Best period pants that won’t cramp your style, tried and tested

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Wuka’s range of period pants looks fab and feels great. While there are some excellent options in its offering, its seamless midi brief is the real standout piece. Silky smooth, they hug your body without digging in, and offer the security you’re after in a period product.

What’s really great is they are seamless and don’t show under clothing, even under tight-fitting options such as skinny jeans or a satin slip skirt. The pants, which are made from recycled nylon generated from old plastic bottles, come in three flow absorbencies: light (one tampon’s worth), medium (two to three tampons’ worth) or heavy (up to four tampons’ worth).

Founder Ruby Raut, an environmental scientist who grew up in Nepal, is also hugely passionate about eradicating menstrual shame, period poverty and looking after the planet. As well as partnering with charities such as Surfers Against Sewage, Days for Girls and the Hygiene Bank, Wuka and Ruby campaigned to end the 20 per cent VAT charge on period underwear (which was scrapped on 1 January 2024).

Read the full Wuka midi brief review

One of the cheapest reusable period pant brands on the market, Love Luna has a simple but effective range of products.

Instead of using disposable menstrual products that will outlive your great-grandchildren (an ordinary sanitary towel or tampon could take 300 to 500 years to decompose), Love Luna urges those with periods to embrace the reusable options it has on offer. As well as bikini, midi and full brief options, the brand has breathable bamboo and cotton mix briefs. The bikini knickers are a great basic option to have in your underwear drawer.

There are also four layers of protection, a soft microfibre finish, and these hold the equivalent of two to three regular tampons. At £10, they’re a great budget buy, but there are limited colours and sizes, and they may not work for heavier flows.

Read the full Love Luna period bikini knickers review

US brand Thinx is a big player in the reusable period underwear market. The brand’s products include a line with more accessible pricing and period-proof activewear. As such, there is an awful lot to choose from when it comes to Thinx’s collections.

I was impressed with the comfort and ease of its hip hugger lace and stretch-organic cotton period briefs, though. With a gusset made of 95 per cent Oeko-tex certified organic cotton (plus elastane in the body fabric for stretch), they make for a pair of really comfortable, smooth-feeling period pants that are moisture-wicking and absorbent, holding up to three tampons’ worth. The high waist and elasticated mesh waistband mean they stay nicely in place, too, without digging in or rolling.

Read the full Thinx hiphugger review

If you think heavy flow days require unflattering baggy knickers, consider these pants from Flux. The popular high waist heavy flow option holds up to four tampons’ worth and ticks a lot of boxes in terms of comfort, style and support. I love the high-waisted design with the mesh side panels, which give a nice bit of va-va-voom to the knickers. I’m also a big fan of the super-soft micro-modal fabric on the inside, and how fresh these kept us, even on my heaviest days.

Flux is also dedicated to being as sustainable and ethical as possible: it uses Oeko-tex certified materials in its pants, recycled cardboard in its packaging, is vegan-friendly and doesn’t test on animals. It also gives back to someone in need with every purchase and has donated to some great charities, including Mermaids, the Independent Domestic Abuse Services and Freedom 4 Girls.

These high-waist bikini period pants by Aussie brand Modibodi have been raved about by thousands of the brand’s fans. They’re loved for their absorbency, dry feel, and for delivering on the promise of no leaks. Their heavy, overnight absorbency means they can hold the equivalent of up to four tampons’ worth, while the comfortable feel of the 95 per cent bamboo viscose material means they’re just the ticket for a restful sleep.

I liked how, even after wearing overnight and on heavy flow days, I was left feeling dry, thanks to the breathable Modifier Technology and merino wool in the lining, which fights bacteria, smells and stains. I also like that Modibodi has an extensive and inclusive range of products, from a maxi 24-hour option, which is great for shift workers, to detachable bikini pants that are highly useful for those who struggle to change regular underwear.

Read the full Modibodi’s period activewear review

Sometimes, you just need a big old pair of pants when you’re on your period and ones that’ll sit comfortably over your bloat. Step into a UK brand dedicated to helping tackle period poverty: Hey Girls.

The brand’s super-soft red cherry period pants were like a gentle hug when I was bloated. They’re a high-rise design, so I preferred to wear them at home, either for bed or in loungewear, as they peeked out of my jeans (yes, even the high-waisted ones), but these are the pair I’d reach for on those days where the cramps and water retention are getting you down. They also have a high absorbency and can hold up to five tampons’ worth. Plus, they’re a joyful cherry red colour, in what is often a sea of black, navy and grey period pants. I also liked that they were pretty quick to air dry once washed.

Founded by a mother and her two daughters, Hey Girls is a business with a charitable mission, too: for every product sold, it gives one away to girls and women in the UK from low-income families.