I love that period pants are an eco-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. With them, you can reduce or completely stop your period related waste. And depending on your flow you can wear just the pants alone, or as a leak and over-flow back-up with cup or tampons. Sweet.
“But, won’t they look like a nappy?
What if they leak or smell?
Do these period pants really work?“
All very good questions. So, I put Modibodi pants to the test through several months of real-life perioding-ing.
The test pants
There are loads of attractive styles and material choices from Modibodi. I prefer stretchy, thinner and silky materials to cotton pants. I also like them invisible under my clothes. My everyday knickers are no-VPL shorts from good old M&S. So, the seam free collection from Modibodi immediately caught my attention. And the sensual range looks comfy and pretty too.
Here’s what I chose:
- Seam free full briefs with moderate/heavy absorbency £23.50, two black and one tan
- Sensual hi-waist bikini with light/moderate absorbency £20 in grey mist
Modibodi quality & wear
I love the beautiful quality of these premium pants. The finishing is excellent, the cut and shape is symmetrical, and the leg curves have no gathers or pleats.
The seam free pants are stitched only at the very top and bottom of the side seams. Everything else is perfectly smooth on the silky-soft and stretchy polyamide outside. Inside, the folded seams are (I assume), glued together. And they’re all perfectly flat, smooth and secure.
The Sensual hi-waist pants are a super-soft stretchy bamboo material that’s a bit thicker than the seamfree range. The stitching around the legs, side seams and lace tummy trim is neat, strong and secure, with no loose ends.
Reassurringly, the gusset is much bigger and more substantial than regular pants. On both styles, it’s a knitted soft black wool fabric that’s thicker than a standard pair of pants (3 to 4mm). But it’s still soft and flexible.
There’s not much difference in the gusset thickness between the moderate/heavy and light/moderate absorbency pants. I like that Modibodi explain the construction of the gusset too. I know that Merino wool has antibacterial properties so it gives me confidence they’ll be no nasty wiffs.
The top layer keeps you fresh and dry by wicking away moisture, fighting bacteria and stopping smells
The middle layer absorbs and locks away fluid
And the bottom layer is breathable and waterproof to stop leaks
I asked Modibodi for more information on the waterproof layer. They said “the bottom layer has a specific material technology” making it waterproof and secure, but they wouldn’t elaborate. Very secret squirrel!
Modibodi say the pants last between 6 to 24 washes, or 6 months to 2 years if you wear each pair once during your period. How long they last depends on how well you care for them. Here’s what you must do:
Care instructions:
1) When you take them off, rinse and squeeze them in cold water until the water runs clear.
2) Then, machine wash soon after in a delicates bag to protect them.
3) Then, air dry.
I’ve used mine for 7 months now. Both styles wash well, stay soft and keep their shape. However, one seam free pair developed slight bobbling on the silky fabric after 4 washes. I think this is because I didn’t use a delicates bag to start. Naughty.
Modibodi fit & comfort
I made a mistake with sizing.
Modibodi say the seam free collection comes up a bit small. So, despite measuring a Modibodi size XS (UK 8) I panicked and ordered mine in size Small. They were too big. Therefore, I suggest you trust with the sizing guide on the Modibodi website! I kept one pair for comparison and returned the others for an exchange (there’s more on that later). Size XS is perfect for me in both styles.
The seam free style is a flattering cut and feels super. Not only that, but these pants are BIG. And just like Bridget Jones, I love a big pair of pants. I love the silky second-skin feel and that there’s no VPL! I can’t feel any itchy bits and the high waist is very comfortable with no muffin top in sight. And the low-leg fabric is thin, smooth, secure and stretchy. They’re secure with no wedgies or slipping down!
The waist band looks teeny when you first open the pants! But don’t worry – it stretches out the first time you wear them.
The gusset is quite thick compared to the other brand period pants we’ve reviewed. That’s because these babies absorb both period and escape pee. So, you can feel the gusset when you first put them on. And it tends to crease in-between my lower butt cheeks (thanks, hungry bum). But it’s comfortable and undetectable under even tight clothes. I forget I’m wearing thesm.
The sensual hi-waist bikini pants feel different. They’re soooo soft and snug. Again, the cut is flattering and the lace pretty. They feel tighter because of the leg elastic which also creates a small VPL under clothes, but they’re not restrictive or too bulgy.
Again, the gusset feels less thick once these are on, and you soon forget you’re wearing them.
I recommend both these styles for all-day comfort, especially the seam free if you don’t want a VPL. And the super soft sensual hi-waist are very comfy and secure under my PJs throughout the night.
Absorbency test
To get an idea how well the gusset absorbs and wicks away moisture, I tested it by slowly dripping around 10 ml of water onto it. This gusset construction literally sucked in the beads from the surface so you couldn’t see any wet spots. It felt only very slightly damp to the touch with no leakage onto the sides or outside of the gusset.
Modibodi are proud of their gussets. And I’m jolly-well reassured and feel confident, so was keen for a few months of real-life period pants testing. I tested them both as back-up to my menstrual cup and sole protection during my period.
Just the period pants
To do a thorough trial, I first tested pants on their own as sole period protection. It’s a proper test of their comfort and absorbency. The moderate/heavy absorbency pants hold up to 2 to 3 regular tampons or 15ml of blood. So, by my estimate I need three pairs of moderate/heavy absorbency pants in 24 hours, changed every 8 hours. Learn more about how many pairs you need here.
TIP: It’s a good idea to test your pants at home first. You can safely check you’ve the right absorbency for your flow, and how often you must change them. And how to rinse them out after use without the stresses of public bathrooms.
My flow comes in waves, along with severe cramps. And because I take painkillers, I don’t always ‘feel’ my flow. This worries me a little because what if it’s too heavy for the pants?
