India, May 11 -- I got my first period when I was 12. Since then, my experience with it has been pretty dull. I have a 28-day cycle with cramps, occasional mood swings, backache, and a usual flow. My school taught us about menstrual hygiene in sex education. Still, my mother guided me on how to use sanitary napkins. I still remember that moment clearly. I preferred using sanitary napkins for my period, and was fine with that.

But as a conscious millennial, I should care about the 113,000 tonnes of unrecycled waste from pads and panty liners that end up in landfills. But honestly, I've never been comfortable trying tampons or menstrual cups. The thought of inserting something makes me nervous. Even though some of my friends really like th...