BIN THE PADS FOR PLASTIC FREE JULY
Living with light bladder leakage is enough of a challenge, without having to live with the guilt of sending hundreds of plasticlined pads to the landfill every year. But just as reusable shopping bags and coffee keep-cups are replacing the single-use plastic versions, now a New Zealand-based start-up is offering a sustainable, reusable solution for light bladder leakage. Homegrown Kiwi company Confitex has created a line of washable, hypoallergenic absorbent underwear for men and women made from plastic-free fabric – an environmentally friendly alternative to throwaway, one-use pads. The company exports to nine countries, where it is riding a wave of international interest in sustainable, reusable consumer products. Plastic Free July has turned the spotlight on the damage single-use plastics do to our environment. Whether they make it to landfill or, even worse, end up in our oceans, scientists estimate that ‘disposable’ pads and diapers containing plastic lining can take as long as 500 years to decompose. We all know that baby nappies are a major contributor to New Zealand’s landfill, but research suggests that adult diapers and plastic-lined pads are fast becoming an even larger cause for concern. With bladder leakage becoming a more common issue as populations age, and now affecting more than 520 million adults globally, overseas research predicts that it’s only a matter of time until there are more adult nappies than baby nappies in our landfill. A Fortune.com report predicts that sales of adult diapers will overtake baby diapers within a decade. “In the five years ending in 2020, sales (of adult diapers) are expected to have grown by almost 50%. At that pace, Bloomberg reports that adult diapers – products aimed mostly at middle aged women – could overtake the baby diaper market in a decade.” Bladder leakage or incontinence affects one in three women and one in ten men, often as a r esult of surger y, childbirth or other trauma, but many struggle with the inconvenience, expense and ecological unfriendliness of pads and panty liners. Confitex underwear looks and feels just l i ke ordinar y underwear, but has a three-layer plastic-free textile technolog y t hat breathes naturally, absorbs moisture and protects against light bladder leakage. It can be put straight in the washing machine and dryer just like normal clothing, offering a real alternative to plastic-lined pads.
— Available at leading pharmacies
“We’re hugely proud to be offering the many men and women who experience light bladder leakage a sustainable solution so they can get on with their lives.”
— Confitex designer Frantisek Riha-Scott