Reusable Sanitary pads

There are more than 50 different chemicals in disposable pads. ApiAfrique reusable pads is made of bio cotton (GOTS certified) and PUL (Oeko-tex certified) which is a guarantee of softness and wellbeing for you and your skin. It will prevent irritations or infections.

On average, you can use each of our pads 400 times, so from 2 to 5 years depending on the number of pads you have (the more you have the longer you can keep them). This makes you independent, no need to run to the shop to buy pads every month!

On average, during her life, a woman uses 8 000 disposable pads, which creates 1 ton of waste. With a pack of reusable pads, you won’t create any more waste.

Finally, by choosing ApiAfrique products, you favour women empowerment and give Senegalese women a sustainable job near their home.

ApiAfrique reusable pad is a periodic protection for menstrual hygiene made of bio cotton velvet (GOTS certified), waterproof fabric (PUL, GOTS certified) and African wax prints fabrics for a “funky touch”. It stays in place thanks to snaps. As it’s thin, it can’t be noticed under your clothes but is still absorbent enough.

ApiAfrique reusable pads range comprises four products, adapted to all menstrual flow and types of underwear:

• Mini panty liner
• Panty liner
• Day pad
• Night pad :

You may find our products sold individually or in packs allowing you to equip yourself progressively according to your needs.

All of our products are made in our workshop in Ngaparou in Senegal.

Thanks to ApiAfrique distribution partners, diapers are available in France, Senegal and other countries.

For information on prices and availability, you may directly contact the distributor of your area whose contact details are made available online https://apiafrique.com/en/shop/

Before using:

• Soak the pad in water for a few hours
• Wash it once
• Dry in the sun

This will make it more absorbent and ready to use.

You can wash them by hand or with the washing machine.

Washing by hand:

• Rinse your pad with cold water to remove the blood.
• Wash it with a natural soap
• Dry it in the sun : sun removes stains and disinfects textiles.

Machine wash:

• Rinse the pad with cold water to remove the blood (if the blood dried, soak it in water for a few hours before washing it).
• Put a bit of natural stain removing soap on your pad and put it in your washing machine. Set a 40° program (60° from time to time)
• Do not use BLEACH OR SOFTENER, you can use a bit of white vinegar
• Dry in the sun: sun removes stains and disinfects textiles (from time to time you can dry it in the dryer).
• If you want, you can iron the velvet side.
• Store your clean pads in a clean and dry place

If you waited too long before washing your pads or they smell bad or if you have irritation, wash all your pads in the washing machine, long run 60° with white vinegar or bicarbonate.

If you live in a country where there is a risk of insects laying eggs on your clothes, you can iron the pads after drying them in the sun.

ApiAfrique pads are available in several sizes and are convenient for all types of flows:

• Mini panty liner (vaginal discharge, small urinary leaks, beginning and end of menstruation, in addition to the menstrual cup, adapted for thongs)
• Panty liner (vaginal discharge, small urinary leaks, beginning and end of menstruation, in addition to the menstrual cup)
• Day pads (for medium flows)
• Night pads (for abundant flows or for the night)

Our pads are made of bio cotton velvet and waterproof textile (PUL), the wings are sewed with African wax print fabrics. They close with snaps.

What underwear to wear:

Preferably use cotton underwear, fit enough so the pad doesn’t move

To install your pad:

Put it in your underwear (velvet side touching your skin) et snap the wings under the underwear.

Change your pad every 4hours for your wellbeing and for more safety.

To change your pad:

• Unsnap the snaps
• Fold the ends of the pad towards the middle (the waterproof side on the outside), then fold the wings on it to form a small package and snap them.
• Put the folded pad in a waterproof bag until you can wash it

We also offer a first period kit which is composed of a small handbag with an informative leaflet on menstruation, 4 pads and a user manual. The handbag has a strap, so your hands are free in the toilets, and two compartments, one for clean pads and one for used pads.

To know more watch our tutorial below (in French or Wolof):

The number of pads you need depends on your flow and your washing routine.

For a light flow:

• 5 day pads
• 2 panty liner

For a medium flow:

• 6 day pads
• 2 night pads
• 2 panty liner

For an abundant flow:

• 4 day pads
• 6 night pads (that you can use during le day)

You can also use our products in addition to another periodic protection. You can combine a menstrual cup with a panty liner that will absorb eventual leaks. In that case, you need 4 or 5 panty liner depending on your menstruation period.

At home: store them folded in a bad or a bucket until you wash them.

Outside: you can store them folded in a waterproof handbag until you can wash them.

Blood doesn’t smell anything.

A bad smell is most likely to happen with a disposable pad than with a reusable pad because it’s the mix of blood, air and chemicals that generates a bad smell. If ApiAfrique pad is washed on a regular basis, it won’t smell bad. No chemicals, no perfume…no smell.