The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Period pants: Molke’ s new reusable product to cut plastic landfill
Perth underwear firm Molke has expanded its range of reusable period products with period pants. From their base at Perth Airport, the firm makes bras, pants and swimwear from sizes XS to 4XL.
The new period pants is the second reusable period product from Molke, an alternative to their popular cloth pads.
Founder and creative director Kirsty Lunn says their customers have been asking for period pants for a while.
“We’re very focused on sustainability and period products, so the period pants were a logical next step for the business.
“The amount of plastic waste produced by period products every day is phenomenal and in the long-term it’s going to have a massive impact.
“Reusable period products is such an important thing to make for those people that are interested.”
Period pants are made from a cotton or polycotton blend, with absorbent materials to draw in moisture and stop leaking.
After use, they are rinsed in cold water and washed in the washing machine with normal laundry.
Unlike pads and tampons, the pants can be used again and again.
The simplicity of period pants, as well as reduced costs and waste, has led to a rise in popularity.
Kirsty says: “They’ve been really popular in the short time since we launched them. There’s also a lot of people trying them for the first time, which is fantastic.
“As well as the sustainable side of it and people becoming more aware of the damage that plastic can do, it’s also about wanting to be comfortable.
“And when you’ve only got a pair of pants to think about it’s very easy.”
While most of Molke’s production is done in Perth, the period pants are currently manufactured in Portugal.
Kirsty wanted to see how popular they would be before taking on production in Scotland.
With the response Molke has received, she thinks it can expand the range soon.
She says: “We certainly hope to increase the range and bring them to be made in Perthshire.
“We’re increasing our product range that we make here currently, which is great.
“The majority of our products are made here, and as we can increase the facilities here, we’re just going to continue to grow on that.”
Kirsty is also working on increasing Molke’s sizes and adding pockets to their bras.
Not pockets for phones, but for prosthetics, as they have been requested by customers that have had surgery.
“There’s such limited options out there when you’ve had surgery,” Kirsty says.
“If you want a bra with pockets, most of your options are beige and ugly, and that’s not what all women want.
“We want to give them the option to wear rainbows and funky patterns – or even plain colours – and have comfort and function.”