Actually Divacup is Canadian and the reason it's SO POPULAR in the US is a mystery, other than they have great marketing and they also were the first silicone cup on the american market, so they still pretend like they're the only silicone menstrual cup ever. Mooncup (UK) was the first. Keeper was before that and is american. There are tons of places to buy cups from in the US, but mostly Wholefoods or online, and only FDA approved brands are allowed : Lunette, Sckoon, Mooncup and the 2 other northern american ones
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I believe that the lack of cups/cup use/cup awareness in the US is due to 2 main issues. 1. Getting people hooked on disposable products means a constant income stream to the company. Reusable products are not as big money makers. After all, I've had my 2 cups since 2006 and 2008, and am only just now in the market for a new one (and not because they're broken, just because I figure it's about time). 2. Americans are, it sometimes seems, more hung up on body functions, "hygiene" and the "ick factor" than people in other countries. Hygiene is in quotes because I think the cup is way more hygienic than pads and tampons, but people seriously think I'm nuts when I talk about the cup. They think it's gross, dirty, icky, weird, and that people who use them must be tree-hugging hippies (well, I AM a tree hugging hippy but that isn't even my primary motivation for using the cup).
Also, there's the FDA. The Food and Drug Administration, a federal governing organization. Menstrual products are "Class II Medical Devices" with "Performance Standards" (whatever that means.) And to sell cups here in the US, the manufacturers (even international ones) have to go through the approval process
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The others have done a lovely job of explaining why we don't have advertising or great retail selection in the USA.
As far as ordering cups from outside the US: You can order directly from cup company websites, though my order from Fleurcup.com was held up in customs and took a month to reach me. I am currently waiting on a shipment from Menstrualcup.co (a drop shipper). I bought a Si-Bell via Femininewear.co.uk and a Ladycup through Amazon, both delivered relatively quickly.
Just curious, when did you order your Fleurcup that it was delayed?? Are you in the US or outside of it?? I'm just curious because I'm in the US and I ordered my 2 Fleurcups and got them about a week later.
I'm not the OP, but both my 2 Fleurcup orders, and over a dozen friends who have ordered them took Minimum 10 days, average 2-3 weeks to arrive to the UK, all at different points of the year. :( very annoying as Femininewear orders come 2-3 days!
I'm on the west coast of the US, ordered from Fleurcup website and Melunas from menstrualcup.co and received both orders in about 10 days. Interesting the shorter delivery time to go such a longer distance!
SckoonCup is made by Sckoon Organics, who also make cloth pads and other such things. FemmyCycle is made by the same company that makes the FemmeCap cervical cap. Both are made in the USA.
I myself own three Lunettes and a SckoonCup. I am not quite sure why it took so long for US companies to get in on the menstrual cup scene, but it may be related to the difficult history of menstrual cups in general here (like the Tassette, Foldene, and Tassaway). It may also be that since DivaCup has solidly covered the market (it's sold in many organic/health food stores as well as many bigger chain stores), and Keeper/Mooncup has been so lawsuit-happy, it may have been seen as too difficult a market to break into.
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1. Getting people hooked on disposable products means a constant income stream to the company. Reusable products are not as big money makers. After all, I've had my 2 cups since 2006 and 2008, and am only just now in the market for a new one (and not because they're broken, just because I figure it's about time).
2. Americans are, it sometimes seems, more hung up on body functions, "hygiene" and the "ick factor" than people in other countries. Hygiene is in quotes because I think the cup is way more hygienic than pads and tampons, but people seriously think I'm nuts when I talk about the cup. They think it's gross, dirty, icky, weird, and that people who use them must be tree-hugging hippies (well, I AM a tree hugging hippy but that isn't even my primary motivation for using the cup).
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As far as ordering cups from outside the US: You can order directly from cup company websites, though my order from Fleurcup.com was held up in customs and took a month to reach me. I am currently waiting on a shipment from Menstrualcup.co (a drop shipper). I bought a Si-Bell via Femininewear.co.uk and a Ladycup through Amazon, both delivered relatively quickly.
Reply
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SckoonCup is made by Sckoon Organics, who also make cloth pads and other such things. FemmyCycle is made by the same company that makes the FemmeCap cervical cap. Both are made in the USA.
I myself own three Lunettes and a SckoonCup. I am not quite sure why it took so long for US companies to get in on the menstrual cup scene, but it may be related to the difficult history of menstrual cups in general here (like the Tassette, Foldene, and Tassaway). It may also be that since DivaCup has solidly covered the market (it's sold in many organic/health food stores as well as many bigger chain stores), and Keeper/Mooncup has been so lawsuit-happy, it may have been seen as too difficult a market to break into.
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Keeper/Moon Cup
Lunette
DivaCup
FemmyCycle
SckoonCup
Instead
:) we are coming up in the world
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