Öko Créations Cloth Öko-Pads Review

I received these items at no cost in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own. 

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, but for 2017 I wanted to make a real change in one area of my life. I wanted to switch to using reusable menstrual products (RUMPs) 100% of the time. I already went back to using a menstrual cup in the summer of 2016, and I have a serious love for my Öko Créations pantyliners I started using around the same time. I was firmly on my way to being a RUMPs convert by the end of 2016, so making the change to go reusable all the time seemed like something I was absolutely ready to commit to. Why? For starters, RUMPs are better for me and better for the environment. The other reason? They actually work! But what about cloth pads? This was a territory I had not yet ventured into. I hadn’t used pads on a regular basis in a really long time (aside from using them during the first handful of weeks postpartum), but since I already loved my Öko Créations liners, I jumped at the chance to try Öko Créations cloth pads. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed!

The Details:

The Öko Créations Öko-Pads are designed to be comfortable, absorbent, and to stay put. All Öko-Pads have a soft hemp/organic cotton blend used for the absorbent material. This is the material that sits against your body when you’re wearing Öko-Pads. The backing of Öko-Pads is a polyurethane laminated organic cotton. The polyurethane lamination is incredibly thin and adds no bulk to the pads. This is what adds a waterproof barrier to Öko-Pads. The organic cotton backing of the Öko-Pads ensures that the pads do not shift or slide around in your underwear. All Öko-Pads have a set of wings to secure the pad to your underwear, and the long pads have a double set of wings. The wings snap closed with a thin metal snap that is practically imperceptible when you’re wearing the pads. All Öko-Pads and liners are available in two colour ways: Turquoise or Eggplant, each set offering two different prints (the prints are changed up every so often).

The Öko Créations Regular Öko-Pads are designed for a normal to heavy menstrual flow. The absorbency is comprised of three layers of a hemp/organic cotton blend to provide excellent absorption. This material absorbs quickly and is incredibly soft. With a completely waterproof layer hidden inside the pad, you can be confident that everything will be contained in the pad and you won’t need to deal with any leaking through the pad. The Regular Öko-Pads have a single set of wings secured with a thin metal snap. This, combined with the organic cotton backing, prevents the pads from shifting. After washing and drying, the Regular Öko-Pads measure 9.25″ in length.

The Öko Créations Long Öko-Pads are designed for a very heavy to overnight menstrual flow. Like the Regular Öko-Pads, the Long Öko-Pads are comprised of three layers of a hemp/organic cotton blend. The additional absorbency in the Long Öko-Pads is created through the additional length. After washing and drying, the Long Öko-Pads are 10.75″ long. The Long Öko-Pads have the same polyurethane laminated organic cotton providing a completely waterproof layer and a no-shift backing. The Long Öko-Pads have a double set of wings on the back. These wings make sure these Long Öko-Pads aren’t going anywhere, even overnight no matter how much tossing and turning you do in your sleep!

The Öko Créations Thong Öko-Minis are designed for light menstrual flow and for wearing in thong style underwear. The absorbency is comprised of two layers of a hemp/organic cotton blend and the Thong Öko-Minis are backed with the waterproof polyurethane laminated organic cotton. The organic cotton backing helps to keep the Thong Öko-Minis in place, and they are secured to your underwear with a set of rounded wings that snap together with two thin metal snaps. The Thong Öko-Minis are perfect for using as menstrual cup back up or for spotting at the end of your period.

