential. 

So, here is my invitation: join me in exploring what it takes to open yourself up to acting as a change maker. My book is for anyone who has ever felt scared, frustrated, or overwhelmed over the challenges of our times, from a global pandemic, climate change and other environmental issues, to racial, gender, and economic inequality. We have all had the experience of wishing that someone would just do something about the thing that angers or oppresses us, or imagined how great it would be if a certain thing existed.

Perhaps you have experienced having your back against the wall and needed to adapt to changing circumstances. Maybe you’ve had a full-blown vision, but told yourself that you weren’t the right person, or didn’t have time, or were unqualified to achieve it. Or maybe you just wanted to make a difference but weren’t sure how. The Greater Good is for you.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash 

When we were approached by our friends at The Menstrual Health Hub about partnering to create a Decolonizing Menstrual Health interview series, we were an instant Yes. As Canadian settlers committed to doing everything we can to support the cause of Reconciliation, Suzanne and I saw a unique opportunity to center Indigenous and Métis voices as a way to vastly grow our collective understanding of menstrual self-care, sustainability, ritual, intergenerational learning and more.

We reached out to our network, connecting in some cases with people with whom we have had a decades-long relationship, as well as others new to us. Our goal was to explore personal, rather than broadly representative, perspectives, respecting that each First Nation (not to mention its individual members) has its own traditions and teachings that should not be presented as universal.

We also wanted, in the case of centering Indigenous voices, to broaden the frame of “decolonizing” to be “Re-Indigenizing”, meaning to not simply identify and unpack colonial notions of menstrual health - in this case with Indigenous menstruators - but to explore ways to reclaim, uplift and otherwise use Indigenous wisdom to create a new, post-colonial narrative and power.

Aisle itself is situated on the tradition, unceded lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. While we still also use the colonial names of Vancouver, British Columbia and Canada, we understand them as such: these are not “neutral” terms, and should be qualified as such. All of us on Turtle Island are ultimately occupying traditional Indigenous territory.

We also wish to acknowledge the abiding trauma of colonial treatment of Indigenous people by the Canadian government in the form of so-called Residential Schools, which operated across the country from the 1870s to the mid-1990s. Many of our interview participants reminded me of the fact that many of their family and community traditions and rituals were lost or interrupted due to their ancestors being imprisoned in these institutions and punished for even speaking their native languages, let alone participating in ceremonies. September 30th has been declared a national day of Truth and Reconciliation in Canada.

The interviews were largely intuitive and organic, however we did use the following questions as points of reference.

- What traditional Indigenous wisdom or traditions do you practice or are you aware of that inform your perspective and self-care around menstruation?

- How might these practices and wisdom be centered and shared as we grow a global conversation about menstrual health and equity?

- How can conversations about menstrual health from an Indigenous perspective bring us closer to the goals of decolonization, re-Indigenization and reconciliation? 

Many thanks to the following individuals for their time and generosity in sharing their wisdom and stories as part of this series (click to view video interviews):

• Ecko Aleck (view video interview)
• Laura Grizzlypaws (view video interview)
• Jennifer-Lee Koble (view video interview)
• Sage Thomas (view video interview)

To get a sense of the potential of what non-Indigenous menstrual health and equity activists can learn from these and other Indigenous women and other menstruators, I quote from a recent Instagram post by Taq Kaur Bhandal: “I strongly feel that the more we tune into our menstrual cycles the more we can build respectful relationships with the land, with our bodies, and with the bodies of our neighbours and Indigenous hosts. Moving from a mindset of constant growth, linear progress, and a single story of human development to one of cyclical living, radical rest, and inner knowing can help us move towards decolonial futures.”

Rather than put my own frame on each of the remarkable conversations that I had the good fortune to be part of, I invite readers to dive in and hear firsthand from these powerful leaders. 

Huy chexw (thank you in the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) language)!

Excerpted from The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World by our Co-Founder Madeleine Shaw

A lot of people ask about the earliest points of inspiration for Lunapads (our company’s and product’s original name): where did the idea come from, back in the early 90s, long before it hit the mainstream radar?

To go way-way back, as a pre-adolescent girl in the late 1970s, like Judy Blume’s classic character Margaret in Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, I was fascinated by the idea of becoming an adult woman. I was obsessed with all of its physical trappings: breasts, hips, hair, and of course the ultimate indicator (in my mind at least) - periods. To me, the idea of becoming an adult woman was akin to becoming an astronaut or Prime Minister, kind of like “Who, me? Really?!?”. They seemed like exotic birds: tall, confident, glittering, wise and hilarious. Listening to them laugh at one another’s witty comments conspiratorially at my parents’ dinner parties, I ached to be one of them, to be included in their dramatic sisterhood. 

