JuJu
Country of origin: Australia
Composition: Silicone
Sizes: 2 sizes – 1&2
Dimensions: Small (1) = 40mm diameter, 46mm long without stem (65mm long with stem). Large (2) = 46mm diameter, 50mm long without stem (69mm with stem)
Capacity: Small (1) = 20mls. Large (2) = 30mls
Stem: Solid thin stem
Measuring Lines: Unknown
Cost (RRP): $62 AUD
Guarantee:
Been around since: 28th July 2011
Other Details: TGA approved for sale within Australia. It seems to be a thin stem, no measuring lines, no writing on the outside? With a butterfly instead of the usual grip rings around the bottom of the cup.
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A menstrual cup is form of reusable menstrual protection. It is inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual fluids. Once in place it forms a seal, preventing blood flowing out of the vagina by collecting it in its “cup” shaped reservoir. Unlike a tampon which absorbs the blood along with the vagina’s natural secretions, a menstrual cup simply holds the fluids until you remove it – so they do not dry out the vagina and do not hold the TSS risk that tampons do.
They hold around 20-30ml, which is for most women will cope with a full day without emptying, and at most perhaps you would need to empty it a few times a day for a very heavy flow. A menstrual cup will last (with proper care) for around 10 years, perhaps longer, so while the initial outlay is high, it pays for itself with savings pretty quick.
This website aims to give information on all the available reusable cups, and provide the latest news. This is a sister site to www.ecomenses.com
It’s pretty, and it looks like a decent design… but it’s a little pricey, isn’t it?
It’s on the pricey end yes… But there are probably a few reasons for that – manufacture in Australia might cost more… I know that getting TGA approval to allow them to be sold here is expensive – which has put other cup manufacturers off selling them in Aus (we can import them in for personal use, but they can’t be sold here unless TGA approved)…. Apparently Lunette won’t be selling their coloured cups in Aus because it’s just not economically viable to go through separate TGA approval for each colour (which is understandable, but a shame)
Lunette retails in Australia for about $57… and the rubber Keeper $45…. – Which were the only 2 cups allowed to be sold within Aus until JuJu came out… So at $62 (though it’s $56 at the moment) is sort of in line with that I suppose….
It will most likely limit it’s appeal overseas, especially when it’s competing with some much lower priced options… but there are a lot of people who don’t want to import a cup, so Australian women now have another option for cups they can buy here, and if we can get them into healthfood stores and other “real life” shops, then that’s going to be a great step for cups in general, particularly in Australia. Plus if Australians can support an Australian business rather than importing, then that I think is worth paying a bit extra for.
Personally price is the last consideration when I look for cups… Something like Diva is cheaper, yes, but it’s false economy to pay less for a cup that’s not going to be the right one for you. Of course I suppose there is no way to know what cup is right for you until you’ve tried them… but still – I know I’d be happy to spend an extra $20 on a cup that doesn’t have a tube stem, because I dislike tube stems….
I think the amount of money that can be saved by using cups is not that much… it’s definitely exaggerated unless you were so lucky that you got your right cup your first or second time around… basically buying so many cups to see which ones you fit and going through that trail and error process is so costly! I’ve already spent 80 bucks on two cups, and I think i will need to buy another one in the near future for high capacity!
OUCH! My wallet!
There is one thing Juju did right….it made its site so professional!
I agree that it’s worth it if it’s the right one for you… or if it’s one of the few available to you, and they’re all around that price… but to those of us who could get our hands on pretty much any cup, it’s not worth it. Most people would probably only try this one after they’d tried all the more affordable ones, and after trying all the other ones they’d probably find one they like.
But if their target audience is just Australia, then they’ll probably have some success.
And a random other note – I just noticed there’s no review on here for softcup. Maybe you only intended to talk about reusable cups, but a lot of people get queezy about reusable menstrual products, and I normally tell them to go look at softcups. You get all the health benefits but it’s still disposable (so none of the environmental benefits) so people don’t get as queezy about it.
Personally I’d have used one or two tampons in maybe 10 years – so for me, cups are WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more expensive than tampons…. but I’ve used a cup far more than I’d have used a tampon, as I’d only use those if I wanted to go swimming (I rarely do)… whereas a cup being more comfortable and less risk, I use that far more often.
Price comparison between cups and tampons would depend on how many tampons you would use per month, and what price you pay per box – if you’re buying one pack of generic brand ones every few years, just so you can go swimming when you have your period, no, a cup wouldn’t be cheaper. If you solely use tampons and are buying a couple of boxes a month, then a cup would be cheaper.
