Put A Cup In It

Saying NO THINX | Period Underwear Brands & THINX Alternatives

THINX Alternatives

The secret is out — THINX (a period underwear brand) isn’t the feminist utopian company they claimed to be. Miki Agrawal, founder and former CEO, was accused of mistreating employees in various ways; one employee has even come forward to accuse her of unwelcome sexual advances.

Miki responded to the accusations with no apology or accountability by throwing her hands in the air to essentially say “I was working super hard and not paying attention.” PACII has been quietly taking a stance against THINX since last summer by no longer promoting any of its products.

We originally came out against the company in May 2016 by sharing the stories of bloggers and influencers who had been lied to about their referral program. While we could have (and desperately wanted to), say more about the company and why we couldn’t support them, we decided to hold back. It was already incredibly hard to come forward against a company that the outside world was heaping boundless praise upon as the savior of all menstruators and the taboo-busting Jesus of period products. Sadly, we had multiple people in the industry tell us things in confidence that confirmed the “off” feelings we had about the company’s founder all along.

Now that there is public evidence to support the “icky” feelings we had about their marketing that used feminism and transgender issues as stepping stones for marketing success we are here to help you find alternative brands worth your hard-earned dollar bills. Of course, we want you to have the best, most comfortable protection. If that’s Thix, that’s Thinx, but in full transparency, we are pretty much on team #anythingbutTHINX and hope this list will help you find your new favorite period underwear.

We also have a new Period Underwear Buying Guide & Comparison Chart to help you out!

Period Underwear Brands To Consider

Aisle Put A Cup In It

No, THINX didn’t invent the modern period panty (despite their many claims). Aisle (formerly Lunapads) did  — which can be documented as far back as 2002. THINX, who launched a Kickstarter in 2013, just had the seed money and marketing prowess to have their product make headlines while claiming and taking credit for a product they didn’t invent. Meanwhile, Aisle has kept on trucking and innovating its own underwear offerings.

What We Love About Aisle Period Underwear: They come in a boxer brief style, and if you love that lacy look they offer that, too. Some versions even offer loops that secure an additional cloth liner/cloth pad that can be changed out if you want to use them full-time. Their underwear uses 100% organic cotton for absorbency.

What We Love About Aisle: Other than inventing modern period underwear Aisle is a socially and environmentally conscious company that puts its money and actions where its mouth is. Aisle went through the rigorous work of being B Corps certified, and they invested an incredible amount of heart, time, energy, and money into being a truly size and gender-inclusive brand. They have been supporting NGOs since at least 2000, and I have so much respect for the way they don’t use their work for clout. You can read more about their efforts and what your purchases support here.

Size Range Offered: XS-3XL

Styles Available: Boxer Brief, Brief, Bikini, Hipster (various colors and materials)

Price Range: $40+

Where to Buy: PeriodAisle.com

Aisle is Made in Canada

Saalt Wear Put A Cup In It

What We Love About Saalt Period Underwear: The color and design of these period underwear are exquisite. They are lightweight and come in a variety of shapes to meet most needs. They do not offer a period boxer, but they are one of the few with a thong!

What We Love About Saalt: Saalt cares about intentional design, listening to what the community needs, and acting on it! They started with a single cup available in two sizes and have grown to include a softer cup for those with sensitives and a specially sized cup for those who are younger (teens!) or more petite.

Size Range Offered: XS-3XL

Styles Available: High Waist Brief, Hipsters (2 Varieties), Thong, & Bikini XS-2XL (various colors and materials)

Price Range: $29+

Where to Buy: Saalt.com

Saalt is Ethically made in Sri Lanka

Wuka Put A Cup In It

What We Love About WUKA Period Pants: They buck traditional lace designs and come in gender-neutral styles that anyone can appreciate and feel comfortable and confident in.

What We Love About WUKA: WUKA is registered with the Vegan Society, they eco-friendly fabrics, and are committed to their ethical foundations and being socially responsible.

Size Range Offered: XS-XL

Styles Available: Bikini, Brief, & matching Bralette available

Price Range: $25.00+

Where to Buy: Wuka.co.uk

WUKA Designed in UK and Made in China

Dear Kate Put A Cup In It

What We Love About Dear Kates Products: The brand offers its products in sizes up to 3X!

What We Love About Dear Kates: We love their website presentation and the many styles they offer, but we do wish we knew more about the company itself. Their website is pretty bare about the company and its technology. We reached out to ask about any additional chemicals added to the fabrics made with “Underlux technology” and are waiting to hear back.

Size Range Offered: XS-3XL

Styles Available: Hipster, Thong, Brief style cuts available in Basic, Fancy, and Sport designs in a wide range of color options.

Other Products: Yoga Pants with their Underlux technology and Bralets to coordinate with underwear selections.

Price Range: $32-$44 per underwear. Bralets $48 and Yoga Pants $99-$109

Where to Buy: DearKates.com

Dear Kates Made in USA

EvaWear Put A Cup In It

What We Love About EvaWear Stain Free Period Underwear: They made a seamless option, and all varieties are budget-friendly. What We Love About EvaWear: This is a no-frills kind of brand without a social justice agenda or cause. You’re here to buy affordable period underwear, period.

Size Range Offered: XS-XL

Styles Available: Hipster, Brief, Bikini, Boxer Brief

Price Range: $18.95+

Where to Buy: Amazon.com

EvaWear Made in China

Lilova Put A Cup In It

What We Love About Lilova Period Proof Underwear: While they don’t offer a boxer, we love the simple black designs with optional color accents that look sexy but not overly frilly

What We Love About Lilova: They offer one of the best size ranges on the market

Size Range Offered: XS-3X

Styles Available: Thong, Bikini, Hipster, Hip-Hugger, High-Waist

Price Range: $24.00+

Where to Buy: Lilova.com

Lilova Made In China

21 Responses

  1. I know this is an old post but wanted to add to hopefully prevent others from making the mistake I made with Joyja. I bought into the cute styles, ordered a bundle, and they leak badly as the liner doesn’t go up high enough in the front. They also block negative reviews. SO disappointed!

  2. I really appreciate this article. I had originally been considering Thinx for my first pair of period underwear, and I am glad that I looked here first. These days it feels like we ordinary citizens have little control over policies and politics, but I can still vote with my dollars. I love that this article provided several great alternative brands to choose from. After looking into them, I’ve decided to purchase from Lunapads, which has changed their name to Aisle (perhaps this can be updated in the article, because I was confused when I tried to search for Lunapads). It is great to know that my money will be spent, not only on a quality product, but with a B Certified company that cares about it’s manufacturing processes, environmental impact, and treatment of employees. The fact that Aisle also supports initiatives to provide greater access to menstrual products to those in need is icing on the cake! So, many thanks to PACII for drawing my attention to an awesome company that would have been otherwise buried in my Google search results. I’m excited to try out Aisle’s products with my new menstrual cup 🙂

  3. I am deeply disappointed by Lunapads. I find them to be too bulky between my legs and the absorbent layer to be too short in the back. Also, their 60-day return policy is 60 days after ORDER, not shipment or delivery. My order took over 10 days to get to me and I missed the window to return by one day and they refused to allow me to return my items, despite the fact that I had not washed only one, as instructed.

    BE WARNED!

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