Further to the club idea, I secretly hoped for some form of initiation rite, where I would be warmly welcomed into such a circle, where I would be warmly welcomed and shown the ropes of womanhood. This never happened, however the yearning for it never left me and has certainly manifested itself through Lunapads, as well as G Day. 

My anticipation crumbled when my period finally arrived: a sweltering July day while on holiday with my family. I was in bed for days with what I thought was appendicitis (my Mom, bless her, gently rubbing my back.) When the true cause of my cramps revealed itself, I was mercilessly mocked by my younger brother and his friend, and I burned with humiliation. My cherished fascination quickly morphed to shame and disappointment, and I let go of my childish imaginings and got on with the less-happy reality of being a too-cool-to-care-about-such-things teenager.

Within two years I was taking hormonal birth control pills, which lessened my bleeding, however, more importantly, further eradicated my already-tenuous relationship with my cycle. I started using tampons around this time in order to minimize my experience of bleeding, and my consciousness around anything meaningful to do with my cycle or period was brought to zero. Looking back, I am deeply saddened by how patriarchal culture was able to co-opt my power and sexuality. Rather than celebrating and honouring my cycle, I internalized the idea that I was ‘liberated’ from this monthly chore.

I’ve often heard it said that many of our life choices are the result of unresolved personal issues, and in my case, it’s no different.

Fast forward to my early 20s, when - thanks to a Women’s Studies degree - I was waking up from my hormone-induced lull. I decided to go off the pill after 10 years of continuous use, and the impact was stunning: suddenly my body was so… wild. Ups, downs, blood, lust: all of it. It was like a brand-new ride at the amusement park. I was fascinated. Another shift: my trusty applicator-free tampons were driving me crazy, with bladder infections arriving pretty much within 24 hours of the onset of my periods.

Around this time, I also happened to see some washable cloth menstrual pads that were being made on a nearby coastal island and was intrigued. I bought some, however, they were very large and required sewing velcro strips into the user’s underwear (as a lifelong sewer, this was not a huge hurdle for me), and I found them to be bulky, uncomfortable and unattractive. The basic idea, however, still appealed to me and so I decided to make my own version, as well as an all-in-one pad/panty style.

What happened next literally changed my life. Washing my own pads and period underwear (aka doing one of the grossest, most transgressive things imaginable in that day and age) was like being Alice walking through the looking glass. Or Dorothy pulling back the curtain on the Wizard of Oz. Which is to say that I had my eyes mightily opened, was completely set free and experienced the deepest sense of compassion for my bleeding body. 

What came to me was that disposable products - especially tampons - are the opposite of gentle: they are foreign, extractive and even toxic. For the first time in my entire menstruating life, I was simply supporting my body in doing its thing on its own terms, without modification, judgement, resentment or shame. I wept with rage and regret for not having realized this sooner, for having forced her into all manner of “choices” that were really about patriarchal ideals of femininity, sold back to me as false-feminist “control”.

In this newly awakened state, I started to do things like attending women’s circles and tracking my cycle, as well as the cycles of the moon, to get to know not only my bleeding patterns, but everything: moods, arousal, creativity, intuition. I became a rapt student of my sweet home: my fascinating, powerful, mysterious, amazing body. Menstruation had transformed from being an irritating inconvenience to being a fascinating gateway to self-knowledge, self-care and personal liberation: what a gift!

It was this feeling of reverence, compassion, love, and awe that led me to want to commercialize Lunapads and Luna Undies: I wanted others to have their own version of this feeling, if it was available to them. I registered my first company - a sole proprietorship called everyware designs - in 1993 and enrolled in a local entrepreneurial training course and wrote the first business plan for Lunapads in 1994. 

Gendered language aside (I would say ‘menstruators’ today), the company’s original mission statement: To create more positive and informed relationships between women, their bodies and the Earth still rings true for me, and I am proud to say that over time its central intention has never wavered. 

The online launch for The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World is happening on Tuesday October 5th at 4:30pm PST/7:30pm EST. Register here if you want to join the celebration.

Are you there, Aisle community? It’s me, Madeleine. You haven’t heard much from me in the past few years, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you were even like “Madeleine who?”

For those of you who I’m having the pleasure of meeting for the first time, I’m the original creator of Lunapads, the brand that preceded Aisle. I know that while Aisle looks like a contemporary brand, its origins actually go back to a wild moment of inspiration in 1993 and a pool table that I converted into a sewing studio in my parents’ basement.