I was lucky, I got a perfectly fitting cup first go. I’ve also paid for a MeLuna, Ladycup and Fleurcup which all fit perfectly well too… and I’ve been given free samples of cups – all that I’d tried except the small Diva (which is smaller than I should wear, and has a hole in it – which leaked a little) worked perfectly well for me too… so I don’t know whether I’m just lucky or what…
To me, my safety (and comfort) is worth a LOT more than even the most expensive cup… I was perfectly happy to buy my Lunette (which was the most expensive of the cups at the time) with the intention of only ever using it for the rare occasion I wanted to go swimming. Women do die from TSS from tampon use, and IMHO even if you have to buy 3 or 4 cups to find the right one for you, and “waste” a lot of money – it’s better than risking death from a tampon. I mean, how much is your life worth? To me (and my family) mine is worth a hell of a lot more than a few hundred dollars
– Softcups…
I haven’t reviewed them for a few reasons… I’ll make a separate blog entry about that…
Hi, JuJu rep here
Noticed there are numerous comments on the price of JuJu and just wanted to make comment regarding why JuJu is at the upper end of the spectrum in terms of pricing;
* We are committed to women’s health and wellbeing and have chosen to manufacture JuJu from a high quality medical grade silicone and the material carry toxicity and biocompatibility compliance certificates. Many of the other cups on the market are also manufactured from medical grade silicone but some aren’t so be sure to compare apples with apples.
* As an organization we have made a commitment to reduce environmental waste – our packaging is made from 100% recycled paper which is in line with this value.
* We are committed to providing women worldwide with alternatives to the current disposable forms of feminine hygiene. The manufacture and sale of menstrual cups is regulated by a governing body in Australia called the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA). This is positive in that the TGA safeguards public health and safety with regards to products such as menstrual cups however gaining approval also comes at a financial cost.
* Manufacture costs in Australia are higher than in many other countries. We made the decision to manufacture in Australia to support our local economy and to ensure we are able to maintain quality control.
So pricing variation can be attributed to the product and packaging quality as well as higher manufacture costs and regulatory costs in Australia than in many other countries.
I totally understand – I always find it a little disappointing when people complain about the price of things… You don’t walk around a supermarket complaining that one brand of toilet paper is more expensive than another, and dissecting why that might be – You either buy it or you don’t.
It’s a shame you feel you need to defend the pricing lol
I commonly see comments/complaints about the price of cloth pads… and I know Australian and UK pad makers are often considered “too expensive” compared to US made pads, but a lot of that price difference comes from the cost of materials in our countries being a lot higher. It probably costs me almost twice as much to make a pad than it would if I lived in the US. So of course they aren’t going to be priced the same.
I was working out today that if you’d normally used 4 pads or tampons a day for a 5 day period. That’s 20 products a month. If you were paying $5 a box of 10 (which seems about average for pads), that’s about $1,200 over 10 years you’ve spent. And a lot of women would be using more than that…
A cup – even if you take a $60 cup – you’re saving well over a THOUSAND dollars…
I understand the costs, and you’ll probably get a lot of business just because it’s one of the few available in Australia, from my understanding. I’m just saying you might not get a lot of international business. Then again, those who can afford it might buy it anyways. If it’s right for them, they won’t care about the cost.
However, I’m on limited income, I had to save $30 for my diva cup over a couple months. I does save money in the long run, and I’m glad I’m not spending money on disposables anymore, but it was a bigger one-time cost, which made money tight for those months. It’s amazing what a difference a relatively small amount of money can make sometimes.
My comment was more out of disappointment than anything else. I like the look of the cup, but there’s no way I can afford it now, and I don’t envision having much more money for the next couple years (I’m still in school). Of course you have to price however you have to for your business.
Hi, I’m an Australian looking at buying my first cup (and I’m happy to import it), but first I thought I’d look at Juju. Is there anyone who has tried it and liked it? Anyone who tried it and didn’t like it? I haven’t seen any reviews on it at all.
My mind = blown
I was researching the differences between a few brands of cloth nappies. This lead onto a link for cloth pads, which lead onto a youtube video review for cloth pads and a “diva cup”. Onto a yahoo answers question about whether it was available in Australia. Which lead onto a Wiki search for Menstrual cups. And there it was, the link for Juju- Aus.
After alot of reading over various websites, I think I am sold. I may have just completely changed the rest of my life. I know that sounds pretty dramatic, but it is a really strange feeling to go from thinking that cloth nappies will save me money once I start having children, to finding out about something I never knew existed that I can start doing now. This will mean so much less bother for the few days a month I menstruate. No more changing the bag in the bin at the end of each day, no more tampons floating aimlessly in the bottom of handbags and toiletries bags, no more pads “just in case” I get my period that day/ night.
The fact that I can buy an Australian product from an Australian company does make a difference to me. Supporting my local community and not funding the use of fuels for transport help me to justify that tiny bit of extra money. What Australian doesn’t want to see another Australian thrive. I understand concerns of particular cups not suiting particular people, but you have to start somewhere, and I will be starting with Juju.
I am ordering one right now, at 4am, after hours of reading. I don’t know how long it will be until I feel completely comfortable with sharing this discovery with the women in my life, namely my sisters and two best friends, as none of them are as “forward thinking” as me. At least, they don’t let me know they are. Alternative therapies, environmentalism, and a penchant for the homemade are not shared by the people in my life, though they always listen and nod politely as I tell them about what I am up to and what strange concept I am reading about and intending on applying to my own way of living. And I only sometimes catch the start of eyes rolling as the conversation ends and they are left to slowly back away as the crazy woman finishes her rant for yet another day.
I do hope this form of menstrual control catches on in Australia, perhaps even to the point of being taught to young women as a viable option alongside tampons and pads in sex ed at school.
I look forward to being able to review my experiences with the Juju, and cannot wait to see it takes it’s place in Australia as an excellent option for all women.