#awwa

To AWWA

I’ve been using AWWA since it’s I Am Eva days and I have no regrets. In fact, you should probably have no regrets with period undies (period briefs guide/must knows blog post to come) but I have around 6 pairs of these and they make a huge difference to your zero-waste period life. 

I have some cotton briefs, synthetic briefs, the swimwear brief and a waterproof bag - yes, the lot. I have used them for years so feel like I can definitely review them (I always give things a good crack before reviewing them). I couldn’t rave about the cotton briefs more. I wish this was an option when I first bought these undies as they are so light, comfy, and soft. Sometimes I forget that I’m wearing period undies! The briefs (both synthetic and cotton) keep you feeling really dry if you free-flow. I personally have found the synthetic briefs wear out a bit quicker, can feel stretched, and are just not as comfortable as the cotton pairs (but still fairly comfortable). I’ve never used their heavy period brief on my heavy days, so I can’t comment on that but on my lighter days, these work a charm! 

Plus it’s super cruisy to clean. I take it into the shower with me, wash it with cold water (you know at the start of the shower when you’re waiting for the water to get warm, that’s the time to wash it!) and then it goes straight into the wash. 

The AWWA waterproof bag is super handy for when you’re travelling/camping and can’t get to a washing machine ASAP. The bag also doubles up as great storage for wet togs. Speaking of which, I’ve worn the swimsuit bottoms at the end of my cycle a couple of times. While I’ve never actually bled in them so can’t review if they work well or not, it was nice knowing I had that layer of protection. It’s probably not as comfy as your usual togs but it does serve a greater purpose so we can look past that.

Now the question you’re probably dying to ask - how ethical are they? Yes they prevent disposable period products from entering our landfill (which in of itself is massive) but aside from that, are they actually sustainable and ethical? In my opinion, yes! AWWA are transparent about their supply chain (as seen on each of the brief’s page) and note if the factories are certified (such as with GOTS which measures if the product is organic, and Oeko-Tex which is also a textile assessor, but I’ll be honest with you, I need to learn more about these certifications). Materials used are either recycled nylon or organic cotton, and the company is carbon positive, meaning they have offset 120% of their carbon footprint according to EKOS. That’s pretty impressive! In terms of labour, I am aware that the undies are made in Sri Lanka and that the AWWA team visit the factory often but that’s as much as I know. In saying that, AWWA are Certified B Corp which will answer a few questions you may have about that. 

I do have a couple of warnings though. Firstly, these undies will stain decently from blood - it’s just a fact of life for us women and you’ll adjust to it. Secondly, if you’re a VPL (visible panty line) hater, this probably isn’t your vibe. The lines are visible through my pants and are pretty prominent BUT you can now get period thongs that solve this problem. In saying that, the quality of these undies make up for that and leave you not caring about the VPL because your monthly has just become so much easier to manage. They don’t smell, you don’t feel wet and gross, and to be honest, sometimes I forget I’m still bleeding (this is in the end days of my period when the cramps have stopped doing their thing. Trust me, I know when I’m on my period at the start!). 

I do want to note that I personally think they do overshoot with how much blood they can hold. Maybe I’m heavier than the norm, but I have a moderate pair and I’d only use it on my light days. I’ve definitely leaked through this pair on my more moderate days. A friend of mine has also found it to be the same but though that may be the case, the AWWA team are really receptive to feedback. If you have questions or concerns, they are really responsive and willing to try to make something work for you. I have a peer that has struggled to find a pair of undies to accommodate their flow and AWWA have been really responsive and supportive of helping her find the right pair so all in all - a top quality team and an ace company!

Last week was once again one of those weeks where I don’t really remember what happened... 

I know I submitted an abstract for the AWWA WQTC conference (yay), and my supervisors are now pushing me to do more data analysis (boo)... 📑

I also drove 180 miles in a one day round trip to see Good Charlotte (commitment). I am now officially gigged out for a while, having had 4 gigs in 3 weeks. 🎵

Apart from that, everything else that happened is a bit of a blur. However, I’m pretty sure I’ve been internalising stress as I have been eating an unusually high amount of cake and chocolate... Having a panic attack last Thursday is probably also a sign. 🙃

Nevertheless, stuff is getting done. I attended my second tutorial today and am starting to feel more confident in my IQ level, with somewhat successfully trying to get my head around, let alone teach, engineering concepts that I have never come across before. I am fully out of my comfort zone here and almost constantly want to quit, but the perseverance has been very rewarding. I’m also actually starting to enjoy teaching, which I never thought I would. 

Going back to my current diet, high in protein, sugar, and baked goods, I have decided to do The Great Lent this year, which for a Russian Orthodox involves going fully vegan, with no alcohol allowed, except wine on weekends. However, there is leniency for those individuals who do a lot of physical/mental activity or who are of ill health to carry out a less strict version of lent. For me, this will mean going vegetarian, instead of vegan. I’m doing it to simplify my life, for the challenge, and to also reconnect with my culture, which I’ve wanted to do for a while now. ☦

On the subject of Russia, I’m going there this week for a few days to see my family. 🧡 I will not be doing work while I’m away. I very seldom see my family and am not going to waste valuable time with them on something that I will have plenty of time to catch up on. 

On that note, farewell, until next week. Have a grand one. 

Photo: A beautiful watercolour of St. Basil’s Cathedral. Source: http://majawronska.com/

Recipes That Make You Travel Through Time

Recipes That Make You Travel Through Time K_fe aWwa apple cake apple cake recipes bolognese buzzfeed buzzfeed tasty cake recipe chicken curry cook cooking curry recipe dessert dessert recipe dinner dinner recipe food food porn food travel german cake germany how to india indian food indian recipe international food

NZ — . AWWA, is a New Zealand firm selling period-proof underwear that “can hold and absorb up to five regular pads or tampons worth of blood”. It recently shared “Four Period Stories”, profiling the menstruation experiences of three adult human females, and one adult human male. The three females – two of whom do not identity as women – detail their anguish at having painful cramping and heavy bleeding, causing them to miss work or school. They each recount how AWWA’s period-proof underwear have made their period ordeals much more bearable.

Inexplicably, the article also profiles Jay, a male who identifies as a woman, who claims to menstruate “due to medications I’m on to affirm my gender identity”. Presumably in an attempt to lend credibility to Jay’s claim, the article references TransHub, a website for “all trans and gender diverse people” in New South Wales, Australia. TransHub does not provide any evidence for this biological impossibility, but simply states that some males who take cross-sex hormones report that “they experience a regular and varying hormonal cycle”.

Despite noting that there is little research to back these claims, TransHub declares that this kind of “hormonal cycle” in males “can still exist and affect people’s lives.” It is unclear if TransHub is alleging that the “hormonal cycle” these males claim to experience is an actual menstrual cycle (in which an egg develops and is released from the ovaries, the lining of the uterus thickens and then sheds if no pregnancy occurs). In the article, Jay is paired with Yessenia, the only female profiled who acknowledges her sex. Jay wears period-proof underwear “to be more comfortable while I’m on my period”. The article does not address what discharge, if any, Jay is secreting.

When women use menstrual products to protest how women are treated or to fight period shaming like this

Ag, Water industries urged to beef up cybersecurity following Ransomware attacks

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — It's bad enough there isn't much water this year for local farmers. Now, they're dealing with another threat: ransomware. Source link