The story behind those early days is coming up in a subsequent blog post, but for now let’s just say that reusable menstrual products changed my life in more ways than just having better periods. As one of the earliest innovators in the natural menstrual space, I don’t think that it’s much of a stretch to say that Lunapads created an entirely new industry, one that is now flourishing.

Most people don’t know that while Lunapads may have been my first venture, I have also founded 3 others, adding up to going on 30 years as a social entrepreneur. Having mused off and on about writing a book over the years, when Covid hit, I had one of those “If not now, when? If not you, who?” moments and decided to go for it.

The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World is a call to action for ‘everyday people’ – particularly women, trans and non-binary folk, Indigenous and People of Colour or others who may feel excluded from the traditional entrepreneurial stereotype of white cis male, tech-based, scale-driven individuals – to build businesses and initiatives that make a difference.

In the book I dispel the myth that you need a business degree or a blockbuster tech idea to start a successful enterprise, arguing that passion, a willingness to step into one’s personal power, and strong relationships are what propel social entrepreneurs forward.

In telling my story and those of other everyday leaders, I sought to paint a compelling portrait of an emerging group of changemakers: mostly female, diverse, and social-impact focused. This cohort is the future of entrepreneurship, I believe: people who are motivated by the desire to fix problems and make the world a better place, not just making a monetary profit.

Most books on entrepreneurship focus on scaling fast and achieving celebrity status. In contrast, The Greater Good takes a more personal look at how people can tap into their sense of purpose to change the world, uncovering the emotional drive within each of us to fulfill our dreams.

The Greater Good is both a source of inspiration and encouragement, and a practical resource for starting and running a successful project, business or nonprofit organization. Written in language that resonates with equity-seeking individuals who may not relate to the growth-at-all-costs tone of traditional business books, the book teaches readers how to:  

• Understand how social entrepreneurship can create much-needed change in the world 
• Mine lived experience and personal history to discover their own vision for change
• Hone and iterate their idea, whether for a business, a nonprofit organization, or a movement
• Create an actionable plan for moving their project forward
• Build relationships and community to support their venture
• Effectively pitch their idea
• Build a prototype for their product or service
• Find funding for their venture
• Understand the rewards and pitfalls of the social impact space

Many thanks for your interest in creative ways to make the world a better place. If you do pick up the book, please be sure to let me know your thoughts! hello@greatergood.work

The online launch is happening on Tuesday October 5th at 4:30pm PST/7:30pm EST. Register here if you want to join the celebration.

Social media:

Instagram: @greatergoodbook | @ohmadeleine

Twitter: @greatergoodread | @gg_madeleine

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greater-good-book 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohmadeleine/

Supporting Menstrual Health and Equity in Post-Secondary Institutions with Reusable Menstrual Products

By Olivia Stein, Free Periods Canada Foundation

Menstrual health products, such as pads, liners and tampons, are essential products for the livelihood, physical and mental health of those who menstruate.  It has been estimated those with periods spend $6,000.00 over their lifetime on these products¹. This cost is often difficult for many in Canada to afford, leading people to skip meals to buy products or to try to make do without them². The inability to afford menstrual products is known as Period Poverty. 

This important issue is the central focus of the Free Periods Canada (FPC) Foundation, a non-profit organization based out of Vancouver. Over the past 5 years, FPC has worked to distribute free menstrual products in Vancouver, organize a national conference about Period Poverty and has recently shifted focus to advocate for menstrual policy changes. 

Through a collaborative research project, FPC wanted to know what products post-secondary students in Canada with periods use currently.  Moreover, we were keen to explore the questions: what stops students from using more sustainable and/or reusable products, and how we can promote sustainability while reducing period poverty?

How is Period Poverty currently being addressed in Canada?

Over the last several years, there has been a significant effort to combat this problem in Canada, including the removal of the federal tax on period products in 2015³. While this is a big win, menstrual products are still difficult to afford for large parts of the population. In the past year in British Columbia, the United Way Period Promise Research Project found that 51% of their respondents struggled to buy the products they needed. Organizations like Free Periods Canada Foundation, Aisle, the Mahwari Research Institute, and many others, are working towards reducing stigma, ending period poverty, and promoting sustainable periods. 

Thanks to the sustained efforts of menstrual equity activists, institutions like civic bodies, corporations, colleges and universities are increasingly coming to the understanding that providing menstrual products to their students and staff is essential.  Period products are no different than the common-sense obligation to provide toilet paper, soap, hand towels and other essential personal self-care items as a matter of basic human dignity. As a result, an increasing number of organizations are providing free disposable pads and tampons in bathrooms, as well as offering reusable products through online purchase or on-campus or workplace distribution.

