2023 update: Hi friends! Q Eco Craft now goes by Hibla Manila. Check them out on Facebook for news about their latest offerings!

Earlier this year, I made the switch from disposable panty liners to reusable ones. I came across the Q Eco Craft Organics booth at one of the weekend bazaars in UP Town Center one Sunday afternoon. It wasn’t the first time I’d encountered reusable liners. I had looked them up online before and planned on buying some but felt iffy about not being able to see and feel the products before committing to making a purchase.

“Reusable liners” is a pretty straightforward concept. They serve the exact same purpose as disposable liners, but they’re made from different materials like cotton or bamboo. Instead of having an adhesive backing, you keep them in place with snaps. This takes some getting used to, and you might find on your first try that you don’t place it quite right. I have found that putting it a little farther forward than where you think it should go is about right.

Because they’re made of cotton, the liners are very breathable. They’re also thin enough that you barely notice that they’re there. At the end of the day, you can throw them in the washing machine with your other clothes, or for a more thorough cleaning, hand wash them yourself.

At three for Php250, they cost more than a pack of disposable panty liners, but in the long run, you’re actually saving money. I used to buy packs of 40 disposable liners at a time which would last for a little over a month. These cost about Php100. I’ve been using Q Liners for more than three months now, and they’re still in good shape aside from some barely-noticeable stains. That’s six pieces in rotation instead of nearly a hundred ultimately getting tossed in the trash.

Cloth liners are also good for the environment because using them reduces the amount of single-use plastic you consume. If you’re wary of potentially harmful chemicals in the products you use, you’ll be glad to know that cloth liners are free of all of them. Some tests have shown panty liners to include carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, neurotoxins, and irritants. There’s no need to worry about that if you switch to reusable liners.

Since the time I bought liners from them, Q Eco Craft has created a longer version available now for Php120 each or Php300 for three. Their other products include handmade soaps, reusable metal straws, and the “unsponge” – an eco-friendly, zero-waste alternative to sponges. You can use it on dishes, counters and other surfaces, as a bath loofah, and even as an ice pack.

Learn more about Q Eco Craft Organics on Facebook.