Best period pants 2021: Sustainable underwear from Modibodi, Thinkx and more

Best: Overall

Rating: 9.5/10

Sizing: 2XS – 3XL

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Wuka’s range of period pants look fab, feel great and we’re big fans. While there are some excellent options in its offering, its seamless midi brief, which was launched earlier this year, is the real stand out piece. Silky smooth, they hug your body without digging in and offer the security you’re after in a period product.

What’s really great is that they really are seamless and don’t show under clothing – even under tight-fitting options such as skinny jeans or a satin slip skirt. The pants, which are made from recycled nylon generated from old plastic bottles, come in three flow absorbencies: light (one tampon’s worth), medium (two-three tampons’ worth) or heavy (up to four tampons worth).

Founder Ruby Raut, an environmental scientist who grew up in Nepal, is also hugely passionate about eradicating menstrual shame, period poverty and looking after the planet. As well as partnering with charities such as Surfers Against Sewage, Days for Girls and the Hygiene Bank, Wuka and Ruby are campaigning to end the government’s 20 per cent VAT charge on period underwear.

Best: For feeling sexy

Rating: 7.5/10

Sizing: XS – 3XL

Founded in Brazil three years ago, this period underwear brand is known for its sexy styles, and good news, they launched in the UK earlier this year. Founders Emily Ewell and Maria Eduarda Camarg were inspired to start the business in a bid to combine innovation and sustainability to improve the quality of life for women. It also takes its environmental objectives seriously (they’re a certified B Corp company), with each pair of pants coming packaged in a small cardboard box that has a detailed breakdown of the product’s carbon footprint on it. The brand also claims to be the world’s first clinically tested period underwear.

Its entire range of period underwear is worth checking out, especially if you like your underwear on the skimpier and lightweight side. We’re big fans of the bikini style, which is a bestseller and comes in pink and red options. Silky and sexy, they’re a gorgeous addition to the lingerie drawer.

We tried the blush pink shade and were impressed by how much the pants felt like a regular pair, being ultra-slim. Given this, we preferred wearing them on lighter flow days and found them perfect for when we were coming to the end of our period.

Best: For overnight

Rating: 8/10

Sizing: XS – 6XL

These high-waist bikini period pants by Aussie brand Modibodi have been raved about by thousands of the brand’s fans. They’re loved for their absorbency, dry feel and for delivering on the promise of no leakages. Their heavy-overnight absorbency means they can hold the equivalent of up to four tampons worth, while the comfortable feel of the 95 per cent bamboo viscose material means they’re just the ticket for a restful sleep.

We liked how, even after wearing overnight and on heavy flow days, we were left feeling dry, thanks to the breathable Modifier Technology and merino wool in the lining, which fights bacteria, smells and stains. We also like the fact that Modibodi has such an extensive and inclusive range of products, from a maxi 24-hour option, which are great for shift workers, to detachable bikini pants that are highly useful for those who struggle to change regular underwear.

Best: For heavy flow days

Rating: 8/10

Sizing: XXS – 4XL

If you think heavy flow days require unflattering baggy knickers, then take a gander at these from Flux. Its popular high waist heavy flow model holds up to four tampons worth and ticks a lot of boxes in terms of comfort, style and support. We love the high-waisted design with the mesh side panels, which give a nice bit of va va voom to the knickers. We’re also big fans of the super soft micro-modal fabric on the inside and how fresh these kept us even on our heaviest days.

Flux is also dedicated to being as sustainable and ethical as possible: it uses Oeko-tex certified materials in its pants, recycled cardboard in its packaging, is vegan friendly and doesn’t test on animals. It also gives back to someone in need with every purchase and has donated to some great charities, including Mermaids, the Independent Domestic Abuse Services and Freedom 4 Girls.

Best: For comfort

Rating: 8.5/10

Sizing: XS – XXL

US brand Thinx are a big player in the reusable period underwear market. The brand released new products this year which included a line with more accessible pricing and period-proof activewear. As such, there is an awful lot to choose from when it comes to Thinx’s collections.

We were impressed with the comfort and ease of its hip hugger lace and stretch-organic cotton period briefs though. With a gusset made of 95 per cent Oeko-tex certified organic cotton (plus elastane in the body fabric for stretch) they make for a pair of really comfortable, smooth-feeling period pants that are moisture-wicking and absorbent, holding up to three tampons worth. The high waist and elasticated mesh waistband mean they stay nicely in place too, without digging in or rolling.

Best: Budget period pants

Rating: 7/10

Sizing: 4-22

One of the cheapest reusable period pant brands on the market, Love Luna have a simple but effective range of products available both online and in store at Sainsbury’s and online at Asda. This is great to see as so often people stock up on their period products during the local supermarket shop.

Instead of using disposable menstrual products that will outlive your great-grandchildren (an ordinary sanitary towel or tampon could take 300-500 years to decompose), Love Luna urges those with periods to embrace the reusable options they have on offer. As well as bikini, midi and full brief options, the brand has just launched a breathable bamboo and cotton mix brief. The bikini knickers are a great basic option to have in your undies drawer.

They also have four layers of protection, a soft microfibre finish and hold the equivalent of two to three regular tampons. At £10, they’re a great budget buy.

Best: For light flow days

Rating: 7/10

Sizing: XXS – XXL

This number one menstrual pant brand in Spain has quite the success story: founded by four women in Barcelona, its initial crowdfunding campaign generated eight times the value of sponsorship it had targeted. Cocoro launched in the UK late last year and we tested a few options from its range.

The lightweight Cocoro classic essence grey has quickly become a staple in our underwear drawer and is used on both light flow days and during non-period times too. It’s a slim design and we liked how it could be worn easily under clothing. Although it’s labelled as suitable for a moderate flow, we thought it worked best on lighter flow days.

Cocoro designs its menstrual pants in Barcelona and manufactures them in workshops located within the city and Maresme area. We like that in doing so it collaborates with local suppliers and distributors to promote small businesses and reduce their carbon emissions.

Best: For bloating

Rating: 8/10

Sizing: S-4XL

Sometimes you just need a big old pair of pants when you’re on your period, and ones that’ll sit comfortably over your bloat. Step in a UK brand dedicated to helping tackle period poverty, Hey Girls: its super soft red cherry period pants were like a gentle hug across our swollen belly.

They’re a high-rise design, so we preferred to wear them at home either for bed or in our loungewear as they peeked out of our jeans (yes, even the high-waisted ones), but they’re the pair we’d reach for on those days where the cramps and water retention are getting you down. They also have a high absorbency and can hold up to five tampons’ worth. Plus, they’re a joyful cherry red colour in, what is often, a sea of black, navy and grey period pants. We also liked that they were pretty quick to air dry once washed.

Founded by a mother and her two daughters, Hey Girls is a business with a charitable mission too: for every product sold, it gives one away to girls and women in the UK from low-income families.