How They Work:

How did the Öko Créations cloth pads work for me? Really well! I’ve talked about my flow in other posts before, but just to recap, my flow is VERY heavy. I need to empty my menstrual cup every 4 hours on my heaviest days or I get leaks. When I decided to give these Öko Créations cloth pads a go, I was a little concerned that my flow would simply be too heavy for Öko-Pads. I’m happy to report that I was wrong! The Öko-Pads I’ve used have been more than adequate for me and I experienced absolutely no leaks when I used them! I started out with the Regular Öko-Pads, and was really impressed with how absorbent they were and how long they lasted. I was able to get a solid three to four hours out of a Regular Öko-Pad on the first day of my period. The second and third days of my period are the heaviest for me, so I had to change the Regular Öko-Pads more frequently on those days, but the absorbency was still adequate for day time use. The Long Öko-Pads were what I used overnight. These were absolutely absorbent enough for my heaviest nights as long as I changed it as soon as I woke up. I also had to get up in the middle of the night to give Petit Prince a feed, and despite feeling a sudden flow when I stood up, the Long Öko-Pad absorbed it quickly and still didn’t leak! The Thong Öko-Minis aren’t meant for a heavy flow, but I found them ideal for those last days of my period when I experience light spotting with occasional very light bleeding. I have yet to experience a single leak from any of my Öko-Pads, so I’m beyond impressed with their ability to provide adequate protection for even the heaviest of flows.

Let’s have a little chat about pad comfort, shall we? I have tried other brands of reusable menstrual liners before, and I have one huge problem with them. Shifting. I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to be doing is shoving my hand down the front of my pants into my underwear to pull a shifty pad up and back into place. Yes, I’ve had to do that in the past. Yes, it’s incredibly annoying. Yes, it’s difficult to do discretely if your pad shifts while you’re out of the house… This has happened with every single PUL backed cloth liner I’ve ever tried. The moment I start walking around, I can feel it shifting and sliding back. This is a recipe for complete disaster if you’re using cloth pads as your only form of protection (ie. when you’re not just using them for menstrual cup back up). Öko-Pads are not PUL backed. Instead, they are backed with a woven organic cotton. This makes a huge difference in a cloth pad’s ability to stay put. I have not needed to reach in and adjust my Öko-Pads. It just stays exactly where I placed it when I put it on. That’s it. Not only am I spared the potentially embarrassing situation of having to reach down my pants during a play date at the park, but I’m also spared leaks from a pad that shifted right out of the target zone.

Another comfort feature that I love about Öko-Pads is the super slim metal snap used to secure the wings. This snap is so thin that I can’t even feel it, and it’s not visible even when I’m wearing my mom leggings and bending over to pick up my little ones. The wings themselves sit flush against the back of the pad. That means that when the pad is secured to my underwear, the wings don’t hang down away from my underwear and bunch up. Snug wings are awesome. I only had one minor issue with the wings on the Thong Öko-Minis. I found that the back snap of the Thong Öko-Minis closed the wings up too tight around my thong underwear. This wasn’t a deal breaker for me, but I suppose they’re really intended for use with a very narrow thong. I can leave this back snap undone to make a little more room so my thong underwear isn’t bunched at the back. The wings on the Regular and Long Öko-Pads fit perfectly in my regular full back underwear without causing any bunching. The inner material of the Öko-Pads is super soft. I don’t find it the least bit irritating against my skin, and somehow they don’t feel super damp even when they’re pretty saturated. The material Öko Créations uses seems to pull moisture down quickly so it doesn’t have a soggy feeling.

How do Öko-Pads compare to disposable pads? There’s really no comparison. Öko Créations cloth pads are far superior in comfort and absorbency, but surely they’re much thicker than their disposable counterparts, right? Wrong! Öko-Pads are surprisingly thin. In fact, the Long Öko-Pads are less than half the thickness of disposable overnight pads. The Regular Öko-Pads started out a bit thicker than a regular ultra-thin disposable pad, but after a few washes the Öko-Pads become less fluffy (but don’t lose their softness) and this makes them so close to the same thickness as a regular ultra-thin disposable pad. One of the best things about Öko-Pads is that they’re silent. Unlike disposable pads that are impossible to open up in a public bathroom without telling everyone you’re on your period (it’s almost as loud as opening a bag of chips), Öko-Pads don’t make a sound. Plus, Öko-Pads don’t make any swishing sound when you walk around with them on. The same can’t be said of disposable menstrual pads.

