Congratulations! Weaving a Better Future with Cotton

How Sofonie Dala’s “Ladies Without Plastic” is Empowering Women and Protecting the Planet

 Health, dignity, and sustainability

By Sofonie Dala
7 October 2025 — World Cotton Day

As the world celebrates UN World Cotton Day, I am reminded that cotton is more than just a fabric.
It is the thread that connects livelihoods, dignity, and sustainability.

Cotton sustains 24 million growers — almost half of them women — and benefits more than 100 million families across 80 countries on five continents.
For many rural households in least-developed nations, it is more than a crop: it is a safety net, a source of income, and a path out of poverty.

This year’s theme, “Weaving a Better Future for Cotton,” resonates deeply with our work at Ladies Without Plastic, because it mirrors our own journey: transforming a simple, natural resource into hope, opportunity, and change.

Cotton: The Fabric of Dignity

Behind every cotton garment is a story — a farmer in Mali, a mother in Benin, a young girl in Angola.
For developed economies, cotton is a global commodity.
But for smallholder farmers and rural women, it is a lifeline.

Investing in cotton means investing in economic resilience.
That is why the United Nations and partners such as FAO, WTO, and ITC highlight its role in poverty alleviation, fair trade, and climate-smart agriculture.

Cotton also offers a powerful opportunity to tackle another silent crisis: period poverty.

🌸 Ladies Without Plastic: A Movement of Change

Five years ago, I founded Ladies Without Plastic with one clear vision:
to give women and girls living below the poverty line in Angola dignity, health, and opportunity, while reducing plastic waste.

We started small — distributing cotton-based reusable menstrual pads, running community workshops, and breaking the silence around menstruation.

Today, we are proud to celebrate our 5th anniversary as a movement of resilience, impact, and innovation.

We have served thousands of women and girls — from teenagers to mothers, orphans, pregnant women, nurses, workers, and students — aged 15 to 50+ — all united by a common need: safe, affordable, and eco-friendly menstrual care.

Thanks to our partners like Yorkits (UK), we provide high-quality reusable pads — washable, long-lasting, and beautifully crafted from cotton.
These pads are more than a product; they are a symbol of empowerment, knowledge, and care for the planet.

Voices from the Community

“Wow, thank you so much — I loved it! Please bring more.”
“When will it be launched in the Angolan market and how much will it cost?”
“I never knew about reusable pads… they’re so beautiful.”
“Please give us training.”

 

Such heartfelt feedback fuels our mission.
We see hope in the eyes of every girl who no longer misses school during her period, every woman who gains the skills to sew pads and earn an income, and every mother who can now afford to provide safe menstrual care for her daughters.

 The Environmental Crisis of Disposable Pads

Every year, the world uses 12 billion disposable menstrual products, generating over 245,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

A single disposable pad can take 300–800 years to decompose, and most contain up to 90% plastic, polluting rivers, oceans, and even entering our food chain.

By switching to cotton-based reusable pads, we are not only restoring women’s dignity but also taking urgent action to:

• Reduce plastic pollution

• Cut carbon emissions

• Protect water and land ecosystems

• Promote a circular economy

 Economic Growth & Women’s Empowerment

Market analysis shows that women in Angola are ready to buy reusable pads.
By expanding production and training, we can:

• Create thousands of new jobs for women as pad makers and sellers

• Lower unemployment rates

• Boost local economies and reduce poverty

• Turn a social movement into a sustainable green enterprise

This program aligns directly with the UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health & Well-being

• SDG 4: Quality Education

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

• SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production

• SDG 13: Climate Action

• SDG 14 & 15: Life Below Water & Life on Land

A Nurse’s Perspective

In a special interview, Nurse Dorcas — a passionate advocate for women’s health — highlighted that:

• Some women experience irritation or infections from disposable pads due to synthetic materials and chemicals.

• Reusable cotton pads, when washed and dried properly, are safer, breathable, and eco-friendly.

• While access to water and hygiene facilities remains a challenge in some regions, training and awareness can overcome these barriers.

Her message is clear:

“Reusable pads offer dignity, health, and a sustainable choice for women and the planet.”

🚀 A Call to Donors & Investors

By investing in Ladies Without Plastic, you help us:

• Train and empower more women as pad producers

• Scale up distribution across Angola and beyond

• Reduce plastic pollution and promote sustainable cotton industries

• Keep more girls in school and improve community health

Your support transforms cotton into a force for equity, resilience, and climate action.

🌟 Closing Reflection

On this World Cotton Day, we honor the farmers who grow the cotton, the women who sew the pads, the girls who reclaim their education, and the partners who believe in a cleaner, fairer future.

“When we educate a girl, we empower a generation.
When we give her dignity, we change the world.”

Cotton connects us all — and when used wisely, it weaves a future where women thrive, poverty shrinks, and our planet heals.

 About the Author

Sofonie Dala is an engineer-researcher, environmental sustainability advocate, and founder of Ladies Without Plastic, a pioneering initiative tackling period poverty and plastic pollution in Angola and beyond.

Reference

United Nations. (n.d.). World cotton day. Retrieved October 7, 2025, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/cotton-day

Dala, S. (2025, September 13). Story: A Movement for Dignity, Education, and Sustainability — The Story of Ladies Without Plastic. Ladies Without Plastic Blog. Retrieved October 7, 2025, from https://ladies-without-plastic.blogspot.com/2025/09/story-movement-for-dignity-education.html