It's the first time in 80 years that the tampon has been reinvented. Now the two-in-one tampon and panty-liner is aiming to revolutionise our world - or at least our periods
When the Tampliner arrived in the office yesterday I was convinced it was an April fool. I know, we're barely into February never mind embracing the joys of spring, but it seemed such an odd invention, it was the only explanation I could think of.
But the more I looked at the Tampliner, the more it made sense. Invented by British organic period product mail-order brand Callaly , it combines a tampon and a liner for a clean, fuss-free way to wear both - and with less wastage too as they both wrapped in the same packaging.
According to Callaly (who also makes regular organic tampons, pads and liners), seven out of ten women who use tampons also add a liner just in case - so the Tampliner was created for them. It's the first time the tampon has been properly redesigned in 80 years, they say.
The tampon and liner are connected by a very thin film (it's perfectly safe, made from the same medical grade material as catheters) which stays in your body while you're wearing the Tampliner. All of it is biodegradable including the wrapper. (Callaly say that it biodegrades into natural elements anywhere, even in the bin).
The beauty of the film is that it also acts as an applicator; it keeps your finger clean when you insert the tampon and also neatly wraps the used tampon as you remove it (the tampon slides out of your body and straight into the film).
The thin liner, which has a cotton side next to your skin and a leak-catching film on the underside, doesn't sit in your knickers like a normal liner, instead, it slots in between your labia - ideal if you're wearing a thong.
One thing I was slightly concerned about, was what would happen when I go for a wee? Nobody wants a soggy liner sitting in their best lingerie. "Some people find they can pee as normal, while others lean forward or hold the mini liner to the side as you might with a tampon string," Callaly told us. "If the liner does get wet, we'd recommend changing it as a saturated mini-liner wouldn't be very comfortable." Our thoughts exactly!
It comes in three sizes, Regular, Super and Super+ and costs £9 for 16 but there is a 50 per cent savings deal right now. The liner part is the same, whatever size you buy.
So, what else is there to know about the brand changing the face of periods? They have coveted B Corp status (meaning they use business as a force for good in the world). All of their products are made from organic cotton, and they give a minimum one per cent of their sales to non-profits that work to end period poverty, such as Days for Girls and Bloody Good Period.
The founder is a gynaecologist Alex Hooi, who had for years heard women's frustrations with their period-wear. He approached London College of Fashion to help him find a garment technologist to craft a Tampliner and got together with Ewa Radziwon who'd worked for Karen Millen and Harrods.
Callaly's packages come in the post - you order the amount and absorbency you need and they arrive through your letterbox a few days after. Postage is free and if you're lucky enough to have your period arrive on a regular schedule you can tailor deliveries for the date you want them.
A quick poll around the office revealed none of us are able to try it right now (if you see what we're saying...) but stand by for our full review.