Your Period Panties can change lives! In France, 2 million women live in menstrual insecurity (Ministry of Solidarity, 2023), forced to choose between eating or managing their periods with dignity. However, 62% of French women have at least one reusable protection that they no longer use (IFOP 2022). What if your unused Period Panties or swimsuit became a lifeline for a woman in difficulty?
✨ TO REMEMBER ✨
- ✿ Period Panties represent a saving of €130/year for a woman in a precarious situation
- ✿ Only NEW protections can be donated (with label)
- ✿ Financial donations also allow the direct purchase of tailor-made protections
- ✿ Several specialized associations organize the collection and distribution
Why Donate Your Reusable Menstrual Protection? 🤔
Beyond the act of solidarity, donating your unused reusable period protection has a concrete and measurable impact:
- Major economic impact : A woman in precarious situations spends up to 10% of her income on disposable protection (Basic Rules, 2023)
- Sustainable solution : Period Panties last 2 to 5 years (vs. 4 hours for a tampon)
- Dignity restored : 39% of homeless women regularly lack access to toilets to change (Abbé Pierre Foundation, 2023)
- Ecology and health : Less waste + fewer chemicals = double benefit
- End of absenteeism : 49% of middle school girls in precarious situations have already missed school due to lack of protection (Action Against Hunger, 2022)
What Protections Can We Really Provide? 🧐
CAUTION: Hygiene rules are strict and non-negotiable!
If Intimacy during menstruation is a personal subject, protecting your health and that of others remains a priority. Intimate protection products are not all shared in the same way, and some require special precautions to avoid any health risks.
Contrary to popular belief, there are several options available to you to combine ecology, economy and impeccable hygiene:
✅ Accepted Protections
- NEW and intact Period Panties (with original label/packaging)
- NEW menstrual swimwear (never worn, with tag)
- NEW washable towels (in original packaging)
- NEW menstrual cups (without having been unpacked)
❌ Protections Refused
- Any protection already worn (even washed, even once)
- Protections without original packaging or without label
- Expired products (check the date on menstrual cups)
- Damaged protections or with apparent defects
Good to know: Disposable protection (tampons, towels) are also accepted if they are new and in their original, unopened packaging.
Where and How to Donate Your Reusable Protections? 📍
Your new or reusable protections can transform your daily life. women in menstrual insecurityThere are several distribution channels, each with its own specificities and requirements. From associations to community centers to student initiatives, discover where and how to make a donation that respects both the dignity of the recipients and essential health standards.
Associations Specializing in Menstrual Poverty
- Basic Rules - France's leading association fighting menstrual poverty. Organizes collections at over 500 locations across France and accepts donations of new sanitary products and financial donations.
- Solidarity Donations - Their “Hygiene for All” program redistributes intimate hygiene products to women in difficulty.
- Bruzas - Association that facilitates access to reusable protections and organizes distributions in priority neighborhoods.
Major Charities
- French Red Cross - Accepts donations of sanitary protection through their local units
- People Relief - Include menstrual protection in their hygiene kits
- Eating the Heart - Accepts donations during their collections
Local Initiatives
- CCAS of your city - Community Social Action Centers
- Social and solidarity grocery stores - Often accept hygiene products
- Student associations - Many campuses have collection points
Practical Guide: How to Make an Effective Donation? 📋
Giving is good. Giving effectively is even better! Specific criteria ensure that your generous gesture will have a real impact. From preparing your donation to coordinating with recipient organizations and determining the information to share with your protection, this guide will guide you step by step.
- Sort your protections - Separate the new ones (with label) from the others
- Check their condition - Make sure the packaging is intact and unopened
- Learn - Contact the chosen association to find out their specific needs
- Prepare your donation - Place the protections in a clean, closed bag
- Include important information - Taille, absorption, peculiarities
- Deliver or send - According to the terms of the association
Practical tip : Some associations organize one-off collections, follow them on social networks to be informed!
How to Help If You Don't Have Protection to Give? 💡
No products to donate? No problem! The fight against period poverty isn't limited to material donations. Your time, your skills, and even your voice can have a significant impact in breaking the taboo and improving access to period protection for all.
Financial Donation: A Direct and Tailor-Made Impact
- A donation of €15 = 1 new menstrual panty for a woman in precarious situations
- A donation of €30 = 1 complete kit (panties + washable towels)
- A donation of €100 = equipment for a woman for the whole year
→ Support financially Basic Rules ou Bruzas
Volunteering: Give Your Time
- Organization of collections in your business, school or neighborhood
- Distribution assistance with local associations
- Sensitization around you on menstrual insecurity
Testimonials: The Concrete Impact of Your Donations 💬
— Manon, 19 years old, scholarship student
— Fatima, 34 years old, single mother
FAQ: Your Questions About Donating Reusable Protections 🤷♀️
Can I donate used but perfectly good Period Panties?
No, for reasons of hygiene and dignity, only new (never worn) pads are accepted for donations.
I received a batch of panties, but the taille doesn't suit me. Can I give them away?
Yes, as long as they're new and labeled! In fact, it's one of the most common donations.
I don't have a collection point near me, what should I do?
You can contact the associations by email to organize a postal delivery, or offer to become a temporary collection point in your neighborhood yourself.
Are donations tax deductible?
Financial donations to recognized public-benefit organizations qualify for a 66% tax reduction. For material donations, request a tax receipt from the organization.
Every Donation Counts: Take Action! ✨
Menstrual insecurity affects 1 in 10 women in France (High Council for Equality, 2023), a figure that together, we can change! Your donations, however modest, transform lives by enabling women to continue their studies, their work, and their daily activities with dignity.
Don't wait to act: sort, donate, and share. Menstrual solidarity is a simple gesture that breaks taboos and builds a more equitable society. It's your turn!
