Artist/Maker Yuuki
Date Production/Creation
2020
Entry in the museum collection
2021
Place of origin
Liberec, Czech Republic, Europe
Current location
Museum of Recent History Celje, Celje, Slovenia
Material
Medical silicone, plastic / machine made
Dimension
70x45 (diameter) mm
Inventory Number 745:CEL;U-625
Keyword Menstruation Washable Zero waste
Copyright Museum of Recent History Celje
Status On display
Image Credit Matic Javornik
Good intentions are easy to find, but how can society make sustainable solutions stick?
What is this object about, who are the people behind it?
The Yuuki menstrual cup is a reusable menstrual hygiene aid which is inserted into the vagina to collect the menstrual fluid. It comes with a special plastic sterilisation box. After use it is cleaned and sterilised. Provided it is handled correctly it can be used for many years. Using a menstrual cup can avoid the need for huge quantities of menstruation-related waste. It also saves money. It is one of a group of life-style aids that we call "zero waste".
What places is this object related to, how European/transnational is it?
The menstrual cup was designed and manufactured in the Czech Republic. It was bought from an online shop in Slovenia. Although in Europe menstrual cups have only become popular in recent years, the first modern cup was produced in the United States in the 1930s.
Why and how did this object arrive in the museum’s collection?
The menstrual cup was acquired by the museum for a temporary exhibition entitled "Be(com)ing a woman", in which menstruation was one of the themes. We acquired it after making an appeal through the Facebook group "Dom brez odpadkov" ("Zero Waste Home"). It was donated to the museum by a woman who had bought it but never used it, so it is brand new.
What is the relation of this object to waste?
The menstrual cup is used instead of other personal hygiene aids, such as pads or tampons, which are intended for single use. Unlike these items, the menstrual cup can be used for years, saving a lot of money and especially waste. However, it is often the case that women who buy a menstrual cup don’t use it. Then, rather than being a solution for reducing waste the menstrual cup is just another item of waste.