How does Period Poverty Relate to Sustainability?

In Canada, the most commonly used menstrual products are single-use and involve plastics. This generates enormous amounts of landfill waste each year. In a lifetime, people who menstruate will use between 10,000 and 16,000 pads/tampons⁴. By changing to reusable products, such as cups, absorbent underwear or reusable pads, liners or tampons, massive amounts of waste can be avoided. Aisle has also conducted groundbreaking research in the form of a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of all of its products, yielding detailed data on the reduced greenhouse gas emissions and energy as a result of the adoption of its products over disposables. 

This research gives a tantalizing picture of the potential for massive environmental benefits and cost savings if more colleges, vocational institutes and universities provided reusable products to their students as a choice alongside disposables. FPC calculated that during an academic year, a student who menstruates will use up to 140 pads. Using the population of UBC as a case study, considering the 32,500 regularly menstruating students attending the school, this adds up to 4,550,000 disposable period products used in an academic year alone. Meanwhile, a set of 5 Aisle washable cloth pads used instead of disposables over a 3 year period by 500 users would yield the following benefits: 2,700 kg of waste diverted (equivalent to 123,707 plastic bottles), 147,721 MJ of energy saved (equivalent to 615,504 LED bulb hours) and 9,282 kg of CO2 emissions saved (equivalent to 35,700 km of driving). Reusable products have a higher initial cost than disposables, but lead to savings in the long run. 

Our Findings

From March through May 2021, Free Periods Canada surveyed post-secondary students across Canada and collected 470 responses. 

In terms of current product usage, we found that 66.2% of students in our study use disposable pads with wings, 52.6% use panty liners and 36.8% use disposable tampons with plastic applicators. The most common reusable product was a menstrual cup, used by 36.0% of respondents. 

The main reasons people chose a certain product was the environmental impact, the cost, the reliability and advice from a caregiver. Most students answered that it was “very important” for the products they used to be hygienic, comfortable and secure/reliable.  Some reasons students explained for using single-use products were “because most people do and it’s convenient sometimes” and being “not very educated on anything else”. 

When asked about what would lead them to use reusable products, respondents answered a free trial, more information about how they work, knowing that waste would be cut down by using them and knowing it would save money in the long run.  Students in our study responded that turn-offs to using sustainable products are not feeling comfortable changing them at work/in public, worries about reliability/leaking, the cleaning/sterilization and hygiene.  Overall, 80.4% of the students said they are either extremely likely or somewhat likely to take up a free trial of reusable menstrual products if it were available to them. 

Our Recommendations

Given increasing institutional interest in providing menstrual products to their constituents, subsidizing purchase of reusable products through vouchers or bulk purchase and free distribution makes sense, and offers the additional benefits of reduced cost and waste . Marketing and social media campaigns from influencers are also needed to increase knowledge, awareness and trust in these products.  This should be coupled with education and awareness campaigns, directed to people who menstruate and caregivers, addressing health concerns and explaining how to use and care for these products.

1. https://www.cpha.ca/period-poverty-canada-and-around-globe 
2. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/femcare-hamilton-1.4939718 
3. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tampon-tax-will-end-july-1-1.3091533
4. Dudley S, Nassar S, Hartman E, Wang S. Tampon Safety. National Center for Health Research

Want to learn more about the research? 

Click here to register for the 2021 Canadian Symposium on Sustainable & Equitable Periods!

There’s never a bad time to discuss sexuality and identity with your children. But it’s normal to be intimidated by when and how to bring it up.

Thankfully, back-to-school might just be the perfect opportunity to start the conversation. 

Many parents and caretakers find this time brings new concerns - and thankfully opportunities - for a smooth transition to chats on sexuality and gender since school has new people, new feelings, and exposure to new gender performances. 

It’s up to us as parents to do what we can to cultivate a household with open communication. Doing this allows us to be sure we’ve provided the tools to make informed decisions on how to process the lifelong journey of self-identification AND keeps them safe as they experience the natural curiosity of their bodies and other people’s bodies too. 

It’s ok if you need guidance as you support your children through this journey. We reached out to Melissa Pintor Carnagey, LBSW, sexuality educator, bestselling author, and leading national voice for sex-positive education for a few key considerations on how to use the back-to-school season in your favor. 

