Use of traditional tampons and pads may expose you to chemicals that may not be good for your body, due to highly permeable vaginal tissue that allows chemicals to enter without going through first-pass metabolism.
Organic tampons use cotton grown without pesticides or insecticides and come complete with an applicator made of biodegradable material for added environmental impact.
Eco-Friendly
Most mainstream tampons and pads are constructed from non-organic cotton that isn’t always bleached with chlorine (releasing dioxins into the environment) and may contain fragrance ingredients, VOCs and phthalates; furthermore plastic applicators and packaging may introduce additional toxicities like PFASs and BPAs into our environment.
Studies have also demonstrated that conventional tampons contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic that may be hazardous even at lower doses, usually from their manufacturing process but sometimes due to chemical-laden applicators or other sources. This research is ongoing but suggests this issue might become even more concerning in future.
Organic tampons tend to contain less contaminants, and don’t require bleaching and urea-formaldehyde processing that releases dioxins into the environment. But for increased safety and environmental benefits, reusable menstrual cups or period underwear may be the better solution as they reduce chemical loads, plastic waste production, greenhouse gas emissions, and greenhouse emissions.
Non-Toxic
Conventional menstrual products are made from synthetic, non-organic cotton and contain various chemicals from manufacturing (like dioxins from chlorine bleaching), to added ingredients like phthalates, VOCs and fragrance ingredients (Women’s Voices ScienceDirect 2024 study), packaging and applicators introduce additional chemicals – these may all easily permeate vaginal tissue, leading to additional absorption into vaginal or vulvar tissues.
As pads and tampons are considered medical devices, they are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. However, unlike with medical devices, manufacturers are not required to disclose chemical information or test for toxic shock syndrome (TSS).
Organic and safe tampons use non-toxic organic cotton that is free from pesticides, herbicides, fragrances and dyes – look out for third party seals like GOTS, OEKO-TEX and MADE SAFE to verify that your period products are truly clean.
Absorbent
Organic tampons and pads differ from their traditional counterparts in that they use only 100% organic cotton, grown without pesticides, with no plastic applicators and without fragrances that may cause skin irritations or allergies. Instead, these organic versions use absorbent material certified GOTS/ICEA organic cotton which should provide superior absorbency without fragrances causing further discomfort to users.
Elemental Chlorine Free bleaching process utilised by Purex is chlorine-free and does not produce dioxin, a suspected carcinogen produced when products are bleached with conventional chlorine bleaches. Plus, their home compostable packaging enables safe disposal without harming future generations or harming the environment.
Women using organic tampons may reduce their risk of TSS (Tampon Storage Syndrome), an extremely rare but serious complication caused by bacteria overgrowth when leaving tampons in for too long; chemical-filled tampons have an increased risk. But regardless of which tampon type you choose, there’s always the possibility of TSS occurring.
Reusable
Organic tampons differ from their conventional counterparts in that they’re usually constructed of 100% natural cotton that has not been treated with pesticides and synthetic rayon to aid absorbency, without dyes and fragrances added for absorbency.
Many women find that switching to organic tampons leads to less painful periods, likely because these organic options contain natural cotton instead of chemicals that could irritate the vagina.
Organic cotton tampons offer another advantage over their conventional counterparts: no pesticides are used in its cultivation, meaning it doesn’t leak into soil and waterways and harm farmers as well as animals and plants alike. Harmful chemicals may even have adverse impacts on humans as well!
Another sustainable option for menstruation products is switching to reusable period pants or cups, which are more eco-friendly than their non-reusable alternatives such as tampons and pads. These reusables can last for 7.5 years while being constructed of materials including organic cotton, recycled plastic and plant starch.
