Breaking the Cycle: How Reusable Products Are Transforming Menstrual Care and Ending Period Poverty

Femtech Health Podcast

In this episode, Cherie Hoeger (CEO & co-founder of Saalt) breaks down the “reusable revolution” in period care—menstrual cups, discs, and patented leak-proof underwear—and shows how a B-Corp can combine product innovation with a global mission to end period poverty. You’ll hear practical how-tos, pelvic-floor tips, and a candid look at building a fast-growing fem-tech brand while raising six kids.

Timestamps

00:00 – 01:00 | Why disposable pads can’t solve period poverty
01:00 – 04:00 | Meet Cherie & Saalt’s reusable mission
04:00 – 08:30 | From “diaper-feel” to patented thin-dry underwear
08:30 – 17:30 | Live demo: folding, inserting & removing cups vs. discs
17:30 – 21:00 | Pelvic-floor support, prolapse & bladder leaks
21:00 – 25:30 | 1 % give-back, 130 k donations in 50 countries
25:30 – 33:00 | Founder life: in-office preschool & work-life integration
33:00 – 38:00 | Hanky Panky collab, retail rollout (Target, Whole Foods, REI)
38:00 – 44:00 | Packaging that makes periods “cart-worthy”
44:00 – end | Vision: bring Saalt to every girl & end period poverty

Key Points

• Reusable > Disposable – Cups & discs hold 3-6× a tampon, last 10 + years, and slash monthly costs and waste.
• Patented Period Underwear – Saalt spent 3½ years engineering the thinnest, driest tech on the market—now powering Hanky Panky’s Confidence Panty line.
• Pelvic-Floor Friendly – Discs sit in the posterior fornix (no suction), making them ideal for prolapse, IUDs, heavy lifters, and “sneeze leaks.”
• Life-Changing Donations – 130 k products placed in 50 countries; cups keep girls in school and women at work for 10 years on a single purchase.
• Customer “Saalt Coaches” – Real humans (not chat-bots) guide users through fit, folds, leaks, PCOS, endo, and more.
• Family-First Startup – Cherie & her husband built an on-site preschool and a strict 90-minute “power morning” to juggle six kids and a scaling brand.
• Retail Proof – Instagram-worthy packaging helped Saalt hit Target shelves in year 2; now also in Whole Foods, REI, Walmart Teens, and Walgreens.

Deep Dives

1. The Cup & Disc Advantage
   • 12-hour wear, medical-grade silicone, hypoallergenic.
   • Discs allow mess-free period sex and added pelvic support.
   • “It’s not bigger than a baby’s head—yes, it fits!”
2. Underwear Tech & Hanky Panky
   • Ultra-thin absorbent gusset keeps the surface bone-dry.
   • Holds 3–6 pads’ worth yet feels like everyday lace lingerie.
   • Launched on International Women’s Day; sold out first run.
3. Ending Period Poverty—Reusable or Bust
   • Disposable donations create endless cost and waste cycles.
   • Cups + education end absenteeism for a decade on ~$30.
   • Saalt targets eight high-need regions; 95 % adoption rate.
4. Pelvic-Floor & Athletic Use
   • Disc + period underwear combo recommended for marathoners.
   • Cups can even outperform pessaries for some bladder-support users.
5. Work-Life Integration Blueprint
   • Replace “balance” with optimization.
   • Morning ritual: reading, strength training, two mission-critical tasks before email.
   • In-office preschool boosts retention & gender equity.
6. Future Vision
   • Global accessibility—“Saalt in every country.”
   • Scale 1 % give-back to eradicate period poverty.
   • Keep innovating where stigma once stalled progress (packaging, education, tech).

Notable Quotes

• “Period poverty will never be solved by disposable products.” – Cherie Hoger
• “We’re not selling pads or cups—we’re selling confidence.”
• “A cup in your purse means no more emergency tampon runs.”

Find Saalt: saalt.com | Amazon | Target | Whole Foods | REI | Walmart (Teen line)