GladRags

{{About|the feminine hygiene brand||Glad Rags (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox company

| name = GladRags

| logo =

| type = Benefit corporation

| industry = Feminine hygiene

| fate =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| founded = {{Start date and age|1993}}

| founders = Brenda Mallory
Karen Paule

| defunct =

| hq_location_city = Portland, Oregon

| hq_location_country = United States

| area_served =

| key_people =

| products = Cloth menstrual pads
menstrual cups

| owner =

| num_employees =

| num_employees_year =

| parent =

| website = {{URL|gladrags.com}}

}}

GladRags is a feminine hygiene company based in Portland, Oregon that produces reusable cloth menstrual pads and menstrual cups.{{cite journal |last1=Koskenniemi |first1=Aino |title=Say no to shame, waste, inequality—and leaks! Menstrual activism in the market for alternative period products |journal=Feminist Media Studies |date=2 January 2023 |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=19–36 |doi=10.1080/14680777.2021.1948885 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2021.1948885|hdl=10138/357657 |hdl-access=free }}

GladRags focuses on sustainability and reusability.{{cite journal |last1=Haneman |first1=Victoria J. |title=Menstruation Capitalism, Period Poverty, and the Role of the B Corporation |journal=Columbia Journal of Gender and Law |date=February 2021 |page=7 |doi=10.2139/ssrn.3778969}} The company's cloth pads are machine-washable and made from soft cotton flannel that folds and snaps around underwear.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pqHCCQAAQBAJ&dq=gladrags%20menstrual&pg=PA224 |page=224 |isbn=978-1-62336-324-6 |last=Loux|first=Renee|title=Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home |publisher=Rodale |date=2008}}{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZekDAAAAMBAJ&dq=gladrags%20portland&pg=PA72|work=Yoga Journal|page=72|title=Natural Products Report|date=January 2014}} Each cloth pad includes two inserts and a holder and comes in various patterns and colors.{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q4zEBAAAQBAJ&dq=gladrags%20menstrual&pg=PA105 |page=105|isbn=978-9401787185 |title=Illuminating How Identities, Stereotypes and Inequalities Matter through Gender Studies |publisher=Springer |date=2014|last=Patterson|first=Ashly|chapter=The Social Construction and Resistance of Menstruation as a Public Spectacle}} They are made to last at least five years{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-116717279.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924075521/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-116717279.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 24, 2015|title=Organic Choices Just Keep Growing |work=The Capital Times|last=Bergin|first=Mary|date=May 17, 2004}} and are sometimes used in conjunction with menstrual cups.{{cite journal|journal=Feminist Bookstore News |volume=20|page=54|date=1997|title=GladRags}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=naNjR889wkEC&dq=gladrags%20portland&pg=PA17|page=17|isbn=978-1-57731-810-1|publisher=New World Library|last=Garrett|first=Leslie|title=The Virtuous Consumer: Your Essential Shopping Guide to Supporting Family, Friends, Neighbors — or Yourself|date=9 February 2011}}{{Cite web|last=Madden|first=Alanna|date=July 26, 2021|title=Reusable period products more relevant than ever for Portland's GladRags|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2021/07/26/gladrags.html|website=Portland Business Journal}} The company also sells the XO Flo reusable silicone menstrual cup and was formerly the primary distributor of the Moon Cup brand.{{cite news |title=Size Matters: How the XO Flo Mini Menstrual Cup Saved My Vagina Feelings |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/size-matters-how-the-xo-flo-mini-menstrual-cup-saved-my-vagina-feelings-432869__trashed/ |work=Autostraddle |date=September 21, 2018}}

GladRags is owned and operated by women.{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-139425209.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133409/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-139425209.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 24, 2015|title=Safe simple smart try GladRags or the keeper menstrual cup|work=Natural Health|date=December 1, 2005}} It was founded in 1993 by Brenda Mallory and Karen Paule. Mallory was inspired by reusable cloth diapers. Tracy Puhl has led the company since 2011. In 2013 Puhl was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Oregon and Southwest Washington by the U.S. Small Business Administration.{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/05/east_portland_floor_company_ow.html|last=Mortenson|first=Eric|work=The Oregonian|title=East Portland floor company owner named Oregon's small business person of the year|date=May 20, 2013}} It is cruelty-free and was first certified as a B corporation in 2012.{{cite news|url=http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/articles/2015/1/7/10-reasons-to-love-gladrags-october-2014 |work=Portland Monthly |date=January 7, 2015|title=10 Reasons to Love Portland-Based GladRags|first=Molly|last=Woodstock}} GladRags partners with a women-owned sewing company and other organizations.

Typical annual expenditures on disposable menstrual products were {{USD|60|1999}} in 1999; GladRags and Natracare are among the reusable brands recommended for cost-conscious consumers.{{Cite news |date=1999-06-30 |title=Summer of Grrrl |pages=41 |work=The Star Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-press-summer-of-grrrl/129923466/ |access-date=2023-08-13}} Products like GladRags, menstrual cups, and natural sea-sponge tampons are all marketed to self-described "conscientious" female consumers.{{Cite book |last=Garrett |first=Leslie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=naNjR889wkEC&dq=Gladrags&pg=PA17 |title=The Virtuous Consumer: Your Essential Shopping Guide for a Better, Kinder, Healthier World |publisher=New World Library |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-57731-810-1 |pages=17 |language=en}} Followers of the zero waste movement may use reusable-pad brands like GladRags, potentially in combination with reusable period underwear, reusable period cups or discs, and/or compostable sponge tampons.{{Cite web |last=Lozanova |first=Sarah |date=2023-03-15 |title=5 Zero-Waste Period Products |url=https://earth911.com/health/5-zero-waste-period-products/ |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Earth911 |language=en-US}} They may be used to collect menstrual blood for use as plant fertilizer.{{cite thesis |last=Ashford |first=Teresa L. |date=June 2, 2003 |title=Recounting, rethinking, and reclaiming menstruation |url=https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/6h440v93c |type= |chapter= |publisher=Oregon State University |docket= |oclc= |access-date=}}