Obsidian Star started in 1999, selling Pagan items (both online and through retail stores), and teaching classes. Over the years, the business has changed to focus prodominantly on products of an eco-friendly nature.
After discovering cloth pads in 2000, I started making my own pads using patterns I'd created. The desire to share these fantastic things with other women, lead to the creation of the Obsidian Star brand of cloth pads. I first offered these as an additional sideline to my other products, but they soon took over to be my most popular product and the one I focus on.
I try to limit wastage in business, and use eco-friendly options where possible. Fabrics are washed in eco-friendly detergent, in cold water, and line dried - to have as little environmental impact as possible. I avoid paper wastage by not providing printed invoices or instruction sheets (unless requested), and the paper I do use within the business is 100% wheat paper or 100% recycled paper. Recycled paper packaging envelopes are used where possible.
I created and run Cloth Pad Shop - an online "Mall" store for Cloth pads and other reusable menstrual products. I usually have a store open on there as well.
Since I discovered cloth pads I have been actively involved in increasing the awareness of reusable menstrual products of all brands. I run a website giving general information on reusable menstrual products - www.ecomenses.com (also known as www.clothpads.org).
I have also set up a website to help bring attention to the lack of appropriate menstrual products in impoverished countries - www.donatepads.org, and I organise donations of cloth pads to charities that distribute cloth pads into these areas.
After the "Moonhut Naturals" forum was closed down, I took on the role of creating and maintaining a review forum for reusable menstrual products - http://clothpadreviews.forumotion.com - a useful resource for reviewing different brands of reusable menstrual products (Unfortunately our old "makeforum.org" forum died so we've had to start again).
