South African women spend between R20 to R45 every month on sanitary pads. For many, this is simply not affordable, leaving them with the reality that they must navigate their period without the proper sanitary products.
CEO and founder of Palesa Pads, Sherie de Wet wanted to empower women and young girls by taking care of their basic needs. That’s why she came up with an inexpensive sustainable solution to take on SA’s period poverty by creating reusable pads that can be used for up to 5 years for 20% of the cost of disposable pads. The initial investment may cost more than disposable pads, but you will save money in the long run.
What is it?
Palesa Pads are high-quality, re-useable cloth sanitary pads made from washable fabric that can last for up to 5 years. They are suitable for girls and women from all walks of life and are available for purchase to the public.
The pads are produced from sports fabric that absorbs moisture away from your body to keep you dry all day long. The outside layer is waterproof to make sure that you never leak through the fabric. The pads can be worn for up to 12 hours but for heavy flow, you can change it every 6-8 hours.
Why use Palesa Pads?
The design of Palesa Pads provides maximum protection against leakage. The shape offers a larger surface area to absorb blood and will protect a girl from having an embarrassing accident. One pad can be worn for up to 8 hours depending on flow and they’re available in 5 different sizes. When full, the pad can be folded neatly and discreetly and taken home to wash with no smell in a girl’s school bag. The pads are eco-friendly, contain no harmful chemicals and don’t smell like disposables pads.
If you’re concerned that they might stain, be assured that the special sports fabric used for the outer layer of the pads is stain proof. In addition to this, if washed properly they are also more hygienic than disposable pads and better for the environment. The pads are made from soft, easy washable fabric and one purchase will last you up to 5 years instead of having to purchase new disposable pads every month. Each pad also has a satin care label with washing and drying instructions.
Production
The pads are made by African women, helping to create employment in South Africa. Production is based in Johannesburg, but they distribute Palesa Reusable Pads throughout Africa.
Sizes
There are four sizes available to suit each girl’s individual flow and time of the month. The pads have full absorbent and waterproof layers that differ in length and thickness of the core material. The 4 sizes available are:
- Single MINI Reusable Pad for light menstrual flow. (pink)
- Single MIDI Reusable Pad for medium menstrual flow. (green)
- Single MAXI Reusable Pad for heavy menstrual flow. (blue)
- Single MEGA Reusable Pad for very heavy menstrual flow. (black)
How to care for your Palesa Pads
If you wash and care for your Palesa Pads properly, it can last you up to 5 years. Follow the instructions below or watch the video to see how to take care of your Palesa Pads.
Step 1:
Fill a bucket with cold water and sprinkle washing powder into the water and foam it up.
Step 2:
Clip pads as they were in your panty and soak them in the bucket, next to each other with the soil side facing down for 1 hour. NOTE: Do not soak one pad on top of each other.
Step 3:
If there are any marks left after soaking for 1 hour, add clean water and use laundry soap to remove any stains. Remove all marks before rinsing.
Step 4:
To rinse your pad, use clean water and add a teaspoon of white wine vinegar and soak for half an hour. The white wine vinegar kills germs and keeps the fabric smelling fresh. Do not use any regular fabric softer since it creates a waxy film over the pad which will prevent it from absorbing blood. NOTE: Never use chemicals to wash your pad.
Step 5:
After rinsing, squeeze out all the water until it runs clear.
Step 6:
The best place to dry your pads after washing is inside the house, close to a window. Do not leave your pads outside in the sun for longer than an hour or it will cause damage to the waterproof layer.
Treat your Palesa Pads the same way you do your panties, and they will last you a long time. You can also purchase these on your Ackermans account or lay-bye them at your nearest Ackermans store.
Save money with reusable Palesa Pads
South African women spend between R20 to R45 every month on sanitary pads. For many, this is simply not affordable, leaving them with the reality that they must navigate their period without the proper sanitary products.
CEO and founder of Palesa Pads, Sherie de Wet wanted to empower women and young girls by taking care of their basic needs. That’s why she came up with an inexpensive sustainable solution to take on SA’s period poverty by creating reusable pads that can be used for up to 5 years for 20% of the cost of disposable pads. The initial investment may cost more than disposable pads, but you will save money in the long run.
What is it?
Palesa Pads are high-quality, re-useable cloth sanitary pads made from washable fabric that can last for up to 5 years. They are suitable for girls and women from all walks of life and are available for purchase to the public.
The pads are produced from sports fabric that absorbs moisture away from your body to keep you dry all day long. The outside layer is waterproof to make sure that you never leak through the fabric. The pads can be worn for up to 12 hours but for heavy flow, you can change it every 6-8 hours.
Why use Palesa Pads?
The design of Palesa Pads provides maximum protection against leakage. The shape offers a larger surface area to absorb blood and will protect a girl from having an embarrassing accident. One pad can be worn for up to 8 hours depending on flow and they’re available in 5 different sizes. When full, the pad can be folded neatly and discreetly and taken home to wash with no smell in a girl’s school bag. The pads are eco-friendly, contain no harmful chemicals and don’t smell like disposables pads.
If you’re concerned that they might stain, be assured that the special sports fabric used for the outer layer of the pads is stain proof. In addition to this, if washed properly they are also more hygienic than disposable pads and better for the environment. The pads are made from soft, easy washable fabric and one purchase will last you up to 5 years instead of having to purchase new disposable pads every month. Each pad also has a satin care label with washing and drying instructions.
Production
The pads are made by African women, helping to create employment in South Africa. Production is based in Johannesburg, but they distribute Palesa Reusable Pads throughout Africa.
Sizes
There are four sizes available to suit each girl’s individual flow and time of the month. The pads have full absorbent and waterproof layers that differ in length and thickness of the core material. The 4 sizes available are:
- Single MINI Reusable Pad for light menstrual flow. (pink)
- Single MIDI Reusable Pad for medium menstrual flow. (green)
- Single MAXI Reusable Pad for heavy menstrual flow. (blue)
- Single MEGA Reusable Pad for very heavy menstrual flow. (black)
How to care for your Palesa Pads
If you wash and care for your Palesa Pads properly, it can last you up to 5 years. Follow the instructions below or watch the video to see how to take care of your Palesa Pads.
Step 1:
Fill a bucket with cold water and sprinkle washing powder into the water and foam it up.
Step 2:
Clip pads as they were in your panty and soak them in the bucket, next to each other with the soil side facing down for 1 hour. NOTE: Do not soak one pad on top of each other.
Step 3:
If there are any marks left after soaking for 1 hour, add clean water and use laundry soap to remove any stains. Remove all marks before rinsing.
Step 4:
To rinse your pad, use clean water and add a teaspoon of white wine vinegar and soak for half an hour. The white wine vinegar kills germs and keeps the fabric smelling fresh. Do not use any regular fabric softer since it creates a waxy film over the pad which will prevent it from absorbing blood. NOTE: Never use chemicals to wash your pad.
Step 5:
After rinsing, squeeze out all the water until it runs clear.
Step 6:
The best place to dry your pads after washing is inside the house, close to a window. Do not leave your pads outside in the sun for longer than an hour or it will cause damage to the waterproof layer.
Treat your Palesa Pads the same way you do your panties, and they will last you a long time. You can also purchase these on your Ackermans account or lay-bye them at your nearest Ackermans store.
