What does ALMO stand for?

ALMO is the abbreviation for ALlternative MOnthly hygiene.

Since when does ALMO exist?

ALMO has been founded in November 2013. Before that, there was an intensive test phase of the products taken by various women. Because I (Stefanie) originally sewed the sanitary towels just for myself. When a perfect model was created, my mission was born: "Everyone should have such a soft, cozy feeling in his/her pants".

What is the advantage of the ALMO's cloth pads?

ALMO does not have no smelly, crackling plastic, no adhesive tape that only sticks where it shouldn't 😉 They are always in stock at home when the mens comes. ALMO's pads are very absorbent, fun, colorful and simply practical. You save a lot of waste, money and the wearing comfort is really priceless.

How do I know what size I need?

There is a separate page with theSize Chart of ALMO's pads. There you will also find graphics to compare ALMO's pads with your classic disposable sanitary towels. You can find the size chart for period briefsbelow in their product description ("Size Chart").

How often do I have to change the menstrual pad?

The panty liners, sanitary towels and also the nursing pads have to be changed about as often as conventional products. It should be noted that ALMO's products absorb at least as much as your disposable products.

What kind of material are the sanitary towels, panty liners and nursing pads made of?

The sanitary towels, panty liners, nursing pads and most of the additional products of ALMO are made from 100% organic cotton.
The leakage protection consists of 100% organic cotton and a membrane / coating made of PU. This leakage protection is manufactured exclusively for ALMO in Germany and is only locally sewn.

Where are the fabric products made?

Every ALMO's handmade product is sewn in Germany, more precisely in the Middle Franconian region, in small tailor shops. Most of the fabrics are also made in Germany.

How many sanitary towels do I need?

You need about as many sanitary towels as their disposable versions. The easiest way to choose the right amount is to buy an equipment for the period of your menstruation.
If you wash often, you can also do the "intermediate washing" (wash the menstrual pads during the menstrual cycle), then you need to buy smaller quantities of pads.
As the bleeding varies from woman to woman, the number of recommended amounts also varies. For some, 10 panty liners are enough and others women must have 30 pads, 15–20 of which are in size L.

What is better? With or without wings?

Note: since March 2021 we only sell fabric pads with wings.

My personal recommendation is definitely with wings. These are closed around the slip with a button. The wings are deliberately kept tight, because the body compresses the pad anyway and if the wings are longer, they will dangle between the legs. It is also true that cotton adheres well to cotton and does not slip. By the way: it is better, if you choose larger cloth pads. But the biggest advantage of the pads with wings is that they automatically stay inside the pants, when you go to the toilet or pull down your pants. They do not have to be held on (as with the sanitary towels without wings, which like to hop into the toilet), that is the absolute plus point for the wings. The cloth pads definitely don't have a plastic adhesive strip, which usually sticks exactly where it shouldn't 😉

What is better? With or without leak protection?

Without leakage protection, it only makes sense for me as a panty liner for every day. When using sanitary towels and panty liners, wellbeing and safety should be the top priorities. During my menstruation I could not feel at ease without leakage protection. If you want to have your pads without leakage protection, I will be happy to sew them without it or with a natural light leakage protection. The apsortion capacity of these pads does not last as long by normal bleeding and the sanitary napkin has to be changed more often.

Why are the sanitary towels and panty liners not sewn in the shape of an hourglass?

As the place where the blood flows in most of the time is in the middle, why do you need widened edges? If required, you can also order our ALMO's in special customised lengths. Shorter, longer, wider or narrower.
Please note that the smaller and thinner the panty liner / pad is, the more likely will it crumple.

Are the panty liners suitable as a back-up to the menstrual cup or tampon?

Yes, I recommend the panty liner with leak protection for that. If you know that the mooncup is usually not enough and you can not empty it so quickly, then choose even a pad with size M.

How absorbent are the sanitary towels?

Our cloth pads are at least as absorbent as disposable sanitary towels, or even better, this means extremely absorbent 😉 . Like cloth diapers: the sanitary towels only reach their optimal absorbency after a few washes. Nevertheless, you can use ALMO's pads immediately. Let yourself be surprised, the absorbency will be EVEN better 😉

Do I have to wash them out with cold water beforehand?

NO. All ALMOs, except the white ones, can be washed directly in the washing machine at 95 degrees. They can also be put in the dryer.

If you want your white ALMO to be completely clean again, it makes sense to wash it out with cold water beforehand, but please wash it with similar colors.

What if i have very heavy bleeding?

Try the sizes M+ and L+ with double absorption capacity or even the L++ with triple absorption capacity. If that's not enough for you, or for the puerperium, you can also put an ALMO washcloth on top of the others with leak protection as a reinforcement.

Which washing detergent should I use?

The one you prefer, but please without bleach. An eco-detergent will be perfect.

Can I use bleach?

Preferably not, we can not recommend it. It bleaches the fabrics and can damage the leakage protection.

At how many degrees can ALMO be washed?

95 degrees are possible, usually less is enough.

How many years or how many washes are they durable?

The pad's leakage protection can withstand at least 200 washes and experience shows that there can be many more. So if you have equipment for the entire bleeding time in one month, this equipment can easily last about 10 years. If you have less and you wash them already during your menstruation, you will then accordingly need less. If you only have two briefs and wash them every day, they won't last for 10 years either 😉

Can I use ALMO by vaginal fungus?

Yes, but please note the washing temperature. The sanitary towels and panty liners can be washed at 95 degrees.

Can I use ALMO for incontinence?

The pads and panty liners are very suitable for mild incontinence, even if you have a weak bladder, e.g. also during pregnancy or with a cold. As long as the conventional and industrial pads are sufficiently absorbent, also ALMO's pads will absorb enough.

Are the cloth pads sufficient for the puerperium?

My personal recommendation, you can use ALMO a few days after the birth at the latest. Before that or if the menstrual cycle is particularly heavy, the pad must simply be changed more often. Midwifes recommend using white cloth pads for the puerperium so that the color of the weekly flow can be observed. Which color you choose is up to you. ALMO are available in L+ with double absorbent layer and also in L++ with reinforced, triple absorbent layer. Also read the experience report by Cerstin Jütte (in German): https://www.cerstin-juette.de/2017/12/20/stoffbinden-im-wochenbett-erfahrungsbericht/

Which materials and fabrics are contained in conventional disposable sanitary towels and tampons?

The most known are: glyphosphate, dioxin, bleach, perfume, anti-fungal agents, suction gels, formaldehyde, plastic granulate, plastic layers, just to name a few.
Not to mention the effects they can have on our bodies.

Did you know ...

that a woman menstruates around 500 times in her life, using around 16,000 disposable pads or tampons and spending around €2000 on conventional menstrual products?
Huge mountains of rubbish arise and take a few hundred years to rot.
In organic quality, that's an investment of around €5000 in a woman's life.
For this amount you get about 400 cloth pads / panty liners. You don't need that many 😉 Theoretically and practically, 100 cloth sanitary towels should be enough for you in your entire life, and they have been calculated quite generously. Presumably you will need fewer than 100.

Can ALMOs also be shipped abroad?

They can be sent everywhere. If your country is not listed in the online shop, ask us directly before you order. The buyer bears the customs duties.