And now for something completely different! Waterproof pouches, and tube pads

Luna Wolf has an exciting new addition to the shop - waterproof pad pouches!

These beauties are handmade by the lovely Sarah from AngelPadz, and come in large and small sizes. The large size holds approximately 4 medium pads, and is perfect for storing your pads when out and about. It would also be a very attractive make-up or toiletry bag! The small size holds a single liner or medium pad, and fits discreetly into a handbag or pocket. It's great for carrying a spare pad around.

Both sizes are made from quilter's cotton and lined with PUL. The large pouches fasten with zips, and the small ones with snaps. They are available in the new Waterproof Pouches category, and I expect to be ordering many more of them in future!

On a different subject entirely, I have a friend who runs a charity for poorly children. This weekend she received a request for some cloth "tube pads", and is looking for volunteers to sew some. Kids with tubes and buttons often experience leakage, which irritates their skin and makes them sore. They then end up having to wear medical dressings that are uncomfortable, not to mention boring!

Cloth tube pads are very quick and easy to make, and are a great way of using up scraps of fabric. You can find instructions here. I used three layers of flannel for the first few, and one layer of flannel plus one layer of bamboo fleece for the rest.

If you find yourself with an hour to spare, why not whip a few up and send them over to Vikki at Post Pals?

Sister Hope is no longer accepting pads

Just a quick FYI: Sister Hope is no longer accepting pad donations. Instead, they have partnered up with Afri-Pads, a female run initiative in Uganda, to distribute menstrual kits to school girls. For every bag purchased from Sister Hope, a menstrual kit will be given to a girl in need. The reusable cloth pads in the kits are sewn by local women who are employed by Afri-Pads, providing much needed income for local female artisans.  I wish Sister Hope much success with their new direction.

"Sponsor A Pad" will still be available from Luna Wolf, but pads will now be sent to Project Thrive for their Days for Girls programme.

Also, I have a potential venue for a charity pad making party! I'm hoping to organise this for either late summer or early autumn. Anyone who's interested can come along and help sew pads (or just cut fabric if you don't sew!) for women in need. It's still very much in the early planning stage, so expect to hear more about it as things progress. The only definite so far is that there must be cupcakes.

New home, and donation pads on the way!

Greetings from our new home - a beautiful village near Oswestry in Shropshire! My sewing room/office was one of the first things I set up, and it's a pleasure to work in. A huge double window gives me great lighting for sewing, and shows off a view of towering oak trees. It's a lovely setting for being creative.

The move itself did not go smoothly; in fact it was a bit of a disaster. The movers told us they could move us in one load, and we foolishly believed them. When they realised they couldn't, they left half of our furniture behind, just sitting outside in the rain. Including the bed! My poor partner had to make a 2 hour drive in the early hours of the morning to rescue everything, while I spent the first night in our new home curled up with the dog.

A lot of our stuff is damaged/broken, but nothing that impedes Luna Wolf. Fortunately I had taken precautions and sent my sewing machine, overlocker, snap press, and artwork over with my parents.

I'm delighted to say that while I was engaged in this fiasco, almost all of my donation pads and pad sets sold. This is fantastic! I've been really touched by people's generosity, and I know the pads will make a huge difference to women living in poverty. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who purchased donation pads/sets. The pads are on their way to Sister Hope, who will distribute them in Uganda later this month.

Sister Hope: Empowering Women in Developing Countries

In "developed" countries, we tend to take our access to menstrual products for granted. Whether we use cloth pads, disposable pads, tampons, a cup, or any of the other many options available, the menstrual protection of our choice is just a trip to the shops or mouse click away.

But what about developing countries? According to nonprofit organisation Sister Hope: "Not only are most young girls and women unable to afford proper sanitary napkins, many do not even have access to such products. As a result, young women are using unhealthy materials such as tree bark and leaves, as well as rolled up pieces of newspaper to manage their period. This lack of protection leads many girls and women to miss up to five days of school and work each month, with many forced to quit their jobs or drop out of school entirely. Even more, the use of these unhealthy materials leads to infections and even cervical cancer."

Within the last couple of years, this largely ignored issue has received some attention. There have been drives by major disposable pad companies to send shipments of their products to women in need. However, leaving women dependent on regular foreign aid for their menstrual needs is hardly a permanent solution.

Sister Hope is a nonprofit organisation based in the USA that is dedicated to creating sustainable change. They provide hygeine kits to young girls and women living in poverty, consisting of reusable menstrual pads, underwear, soap, wetbags, and other hygeine products. As well as having less environmental impact, providing reusable pads instead of disposables means that a woman's stash will last for years. She will always have soft, comfortable, absorbent pads to hand, and will be able to handle her period safely and with dignity.

Here at Luna Wolf, I have been busy working on a foldable all-in-one design to offer in donation sets for Sister Hope.


The foldable design has several advantages:

• All parts of the pad can be reached, making it easier to clean thoroughly by hand;


• The fold-out design dries fast, so that after washing, each pad will be ready to use again quickly;


• If only lightly soiled, the pad can be re-folded so that a clean part of the fabric is against the skin;


• Cotton flannel fabric is natural, quick drying and cool against the skin, ideal for warmer climates.


• PUL backing is 100% waterproof, providing complete protection against leaks and helping the pad to last longer.
  

These donation sets are available at Cloth Pad Shop Europe. The cost only covers the materials and some of the shipping fees - I do not make a profit from them. I realise money is tight for most people at the moment, myself included. However, if you do have a little spare cash, please consider helping out women in need by buying a donation set. It really does make a huge difference. Alternatively, why not make some pads yourself?

Sister Hope's next shipment of pads is headed to Mbale, Uganda. Next in line are Cameroon and Haiti. Their goal is 500 pads by May 15th; at the time of posting, they still need 190. Let's help them reach their goal!