I needn’t have worried. I’m seriously impressed with the excellent absorbency and dry feeling throughout 8 hours of my heaviest flow.
On visits to the loo, I see just small patches of blood sinking in the woven black gusset. Any fibrous or thicker mucus-type goo sits on the surface and it’s easily wiped away on a bit of loo roll. So, this aside, these babies look clean and dry, with no nasty wiffs. They absorb my flow easily, working equally as well with heavy night time flow. I’m confident they won’t leak, and feel I could even wear them a little longer than 8 hours.
When I change and rinse them, there’s a surprising amount of blood. It takes a minute or two of ‘squeeze-and-rinse’ until the water runs clear. Impressive.
From day 4, I can switch to one pair for the day and another for the night. And the light/moderate absorbency pants are good for my ‘transition’ days (5 and 6) when my period is almost gone. I love not faffing about with a cup on these days.
As a menstrual cup back-up
Second, I tested the pants as a back-up to my menstrual cup. I love the cup but (before I found the perfect one) I’d suffer a leak at some point, usually at night. Sometimes, I feel a bubbling sensation and other times nowt at all. And then the dreaded mess. So, these pants seem the perfect reassurance that my knickers, sheets and PJs stay stain-free.
Now, I don’t always catch the start of my period and get my cup in on time. So, my first revelation was wearing the pants in anticipation of coming on. Then you can ‘monitor’ the situation on loo visits, without worry or faff when you’re late with tampons or cup. Thus, I avoid staining my everyday knickers. Yay!
And during my period, they work very well. I’m confident in the moderate/heavy absorbency pants because I know they can handle around 8 hours of my heavy flow. I wear a pair during the day, and change into a fresh night-time pair. However, you could wear just one pair in 24 hours.
They’re clean, dry and smell fine throughout. Admittedly, it’s hard to tell if they’ve caught any cup leaks in the black gusset. However, there’s sometimes a little blood when I rinse them after use. So, they worked. Ands if you often suffer overflow or leaks I think they do a super job.
I chose to ditch to cup and wear pants alone on my lighter days too. They’re much less faff and more comfortable for when your flow doesn’t warrant a cup or tampon.
The negatives
There are a few negatives with both Modibodi service and their pants.
First, they’re pricey! They cost the same as a pair of premium lingerie knickers (or pulling pants).
How many pairs you need depends on your flow and how you’ll wear them (as back-up or sole absorption). If you’re organised, you can wash worn pairs in batches and wear them again during the same period. So, here’s an example of what the pants could cost:
| Wear as | Pairs per day | Total | Cost per wear* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back-up to cup/tampons | 1 or 2 | 3 pairs @ £72 | £1 |
| Back-up to cup/tampons | 1 or 2 | 5 pairs @ £120 | £1 |
| Just pants | 2 or 3 | 5 pairs @ £120 | £1 |
| Just pants | 2 or 3 | 7 pairs @ £168 | £1 |
*Based on £24 per pair and a lifetime of 24 washes per pair
I do love that these pants are better for the environment, but I also wish they were more affordable too. They cost about the same as Thinx pants, another premium brand. You can buy cheaper period pants, but you must compromise on choice and style. Learn more in this Tulip comparison review.
TRY This…
You can buy just a few pairs to test, before committing to several pairs of period pants. Modibodi give a 60-day money back guarantee on ONE PAIR. This is a bit stngey and hard to test. But you could test this one pair at your heaviest flow, alone or as a bac- up and see how you feel. If you like them, commit and open the others. If not, fill in the guarantee claim form and return the other pants for a refund.
Next, Modibodi UK’s returns and refunds process are pants (pun intended)! I mentioned earlier I returned a pair of pants for an exchange. My experience was very poor. Here’s why:
#1 First, my return wasn’t free despite my high order value.
#2 Second Modibodi UK don’t have an effective system for refunds and exchanges. The customer service team lost track of my exchange request, more than once. Combine that with regular out of stock items and it made for a very frustrating 6 months of email-tennis trying to get my pants. In desperation, I simply placed a new order when my size was in stock and asked for a refund for the missing pants. They tried several times but couldn’t process a refund. It took an astonishing 4.5 months to process.
So, this is disappointing because if you have any order issues, need an exchange or a refund, your experience could be as frustrating as mine. But if you don’t need any assistance, you’re laughing.
60-day money back guarantee
Modibodi also give a 60-day money back guarantee on your first order. Yay!
However, the guarantee extends to one pair only. Boo. So, you can try a pair during your period and if they’re not for you request a refund. If you ordered additional pairs, return these unused pants with hygiene seals intact within 60 days of purchase for a refund on the rest of your order. You must pay the return postage cost too.
Modibodi period pants review summary
Here’s a summary of my test scores, and pros and cons for Modibodi period pants to help you decide:
Quality & wear
👍👍👍👍
A superb variety of beautiful, stretchy & breathable fabrics, with excellent quality finishing that’s secure & strong. You must follow the washing guidelines so they keep their shape & absorbency.
Fit & comfort
🩲🩲🩲🩲
Several flattering styles & coverage options for day & night comfort. Rather thick reassurring gussets, but all very comfortable.
Results
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Very absorbent and quick wicking gussets for a dry and comfy period.
Pros
- Eco-friendly & reusable, reducing tampon & pad landfill waste
- Quality fabrics, styles & finishing for second skin comfort
- Look like regular knickers under clothes
- Excellent absorbency, no leaks, wetness or smells!
- Fast & free shipping, no taxes
- Vegan-friendly pants available
- They wash well (follow the care guidelines!)
Cons
- They’re pricey!
- No free returns
- 60-day money back guarantee extends to one pair only
- Poor UK customer service for online exchanges & refunds,
- Items are often out of stock (UK)
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