October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the world turns pink. Ribbons appear on products, store displays and professional athletes' uniforms and apparel. We want to begin by honoring everyone this month is about: the survivors, those in treatment right now, the families walking beside them, and the loved ones we have lost. Your strength matters, and you are in our hearts.
Awareness is a beginning, not the finish line
Decades of walks, fundraisers and awareness campaigns have helped bring better screening and treatment, and for that we are truly grateful. Early detection saves lives, and we encourage everyone to talk with their healthcare provider about the screening schedule that is right for them.
Still, many of us find ourselves asking some honest questions. Why, after all these years of ribbons and fundraising, is a cure still out of reach for so many? And why does so little of the conversation focus on prevention and on reducing the everyday exposures in our homes, our personal care products and our food? Please hear this as hope, not criticism. We believe the energy this month creates can be pointed even further toward the things that help keep people healthy in the first place.
When a ribbon is the only thing that changes
You've probably seen it: a product with a pink ribbon on the packaging, with a portion of the sale supporting a cause. Raising money for a good cause is a generous thing to do. But a ribbon can't tell you what's inside the box. Advocacy groups have even coined a term for it, "pinkwashing," for when a company promotes pink ribbon products while continuing to sell items made with ingredients its customers are trying to avoid.
We'd love to see more companies do the harder, more meaningful work: reformulating their products with cleaner ingredients rather than simply adding a ribbon to the packaging. Until then, we can read the ingredient list, ask questions (including how much of each purchase actually goes to the cause), and choose to support the companies that are already doing the right thing.
Voting with our dollars
Every purchase is a vote. When enough of us choose truly nontoxic products and services, companies notice. Demand grows, small and local businesses earn the shelf space they deserve, and larger companies are encouraged to change what goes into their products rather than only how those products are marketed. That is how the tide turns: not all at once, but one thoughtful purchase at a time, multiplied by every friend, family member and coworker who does the same.
Companies worth celebrating
Two of the trusted brands we are proud to share show what this looks like in practice:
- Tampon Tribe. A U.S.-based menstrual care brand offering tampons, pads and liners made from 100% certified organic cotton, free from added fragrance and chlorine bleaching, with plastic-free, biodegradable packaging. You can find them in our Sweet Picks.
- HerScan. A mobile breast ultrasound screening service that brings convenient, compression-free screening into communities, with images reviewed by board-certified radiologists. HerScan is meant to supplement, not replace, routine mammograms, and it encourages women to share every result with their doctor. You can find them in our Sweet Pro's directory.
While neither company can promise to prevent disease, they provide cleaner choices and access to radiation-free screenings, which are exactly the kinds of steps we hope to see more of, and they deserve our support.
Thank you to our trusted brands
To every brand and professional in the Sweeter Things LLC family: thank you. Thank you for choosing to offer safe, natural and clean products and services, from skin care and snacks to cleaning products and pest control. You help make it possible for families, and the pets who are part of them, to live healthier, happier lives. You are proof that doing the right thing is good for people and good for business.
Simple ways to take action this month
- Talk with your doctor about the right screening schedule for you, and about any family history
- Read ingredient lists, especially on products that touch your skin for hours at a time (our guide, Reading Labels Without the Headache, can help)
- Use product scanners such as Trash Panda and EWG's Healthy Living to quickly review ingredients and reveal potential harmful toxins (you'll find both in our Sweet Pro's directory)
- Swap one product at a time for a cleaner alternative, such as fragrance-free personal care or organic cotton feminine care
- Before you buy a pink ribbon product, ask what's inside and where the money goes
- Look into new research studies that are being conducted on natural and repurposed alternatives such as apricot seeds, dandelion teas and extracts, cloves, wormwood, pumpkin seeds, black walnut, fenbendazole and ivermectin. Early laboratory and preliminary studies have reported interesting findings. Please note that some of these, such as apricot kernels (which can release cyanide) and wormwood, can be unsafe if consumed or used in the incorrect form or amounts. Additionally, fenbendazole and ivermectin are medications, so please consult with your doctor before trying anything new.
- Support small, local businesses that are providing clean products and services
- Share Sweeter Things LLC with family, friends and coworkers so more people can join in
Together, we are stronger. Let's use this month to honor those affected, and then keep going, one choice at a time, toward a healthier future for all of us.
This post is for general education only and is not medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about screening, risk and any health concerns. Some links may be affiliate links. Sweeter Things LLC may earn a commission if you purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you.