ModiBodi Review | Eco-friendly period underwear

I started using ModiBodi about three years ago and, although I believe there is room for improvement, I find it to be an excellent eco-friendly period product with great features.

ModiBodi is mainly made from bamboo, it has a comprehensive range of styles, sizing and levels of absorbency. More importantly, I found it to be efficient and very comfortable. It does what it is meant to: stop period leakage. 

The fit was very comfortable for my body size – XL is my ModiBodi go-to size (I do like my undies oversized).

In the past ten years, I have gradually stopped using disposables to convert to more eco-friendly menstrual products. Nowadays, I pretty much manage my cycles with cups, washable pads and leak-proof underwear and period swimwear. 

That’s how I came across period underwear brands such as Ruby Love, Thinx and ModiBodi. I was particularly attracted to ModiBodi as I quite like bamboo underwear. 

Let’s have a closer look into ModiBodi in this review.

ModiBodi Pros

Very comfortable underwear! The kind of underwear that made me forget I am wearing underwear: no sweaty buttocks, no tight elastic digging into my skin, and good bottom coverage (I never had to put my hands down there to adjust my panties).

Very efficient protection! I did not have any issues with leaks and felt protected all the time. 

Modi Bodi is money-saving – it allowed me to stop buying disposable pads and tampons. The initial investment pays off after just a few cycles. 

Good range of styles and sizes that include period underwear for men, for teens (I bought some for my teenager) and swimwear. Recently, it started a partnership with sports-focused brand Puma for a new line of period underwear for sports.

ModiBodi Cons

While this is a reusable product – meaning you can wash and reuse it, it does not last forever! Like any other underwear, it will wear & tear after a while! 

In my case, my ModiBodi panties started to develop little holes after about 6 months. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed that my panties did not last as long as I was hoping for! 

ModiBodi Design and Sizing

Modibodi design styles include all the usual suspects: bikini, full brief, boyleg, boyshorts, thong, French cut and hi-waist. They also have a dedicated teenager collection – Red, a swimwear range and maternity/postpartum styles – I wish ModiBodi was in my life when I was giving birth! 

More recently, they have also added a cloth diaper range and a male range.

ModiBodi underwear comes in classic black and beige (nude) colors and a variety of vibrant colors and prints that changes with each seasonal collection – while the two classic colors (black and beige) are a permanent feature. 

As far as nude color goes, the beige color seems to cater better for pale skin tone. For those with darker skin, who might be after blend-in nude color lingerie, the very pale tone may not achieve the blend-in effect. 

ModiBodi Absorbency 

Modibodi offers six levels of absorbency. That goes from the ‘moisture wicking’ panties which really does not absorb much more than your sweat and natural discharge (not recommended for period) to the Maxi-24 hrs which is designed to absorb the equivalent of 10 tampons! 

ModiBodi Absorbency Level	Volume	Tampon Equivalence
Moisture-wicking	0 ml	Not recommended for period
Super Light	5 ml	1
Light-Moderate	10 ml	2
Moderate-Heavy	15 ml	2-3
Heavy-Overnight	20 ml	3-4
Maxi-24 hrs	50 ml	10

While the moisture-wicking cannot be considered period underwear, I ordered some – to be used on my non-period days – since I really like ModiBodi fabric and design. While I really like that product, the first layer of the gusset developed big holes just after a few washes. 

ModiBodi Pricing

Let’s face it – period underwear is not super cheap! But it will no doubt save you from buying pads and tampons. Most ModiBodi products cost between $20-35 and you can save more by buying ‘bundles’.

When you think that pad prices start at around $4 for a small pack and $20 for packs of 60, and tampon prices start at around $10 – it really doesn’t take long to do the maths! Period underwear will save you money after a few menstrual cycles.

Compared to other popular period underwear brands such as Thinx and Ruby Love, ModiBodi prices are very much in line with its competitors. 

It is also worth noting that period underwear is FSA and HSA eligible. 

ModiBodi Durability

That’s probably the downside of ModiBodi. After about six months of use, I noticed small holes and threads coming out. For something that is supposed to replace disposable pads, I was really hoping it would last much longer. 

While that’s annoying, it is no different than most clothing items that get intense use and regular washing. Sadly, clothes in general – and underwear, in particular, do not last forever. The exception here appears to be the highly sturdy hemp clothing which is becoming increasingly popular. 

ModiBodi has recently launched a biodegradable style that should quickly break down when added to the compost. That is a good step forward towards reducing the amount of old clothes that end up in landfills. 

Is bamboo eco-friendly?

Hmmm… it’s complicated!

Bamboo is widely used by ModiBodi, so let’s have a look at its environmental credentials. 

It can be argued that bamboo, as a crop, is indeed a sustainable one! Bamboo grows fast, vertically and with minimum resources such as water and fertilizer. From that point of view, is a far more sustainable crop than traditional cotton which requires lots of resources and sizeable land.

However, we cannot make clothes straight out of bamboo stalks and leaves! They need to be processed into textiles and, then, turned into clothing or underwear. And that’s where bamboo is not so eco-friendly. 

While fluffy cotton bolls can be easily spun into threads, bamboo stalks (cellulose) require intense processing for it to ‘soften’ up and become a wearable fabric. That processing is mostly chemical – that means lots of chemicals are used and the waste left behind can pollute the environment. 

So, there are pros and cons when it comes to bamboo as a clothing material. 

Final Thoughts On ModiBodi

ModiBodi is definitely a BUY recommendation. It is comfortable, breathable, efficient at providing protection, and will save you money that is usually spent on disposable products.