Description
Wā Collective is a social enterprise which provides affordable, accessible and sustainable menstrual products to tertiary students in NZ. Every menstrual cup purchased subsidises one for a tertiary student so that they can access menstrual cups below cost price via university student associations. Their mission is to keep period poverty from affecting education in NZ. If you didn’t know there was such a thing as ‘period poverty’ and you weren’t aware of how it affects education, get this: in late 2016 they conducted a Wellington based survey which showed that out of 1000 respondents, one in three menstruating students had skipped class because they didn’t have access to menstrual products 😣. Half of the survey respondents said they blocked their periods via the use of oral contraceptives and other long-term birth control methods for financial reasons. Currently, Wā Collective is only operating in tertiary institutions, but they have ambitions to extend their good work to include secondary school students in the hopefully not-too-distant future.
Wā menstrual cups come in three sizes:
Mini
60mm long, 42cm rim diameter, 25ml capacity
Suitable for teenagers/young users, if you have a low cervix or a light flow, if you haven’t had a baby.
Recommended for under-30s
Size 1
70mm long, 42cm rim diameter, 30ml capacity
Suitable if you have a light to medium flow, average to high cervix height, if you haven’t had a baby.
Recommended for under-30s
Size 2
70mm long, 46mm rim diameter, 40ml capacity
Suitable if you have a heavy flow and/or feel you have weaker pelvic floor muscles, if you have had a baby.
Recommended for over-30s
Note: For obvious reasons, Wā menstrual cups cannot be refunded or exchanged once opened, so please take the time to choose the right size carefully.
Wā Collective describe their cups as medium firmness. They will last up to 10 years if looked after properly. Wā menstrual cups are zero-waste in production, with complete supply chain transparency. They are dye free, FDA registered and ISO approved, 100% medical grade silicone. Made in USA.
http://wācollective.org.nz
… And a personal note from me:
Although I think they are ama—zing, I can’t personally use Wā menstrual cups because I’ve discovered (at the age of 40) that I have a low cervix. This means that most menstrual cups are too tall for me and they get pushed out – I’ve spent the last few years thinking that my pelvic floor muscles are embarrassingly weak, only to discover that they are just fine and I need to use a shorter cup! I’m not sure but I think it is unusual to have such a low-hanging cervix 🙄. Still, if you are investing in a menstrual cup for the first time you should probably check where yours is at first. This guide might help: http://periodhacks.com/step-1-find-your-cervix-before-choosing-a-cup/ I would personally recommend the Wā Cup for people with medium to high cervix positions ☺. Please don’t feel embarrassed to get in touch via the contact form if you have questions. I’ll do my best to answer them for you! x Est
Sarah McCullagh (verified owner) –
So happy with this product and my decision to buy a Wa cup. I was nervous about my move to menstrual cup use but I didn’t need to be. This cup made it easy! It comes with great instructions and tips (great idea to be in the shower for first time users!). I am 34 and have had a baby so went for the Size 2 and it is just right for me. It took hardly any time to get use to and I love that my purchase helped gift one to a student in need.