We tried it: What’s it like to use Sustain period panties?

In my own efforts to eschew single-use menstrual products to save money, protect the environment, and give my weary vagina a break from tampons, I toyed with the idea of joining the free-bleeding movement, comprised of bad-a$$ bleeder babes who don’t bother catching their menses at all — they just bleed wherever, whenever, and however much — with the underlying goal of destigmatizing periods and bringing menstruation (waaaaay) out into the open.

Unfortunately, while free bleeding sounds like heaven to me on some levels, I’m not quite ready to sacrifice my bedsheets, clothes, car seats, and (probably) Grandma’s couch just to stick it to The Man — and you probably aren’t, either.

Never fear, though, because if the thought of banishing the purchasing of period products forever is appealing to you — but free-bleeding is most definitely not — there’s an underwear for that, and I tried it!

Sustain is a sex- and period-positive company founded by Meika Hollender, an advocate for sexual and reproductive health. Sustain is committed to ingredient transparency and sustainability with a focus on reusable solutions to single-use products. They sell an array of sexual wellness essentials, from fair-trade condoms and natural, fragrance-free lube to menstrual cups and, of course, period underwear.

The claim: How does Sustain period underwear work?

Sustain period underwear features a thick layer of absorbent cotton fleece on top of a leak-proof polyurethane laminate lining. A pair of these panties holds up to one tampon’s worth of blood, so if you’re usually able to make it through the day using one tampon, you’ll be good to go with one pair of period panties per day. If you’ve got heavier periods, Sustain undies make a great backup for other menstrual products.

For more tips on how to find, use, and wash period underwear, check out our Period Underwear 101 guide for all things explained when it comes to period panties.

My experience: No one wants to feel like a wee bèbè wearing a nappy (well, some people do, but this isn’t that kind of article).

A lot of folks are under the impression that period panties feel like wearing a diaper, but that’s just bloody untrue. I’ve got a pair that holds four tampons’ worth of blood, and those don’t even feel close to wearing a pad, much less a diaper.

My Sustains are my go-to undies toward the end of my period, since the ones I use are light-absorbency and feel exactly like regular, comfy underwear.

My experience: A total lack of sensation isn’t usually a good sign, but when it comes to period underwear, feeling nothing is exactly what you want. I was honestly shocked the first time I wore period panties and didn't feel a thing. No wetness, no icky, sticky feeling, no shifting pad, no awkward bunching — no nothin’. Just easy, breezy dryness the whole day through.

The material used in period underwear is a hyper-absorbent, dark-magic gift bestowed upon us by the menstrual gods. But if you’re having an especially heavy day and want a little extra peace of mind, there’s no crime or discomfort in pairing your period undies with a menstrual cup. or organic cotton tampons for extra protection.

My experience: As Dwight Schrute once said, “False.” I’m always super happy with how little odor there is when I wear period underwear.

I regularly wear my period panties with skirts and dresses, and my olfactory senses have never once been assaulted by any loathsome aromas coming from down below. I mean, don’t expect to smell like a daisy-fresh spring breeze down there after wearing period panties for eight hours, but you definitely shouldn’t be able to randomly smell yourself — and no one else should, either.

The myth: You have to handwash your period panties

My experience: Most period underwear instructions recommend you rinse them in cold water after use and give them a delicate-cycle machine wash in cold water. And all purveyors of period panties strongly suggest that you hang your undies to air dry.

Pshaw! I’ve never hand-rinsed any of my period underwear. I just toss ‘em in the washer, add my natural detergent, and let the machine do all the gruesome work for me. I also never hang my period panties to dry, because I like the way machine drying tightens up my underwear after I stretch them out wearing them.

I’m pleased to say that the organic-cotton body of my Sustain period undies holds up to my neglect way better than the other brands I own –– while the threads of my nylon Thinx are starting to bust out, my organic cotton Sustains are holding strong after multiple washings.

Period panties have made my periods infinitely more comfortable, and I’m a couple pairs short of completely switching out all of my other menstrual products in favor of using period underwear exclusively. They’re way cuter and far more comfortable than the collection of ratty, blood-stained skivvies I used to keep in a shoebox to don during my period.

While they’re a bit of an investment up front, period underwear has already saved me a lot of dough on tampons and panty liners. Knowing that period panties are a sustainable alternative to the scores of disposable menstrual products out there makes me happy — even when I’m in the throes of a PMS-induced mood swing — and so does knowing that I’ll never have to open another tampon disposal receptacle in a public bathroom again.

If you’re ready to quit your expensive, invasive, and disposable period products and go green during the red, give period panties a try, and enjoy freedom and peace of mind whenever Aunt Flo comes to visit.

For more tips on how to find, use, and wash period underwear, check out our Period Underwear 101 guide for all things explained when it comes to period panties.

About the author: Mackenzie Sanford is a writer and musician trying not to bleed all over everything in the Midwest. She’s been writing for Grove since 2020.