Start Early And Be Prepared For A Continuous Conversation

We get it. Sexuality and identity conversations feel like high-stakes work. Plenty of us feel pressure to “get it right” the first time. Accept that you’ll probably make a few mistakes along the way. But the biggest mistake is thinking you have to wait until your children are older - or you have the perfect way to say things.  Pintor Carnagey reminds us this is a lifelong journey. 

Their organization, Sex Positive Families, provides education and resources that help families raise sexually healthy children using a shame-free, comprehensive, and pleasure-positive approach.

“When parents understand that a person’s sexuality is lifespan, not simply a phase that starts at puberty or in the teen years, [it] becomes clearer opportunities available to foster a child’s sexual health early and ongoing,” they say.

The transition will be smoother if you lay the foundation in your everyday interactions. 

“From teaching accurate names for a child’s genitals to modeling consent in everyday life, sexuality education is about more than just sex or reproduction. It’s available through teachable moments that begin early before it’s even about sex.” 

Know The Culture Of Your Local Sex-ed

Our expert says families must play an active role, early and ongoing, to ensure young people are prepared, not scared, along their journey.

In a perfect world, all children would have access to high-quality affirming sexual education. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, it ain’t happening. Pintor Carnagey notes that in the United States, only 28 states and the District of Columbia currently mandate sex and HIV education in public schools. Only 18 states require the content to be medically accurate. And only 11 states require it to be LGBTQ+ inclusive.” 

“Our young people receive all levels of math, more than they will ever use in their adult life, but are shortchanged when it comes to learning about their bodies, consent, healthy relationships, and sexual decision making- vital skills for health, safety, and quality of life,” they say.

Thankfully, as parents and caretakers, we can supplement - or supply - the information our youth need to make informed decisions around sex and sexuality at home. But don’t stray away from advocating for better policies in your district at school board meetings!

Feel Free to Supplement

If you live in one of the many places that are lacking, feel free to supplement!  Pintor Carnagey recommends asking your children what they’re covering - or better yet, ask the educators and administrators - so you’re aware of what your children are learning. 

“This will help you identify any gaps or misalignment in values, so you know where to start with any supplemental talks and education at home.

She says having books around, like Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg or The Every Body Book by Rachel E. Simon, can assist with covering sexual health topics in a comprehensive, inclusive, and potentially fun way for tweens and teens. Resources like these can let your child know that sexuality is normal and no topic is off-limits.

Leave The Normative Scripts - On Gender And Sexuality - At The Door

Affirmation begins at home.

Children of all orientations and genders need parents who can ensure they feel affirmed in their whole selves while learning about sexuality. This is especially important for queer youth. 

Pro tip: Abandoning normative scripts on gender is a large percent of the battle.

“Understanding gender and the different ways people can identify, express themselves, and the varying ways bodies can develop is an important part of staying open and affirming to the beautiful diversity that exists in being human.”

She reminds us that gender exists on a spectrum - that extends well beyond the “man/woman” or “boy/girl” dichotomies we’re socialized to believe.  To make an informed choice about who they are, parents and caregivers must give their children the space to explore and express themselves in a way that feels good, free of limits and expectations. 

“Their identity is not up for debate or assignment,” she says, noting that the most important thing children need from their loved ones, regardless of their identity, is knowing they have access to love and support.  Parents have an opportunity to provide this support by exposing children to a diverse collection of images and social interactions.  

Don’t assume

Pintor Carnagey says the best way for parents to correctly introduce their children to conversations on queer identity, whether or not their children identify as queer, is to avoid assuming their children’s identities - or anyone else’s.

“Abandon a desire to critique or control how they identify or express themselves. Instead, give them the space to explore and thrive in their unique identities.”

They note that children receive “cisgender, heteronormative messages early and ongoing.” This process erases the presence of queerness. It’s up to parents to intentionally incorporate positive representations of queer identity - this is important for ALL CHILDREN - in the things they watch and read and the people and places they interact with within their community. 

We get it. It can be scary to know your children are dipping a toe into the larger world. Yet as parents, we must accept that engaging with their peers is a necessary part of identity development. There’s a big world outside of our household customs, and they’re all available for exploration.

Need more guidance? Melissa’s book, Sex Positive Talks to Have With Kids, is a bestselling comprehensive guide that supports parents and caregivers in conversations at every stage on topics like gender, sexual identity, navigating sex talks, consent, and more! 

A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez is an award-winning writer, speaker and activist working to amplify Black women's voices in the mainstream dialogue, especially within conversations on health and parenting. She is also the founder of the #FreeBlackmotherhood movement.

Photo by Nicolaus Bonaventura on Scopio