Now to get to the questions that I’m certain are on everyone’s minds: don’t Öko-Pads end up covered in stains and are they easy to wash? Let’s talk stains. Öko-Pads are made out of a natural material (hemp/organic cotton) and natural materials are more prone to staining. That much is true. However, none of my Öko-Pads are stained. How is that even possible? There’s two reasons: rinsing and washing in cold water. When I’ve switched to a new Öko-Pad, I rinse the used one in the sink in cold water. Now obviously I’m not always changing my cloth pads in my own bathroom at home, so sometimes it’s not possible to rinse them right away. That’s fine! On the go, I store soiled pads in a small wet bag (I love using AppleCheeks Minizips for this purpose), and then I rinse them when I get home. To be totally honest, sometimes I don’t remember to rinse my cloth pads when I get home, and sometimes (rebel that I am) I don’t feel like rinsing used pads at all. Despite my less than consistent rinsing, my Öko-Pads still don’t show any staining. If an Öko-Pad comes out of the washing machine with any stains still present, I simply place it in a sunny window (or on the laundry line outside) and the stain is gone within a few short hours. As for washing my Öko-Pads, that’s really simple. I toss them in with any load of laundry that I wash in cold water. I use the same detergent that I use for all my other laundry (lately that’s one of three detergents: Tide Original Powder, Tide Free & Gentle Powder, or Tide Purclean liquid). That’s it. Washing Öko-Pads is super simple and requires nothing fancy. I dry my Öko-Pads on low heat in the dryer and then they’re ready to be used again.

Final Thoughts:

Öko Créations’ Öko-Pads are fantastic. Their absorbency is top notch, even for my super duper heavy flow. I was certain there was no way any cloth pad could contain the heaviest days of my period, and yet both the Regular and Long Öko-Pads did so flawlessly. Not only did I not experience any leaks, but I also never felt damp or soggy, not even when the Öko-Pads were really full and ready to change. I can’t say what it is about the hemp/organic cotton blend material that Öko Créations uses that gives it this super moisture locking capability, but it’s superb. I have to admit that the main reason I’ve avoided pads of any kind over the years has been an aversion to the feeling of “swamp crotch”. I’m happy to report that this is non-existent with Öko-Pads. The stay put organic cotton backing of Öko-Pads combined with the breathable waterproof layer make Öko-Pads a winning choice when it comes to reusable menstrual products. The snug fitting wings keep Öko-Pads firmly in place without adding any bulk. As an added bonus, Öko-Pads are made right here in Canada!

If you haven’t ventured in the wonderful world of reusable menstrual products yet, I encourage you to check out Öko Créations’ line of Öko-Pads and give them a try! You might just be pleasantly surprised with how easy and convenient it is to make the switch!  Öko Créations Regular Öko-Pads are sold in a 2 pack and retail for $21, Öko Créations Long Öko-Pads are sold in a 2 pack and retail for $26, and Öko Créations Thong Öko-Minis are sold in a 2 pack and retail for $19. Öko Créations Öko-Pads are available to purchase at Lagoon Baby through my affiliate link.

How would you like a chance to WIN some Öko Créations Öko-Pads to try? One lucky reader will win one set of Regular Öko-Pads and one set of Long Öko-Pads. Just scroll down to the giveaway and get your entries in for a chance to win. This giveaway is open to Canadian & US residents, 18+, and closes on April 19th, 2017. Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment. Don’t forget to follow the Rain Rain Go Away Giveaway Hop and enter the other awesome giveaways linked up below!

Welcome to the Rain Rain Go Away Giveaway Hop hosted by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It! Looking for a fun way to kick off the start of Spring? How does the chance to win over 100 prizes sound? Over 100 bloggers have teamed up to bring you the Rain Rain Go Away Giveaway Hop! You have until April 19th to enter all the great giveaways through the linky at the bottom of this post!

 

 Enter to Win Öko Créations Öko-Pads Here: