Do Period Panties Really Work?

You’ve seen them. You’ve heard about them. You’ve been wanting to try them.  We have compiled the most common questions surrounding period panties and our answers based on the products we have made to be your solutions.

How do you wash / store panties in between washes?

Some women find that the idea of free bleeding into panties sounds a bit counter-intuitive to hygiene.  Well, we wanted to make it clear how period panties actually work and how they replace product. They can be washed right after you've reached the equivalent of what would have been another product (tampon, cup or pad).

    Our Apele panties can be washed with regular laundry! We recommend using a low heat setting when drying to lengthen the life of your panties, however, they will keep up with common wash and dry cycles and settings.

Because of the lightweight and breathable fabric, you can also rinse them out in a sink and hang them to dry within 20 minutes for continued use. When experimenting with fabrics, we washed our prototypes 100x in the wash to make sure our underwear held up.

What do you do if you are out in public/at work when you have to change panties?

The premise behind Apele’s original cut is that it acts as a backup emergency option that would replace a panty liner. That said, it is intended to be there to catch that first gush of leaks or spotting, giving you enough time to stay stain-free while opting for your preferred period product, be it a cup, tampon or pad.

The original cut design has absorbency that holds up to 5ml, which is equivalent to a regular size tampon’s coverage or a full length panty liner.

Thanks to customer feedback, our other versions now boast light, medium and heavy coverage (including 40-50mL of coverage that can even assist with incontinence concerns.)  

What different styles or cuts do you have?

We currently have 4 styles: traditional brief – our original cut, also known as, Anytime Now 365, which is our daily underwear that everyday women find most beneficial for everyday fluids.  Whatever reasons you would wear a pantyliner (first gush of menses, discharge, sweat, etc)  our original cut and coverage is ideal. We also have a thong, which is ideal for those who prefer that cut.  Our high-cut brief is ideal for women who prefer a look that is a bit more like bikini with a higher cut in the thigh, as well as those who have a longer leg and higher torso.

Should you also be using other thing such as tampons/pads WITH the panties?

For our original cuts listed above, it all depends on your unique volume and frequency of bleeding. You certainly can use any feminine care products you wish with the underwear but you definitely do not need a pantyliner as we have one built in. Our built-in liner holds more than a pantyliner would and definitely softer without issues of chafing. 

Our panties are designed to be worn everyday as underwear that can handle all daily, bodily secretions like discharge, ovulation and spotting while also acting as an additional protective layer for heavier flows like bleeding and incontinence. If you are having a light day, you may find that period panties are still a great option for those minor leaks and spotting. 

What are they made of? Do they stink?

Lately, there have been a ton of issues surrounding another brand's makeup of technology.  They use plastic that was meant to help with odor.  We cannot speak for them (nor would we speak against them as we are all for more products for women).  What we can say is that we do not dip our panties in any odor-free or stain-free chemicals.  For a few reasons!

1. The chemicals would break down over time, making the use of such counter-intuitive. 

2. The chemicals would up the cost of production significantly and we like to keep our panties are a price that makes it possible to have a variety of pairs you can rotate through. 

3.  The chemicals could potentially upset or aggravate the sensitive skin of women. We prefer to keep it natural. 

What is the cost or period panties? 

Well, across the board, they can be costly because they are an investment that last long-term and replace other products - paying for themselves within one or two cycles. Cost is $18.00 each and we are looking for ways to cut costs so we can provide it to everyone for a fraction of the price set in the industry.

Do you find there is ever leaking? 

In the trials, of course. While there is always a chance you may leak when you are dealing with an untimely cycle or incontinence concerns, at least you have a layer of protection to tie you over for a couple of hours depending on your flow.

We have yet to heard about customers leaking through the initial layer, as it is meant to be an everyday liner intended to catch these hiccups!

Still got questions?  Keep ‘em coming! Happy to answer in another edition of Behind the seams of Apele.