Breaking the Cycle: How Reusable Products Are Transforming Menstrual Care and Ending Period Poverty
Tue Jul 01 2025
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 poverty01:00 – 04:00 | Meet Cherie & Saalt’s reusable mission04:00 – 08:30 | From “diaper-feel” to patented thin-dry underwear08:30 – 17:30 | Live demo: folding, inserting & removing cups vs. discs17:30 – 21:00 | Pelvic-floor support, prolapse & bladder leaks21:00 – 25:30 | 1 % give-back, 130 k donations in 50 countries25:30 – 33:00 | Founder life: in-office preschool & work-life integration33:00 – 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
The Cup & Disc Advantage12-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!”Underwear Tech & Hanky PankyUltra-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.Ending Period Poverty—Reusable or BustDisposable 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.Pelvic-Floor & Athletic UseDisc + period underwear combo recommended for marathoners.Cups can even outperform pessaries for some bladder-support users.Work-Life Integration BlueprintReplace “balance” with optimization.Morning ritual: reading, strength training, two mission-critical tasks before email.In-office preschool boosts retention & gender equity.Future VisionGlobal 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)
More
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 poverty01:00 – 04:00 | Meet Cherie & Saalt’s reusable mission04:00 – 08:30 | From “diaper-feel” to patented thin-dry underwear08:30 – 17:30 | Live demo: folding, inserting & removing cups vs. discs17:30 – 21:00 | Pelvic-floor support, prolapse & bladder leaks21:00 – 25:30 | 1 % give-back, 130 k donations in 50 countries25:30 – 33:00 | Founder life: in-office preschool & work-life integration33:00 – 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 The Cup & Disc Advantage12-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!”Underwear Tech & Hanky PankyUltra-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.Ending Period Poverty—Reusable or BustDisposable 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.Pelvic-Floor & Athletic UseDisc + period underwear combo recommended for marathoners.Cups can even outperform pessaries for some bladder-support users.Work-Life Integration BlueprintReplace “balance” with optimization.Morning ritual: reading, strength training, two mission-critical tasks before email.In-office preschool boosts retention & gender equity.Future VisionGlobal 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)