MENSTRUAL CUP HISTORY – THE OLDEST KNOWN MENSTRUAL CUP DESIGN

Menstrual cups have been around a lot longer than many realize. In fact, early menstrual cup patents date as far back as the 1800s. Crazy, right? With menstrual cups growing in popularity, we’ve received quite a few questions regarding the history behind menstrual cups. Here’s a quick recap of menstrual cup history:

 Following these requests, we took to  the inter webs to find out how the  menstrual cup has changed over the  years. We found some pretty cool  things! The oldest menstrual cup  patent we stumbled onto during our  internet search dates back to 1867!

 Take a look at the image to the  left and see more pictures here.

This menstrual cup (more of a sack than a cup) was attached to a belt that wrapped around the woman’s waist, and the menstrual cup/sack was inserted inside.

This design may or may not have made it to market, but it does look very similar to a later device that was invented to hold prolapsed uteruses (visit mum.org here to learn more).

 During our digging into  the history of the menstrual cup we stumbled onto this very interesting menstrual cup patent that dates back to 1884. This article definitely labels it spot on by calling it a “canteen.” The small cup fits into the woman, while the pouch sits below her collecting the menstrual flow.

The materials of this cup are unknown, but considering the timeframe these could have been made using anything from leather to cloth to possibly even metal.

As we continued on, we discovered the inspiration behind the modern menstrual cup (what we now know of today) may have been developed in 1937 by Leona Chalmers. At the time, it was suggested this menstrual cup be made using rubber (vulcanized rubber). Sale of this menstrual cup began around World War II, in the 1950s.

Take a look at the picture to the right – this cup looks very similar to cups you can now find on the market.

Many cups have since made it to market, including SckoonCup. SckoonCup has a unique and groundbreaking design – pictured to the left. SckoonCup has a bell shape design, that is slightly curved along the edges, different from the round modern menstrual cup design mentioned above. This unique shape took three years in research and development, surveying women on their pain points of menstrual cups. Our design also features slanted air holes (providing a larger capacity in a smaller cup), soft yet durable stem, and flower design grip rings.

Made using soft, medical-grade silicone, SckoonCup is easy to clean, easy to use, and feels comfortable. Want to learn more about the process behind SckoonCup’s manufacturing and how SckoonCup became FDA Cleared? Take a look at this post.

Don’t forget to visit us online at SckoonCup.com! Your period should be a breeze, and with SckoonCup, an internally worn menstrual cup, it will be. Discover a clean, effective alternative to tampons or disposable pads. Made from FDA approved soft medical-grade silicone, it’s safe, reusable, environmentally friendly, and pretty, too!

Images above belong to their respected sources – we do not claim ownership for any of these images. For more detailed information regarding the history of menstruation, menstrual care, and more please visit the Museum of Menstruation’s website at Mum.org.