Silicone and TPE - our guide to these fabulous materials
Let's talk about TPE and Silicone - the materials we use to make our award-winning Hello Cups ™ and Hello Disc™. Wondering why we use different materials or what the difference is? Keep reading to find out!
Hello Disc™ - Silicone
We use Medical Grade silicone for our Hello Disc™. Silicone is the preferred material for menstrual discs and is perfect for our Hello Disc™. We use medical-grade silicone because it can be moulded to an excellent thin shape easily, and the springiness of silicone is ideal for the rim of the Disc to stay in place. As Hello Disc has a more intricate design due to the tab, it was essential that we could have a soft, smooth and super comfortable product.
The springy nature of the silicone means that the Disc opens without effort when inserted. This is super helpful for getting a great fit with your Hello Disc!
Important note: Cheaper silicone, which isn't medical grade, is not suitable for use in the human body - beware of super cheap cups and discs!
Hello Cup™ - TPE
Hello Cups™ are made from medical-grade TPE. TPE stands for thermoplastic elastomer. TPE has a wide range of uses and medically has many similar applications as medical grade silicone. Our TPE is free from silicone, rubber, latex, Bisphenols (BPA/BPS), or heavy metals. This makes Hello Cups one of the few truly hypoallergenic menstrual cups available. If you are sensitive to silicone, choosing a Hello Cup is a great option.
TPE is firm and holds its shape under pressure, making it an excellent choice for super-fit individuals with a strong pelvic floor. These individuals often find that their muscles can collapse the walls of softer cups, causing leaks.
One of our favourite TPE qualities is that it warms and moulds to the user's body, creating a custom fit. Silicone cups form a seal by having even pressure along the rim, whereas TPE will still have some pressure on the rim but also will change to fit the user's body (this explains the oval shape some users notice when they remove their cup).
TPE is also recyclable at the end of its life! This helps to make an already fabulous reusable product even more appealing!
So there we have it. Two excellent materials are used in Hello Period Products to make your periods better!
