Vol. 3 | What is the History of Menstrual Cups? Differences from Tampons and Why They're Spreading Globally [Amina's Guide]
Menstrual cups are not
a “new invention.”
Looking at menstrual care options
through 100+ years of history
The menstrual cup is not a recently created femtech product. In fact, it is a long-standing menstrual care product that emerged around the same time as the tampon.
What you will learn in this article
- Why menstrual cups are not a "recent thing"
- The background behind why tampons spread while menstrual cups did not
- Reasons why menstrual cups struggled to gain popularity in Japan
- Why menstrual cups are now being re-evaluated as an option
"Menstrual cups are a recent invention, right?"
Actually, that is not the case.
The history of the menstrual cup dates back to ideas from over 100 years ago. And in the 1930s, around the same time as the tampon, modern-type menstrual cups were already appearing.
In this guide, we will organize the history of the menstrual cup and why it is spreading across the world today, along with its social background.
1 History of the Menstrual Cup | Born in the same era as tampons
The concept considered to be the prototype of the menstrual cup appeared in the late 19th century. Later, in the 1930s, products with shapes close to modern menstrual cups were introduced.
In 1937, it is said that Leona Chalmers in the United States filed a patent for a latex rubber menstrual cup. Around that same time, tampons were also beginning to spread as a commercial product.
In other words, the menstrual cup is not a "recent invention."
Rather, it is an option that was born in the same era as the tampon but remained on the sidelines of society for a long time.
- Late 19th century Ideas for catching menstrual blood, close to the prototype of the menstrual cup, begin to emerge.
- 1930s Products similar to modern menstrual cups appear.
- 2000s With the spread of medical-grade silicone, menstrual cups begin to be re-evaluated.
- 2010s and beyond Driven by environmental awareness, social media, and the growth of femtech, they gain popularity, mainly in the West.
2 Why did tampons spread while menstrual cups did not?
So why did tampons spread globally while menstrual cups did not become popular for so long?
One reason is very simple.
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