GladRags
| Company type | Benefit corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Feminine hygiene |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founders | Brenda Mallory Karen Paule |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Products | Cloth menstrual pads menstrual cups |
| Website | gladrags |
GladRags is a feminine hygiene company based in Portland, Oregon that produces reusable cloth menstrual pads and menstrual cups.[1]
GladRags focuses on sustainability and reusability.[2] The company's cloth pads are machine-washable and made from soft cotton flannel that folds and snaps around underwear.[3][4] Each cloth pad includes two inserts and a holder and comes in various patterns and colors.[5] They are made to last at least five years[6] and are sometimes used in conjunction with menstrual cups.[7][8][9] The company also sells the XO Flo reusable silicone menstrual cup and was formerly the primary distributor of the Moon Cup brand.[10][11]
GladRags is owned and operated by women.[12] It was founded in 1993 by Brenda Mallory and Karen Paule. Mallory was inspired by reusable cloth diapers. Tracy Puhl has led the company since 2011.[10] In 2013 Puhl was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Oregon and Southwest Washington by the U.S. Small Business Administration.[13] It is cruelty-free and was first certified as a B corporation in 2012.[10][14] GladRags partners with a women-owned sewing company and other organizations.[10][9]
Typical annual expenditures on disposable menstrual products were US$60 (equivalent to $109.74 in 2023) in 1999; GladRags and Natracare are among the reusable brands recommended for cost-conscious consumers.[15] Products like GladRags, menstrual cups, and natural sea-sponge tampons are all marketed to self-described "conscientious" female consumers.[16] Followers of the zero waste movement may use reusable-pad brands like GladRags, potentially in combination with reusable period underwear, reusable period cups or discs, and/or compostable sponge tampons.[17] They may be used to collect menstrual blood for use as plant fertilizer.[18]
References
- ^ Koskenniemi, Aino (2 January 2023). "Say no to shame, waste, inequality—and leaks! Menstrual activism in the market for alternative period products". Feminist Media Studies. 23 (1): 19–36. doi:10.1080/14680777.2021.1948885.
- ^ Haneman, Victoria J. (February 2021). "Menstruation Capitalism, Period Poverty, and the Role of the B Corporation". Columbia Journal of Gender and Law: 7. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3778969.
- ^ Loux, Renee (2008). Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home. Rodale. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-62336-324-6.
- ^ "Natural Products Report". Yoga Journal. January 2014. p. 72.
- ^ Patterson, Ashly (2014). "The Social Construction and Resistance of Menstruation as a Public Spectacle". Illuminating How Identities, Stereotypes and Inequalities Matter through Gender Studies. Springer. p. 105. ISBN 978-9401787185.
- ^ Bergin, Mary (May 17, 2004). "Organic Choices Just Keep Growing". The Capital Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
- ^ "GladRags". Feminist Bookstore News. 20: 54. 1997.
- ^ Garrett, Leslie (9 February 2011). The Virtuous Consumer: Your Essential Shopping Guide to Supporting Family, Friends, Neighbors — or Yourself. New World Library. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-57731-810-1.
- ^ a b Madden, Alanna (July 26, 2021). "Reusable period products more relevant than ever for Portland's GladRags". Portland Business Journal.
- ^ a b c d Woodstock, Molly (January 7, 2015). "10 Reasons to Love Portland-Based GladRags". Portland Monthly.
- ^ "Size Matters: How the XO Flo Mini Menstrual Cup Saved My Vagina Feelings". Autostraddle. September 21, 2018.
- ^ "Safe simple smart try GladRags or the keeper menstrual cup". Natural Health. December 1, 2005. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
- ^ Mortenson, Eric (May 20, 2013). "East Portland floor company owner named Oregon's small business person of the year". The Oregonian.
- ^ Weidich, Maria (December 8, 2021). "GladRags: Reusable Pads & Menstrual Cups for Periods On and Off Trail". Garage Grown Gear. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Summer of Grrrl". The Star Press. 1999-06-30. p. 41. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ Garrett, Leslie (2011). The Virtuous Consumer: Your Essential Shopping Guide for a Better, Kinder, Healthier World. New World Library. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-57731-810-1.
- ^ Lozanova, Sarah (2023-03-15). "5 Zero-Waste Period Products". Earth911. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ Ashford, Teresa L. (June 2, 2003). Recounting, rethinking, and reclaiming menstruation (Thesis). Oregon State University.