An HONEST Review of Kayaness Period Underwear

I’ve seen many influencer products on the market from supplements to alcohol to t-shirts to make-up…but this is the first time I’ve seen an influencer make a period product. Not just any period product, reusable and eco-friendly period underwear.

That’s right, Shelbi Orme from Shelbizleee and Kathryn Kellogg from Going Zero Waste have teamed up to bring us some period underwear with their brand, Kayaness. But, are they actually sustainable? Do they actually work? Let’s review them!

Initial thoughts

Disclaimer, I bought these with my own money and am not being paid to promote this brand. These are my 100% honest thoughts.

Heading to their website and measuring myself, I found I was between sizes. So, I ordered one in a Large and one in an X-Large. Turns out, they run small! If you are between sizes, go up.

But, they are extremely comfortable. I love that they are stretchy, soft, and don’t have harsh padding lines making them comfy to wear all day long. My first critique here is I wish they had more colors or bolder colors. These are just not my personal taste, especially the pink. Here is what they are made of:

Going back to their website, I’m kind of confused as to what this brand represents. Yes, I know they are a period underwear brand, but why do they sell tank tops, body oil, and body salve? Don’t get me wrong, these are fine products, but I’m confused as to how this all fits together if at all. Even their tagline is “Sustainable Menstrual Underwear for All.” So what does this body oil and tank top have to do with that?

Their about section is pretty bare. Basically just a few lines about ingredients, recycled materials, and size inclusivity. I would love a deep dive here. So, I went to the individual pages for the underwear and they were no more helpful. We do get a breakdown into the components of the underwear, but we don’t learn any more about this “rigorous testing” that they mention in the about page. How can we be sure as customers that these products are safe? Especially as PFAS, lead, and arsenic are becoming more present in our menstrual products.

So…onto the FAQ page where I finally found some information! Here they claim that they test their underwear in regular intervals but do not specify what these intervals are. Judging off the photo from their PFAS test, this looks like a very old test. Their underwear are no longer this color. The date states July 2023, 1.5 years ago. I would like to see updated numbers.

But, they don’t even explain the results of this test. There are some numbers on this test, yes, but what do they mean? The test itself does not explain and neither does their website. As a consumer, I should not have to do this extra work myself to ensure my products are safe. I truly have no idea what this test is showcasing, but it does appear to my untrained eye that their products DO contain PFAS.

Upon some further digging, it’s hard to find just how much PFAS is “safe” to consume and most sources go based off of drinking PFAS in our water, not wearing them on your body. No, they’re not good, but does Kayaness fall into this “safe” range? I guess so? But the test nor their website explains this and that is a shame.

I also really don’t like what their website says here:

Simply just saying that “we carefully source our materials from reputable factories recognized for producing safe and environmentally-friendly textiles” is extremely vague. I hate to say it, but it’s giving greenwashing. Yes, they are 3rd-party tested, but why not share the results openly and in plain language. Yes, I now you want to protect your designs, but why not expand even just a little bit about your textile choices, especially as an eco company created by eco-minded folks.

Lastly in this category is manufacturing. Once again, we have come vagueness:

They say that “our workers are paid fair wages, and our facility upholds high safety standards” but again, what does this actually mean? Why not expand on it more?

Overall, I am quite disappointed at this vagueness. I had higher expecatations from Shelbi and Kathryn when it comes to making sure their brand doesn’t appear to be greenwashing. That’s the hard part. I like to believe that they are 100% truthful, but because their website is just so vague, I cannot really tell. I like to believe that they are not greenwashing, but I cannot be 100% certain with this vague language, lack of 3rd-party certifications, and lack of explanations.

Review the underwear

That aside, do the underwear even work? Yes…on light and medium flow days. Warning: I will be showing the underwear after they leaked which does have blood on them. Scroll past these images if you do not wish to see them. I will save them for the end of this category so that you can read what I have to say fully.

I do not have a very heavy period compared to what is TRULY heavy. My only heavy day is day 2 and I usually have to change my period underwear every 4 hours or so on this heaviest day when normally I can go closer to 8 hours. In tampon terms, that’s about 1 tampon every 4 hours as well. That being said, these underwear did not hold up to my heavy day despite them saying that each pair holds 3-4 tampons worth. They leaked within just a few hours and they leaked BADLY. Some leaks I’ve had with other brands were just a bit on the edges, but this was a lot. I was shocked to see this.

Note, I did wash these period underwear before testing them out which is common practice. I also wore them on lighter days before and after this with no leaks. It really is just the heaviest days that they do not hold up.

So, on heavy days with this brand, be sure to change them more frequently or just double up with a tampon, menstrual cup, or menstrual disc.

For the fit, I love them! They are soft, comfy, the padding goes all the way up which is my favorite design, and I find myself reaching for both the brief and boyshort options due to their comfort. My only grip here is the waistband is just sooo thin that it can sometimes cut into my skin. I would love to see this a bit wider to extend that comfort even further.

Okay, last warning, here are the photos!

Final thoughts

Would I recommend this brand based on comfort alone: Aboslutely

Would I recommend this brand based on absorbancy alone: Depends on your flow

Would I recommend this brand based on sustainability: Mostly.

To break that down, they fit really well and are extremely comfortable. I love the fabric they chose. I feel like they are great for lounging but also for a workout due to the fabric. Just remember to size up!

But, they do leak on heavy and even heavy-ish days. I know people with heavier periods than I have and I would not recommend them to folks with heavy periods. Light or moderate period girlies, this is for you. Or, simply be mindful to change them frequently on heavy days.

Without hitting the same points again too hard that I already covered, I think they do a lot right here in terms of sustainability such as using recycled plastic for part of the underwear, cotton in other parts, and their shipping was entirely plastic-free and in a VERY small box. Love to see that.

But truthfully, their website gives me greenwashing vibes! Truly, I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think they would greenwash us to make a profit…I sure HOPE not…but, their website is just so vague that this is what I see. I don’t see enough evidence about the PFAs, I don’t see any certifications for their shipping or working conditions, and they just really don’t explain anything. Their statements are so broad.

You can learn more about greenwashing in this free guide :)

Now, I know, it’s expensive to become certified B-corp or 1% for the Planet or any other certification. The lack of certifications alone does not give me a red flog, but it is the icing on the cake. Learn more about these eco certifications here.

I will continue to use their underwear as they are decent quality and I bought them so I might as well. But, they are not my favorite in any category and I think they could be doing better.

Keep in mind, I love and support both of their work. They are both huge inspirations to me when it comes to zero waste living and making content. I watched them both before I built my own socials. I will still follow them and remain friends with them! But, I have to be honest about this product.

I can see that time and care went into the designs, I just wish we got that same attention on their website. As customers, we deserve to be in the know about what we’re buying. The bar is high for sustainable brands who claim to be ethical and environmentally friendly and I would love to see this reflected in their about section, FAQ, and product description. I would love an explainer on their test results and a bit more information about their fabric choices and manufacturing.

What do you think? Will you try this brand?

Thank you so much for reading along. I hope that this was helpful! Want to know more about zero waste period care and which brands I love? Check out the zero waste period playlist!

I appreciate your time, as always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma

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