Cotton and Rayon
Many feminine care products use a blend of materials to increase and achieve the optimal level of absorbency. These materials have a long history of safe use in feminine hygiene and other products. Cotton has been used in the manufacturing of tampons since the 1930s, and rayon has been used at least since the 1970s.
Manufacturers take intentional steps to assure the quality of all materials used in pads and liners and tampons, including cotton and rayon. Before being used in feminine care products, cotton is rigorously cleaned through a scrubbing process that removes pesticides used in farming and purified. Rayon, which is created from cellulose (typically from wood pulp), is similarly purified.
Assuring rigorous purification and cleaning are key priorities of feminine care product manufacturers, and are key steps of the process. Current practices for purification or bleaching utilize the Elemental Chlorine Free or Totally Chlorine Free processes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers dioxin-free. For tampons, manufacturing practices to purify and monitor cotton and rayon are in line with FDA recommendation that products be free of TCDD, TCDF, and pesticide and herbicide residues.
Some people wonder if cotton and rayon are both safe for use, especially in tampons. In fact, scientific evidence has repeatedly shown that the cotton and rayon materials used today are equally safe for use in tampons. These components have a long history of safe use, and in 2005, the FDA published guidance for consumers that confirmed that tampons, whether made with rayon, cotton, or a blend of rayon and cotton, have equivalent, low risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).
Fragrance
Fragrances have been enjoyed for thousands of years and contribute to people’s individuality, self-esteem and personal hygiene. Millions of fragrances are used every year in consumer and personal care products sold in countries all over the world.
Many women prefer feminine care products with fragrance. Some pads and liners and tampons include fragrance to add a pleasant scent to a product or to mask unwanted smells.
Scented pads and liners and tampons are routinely assessed to assure that they have a low likelihood of irritating or causing allergic reactions. The fragrances used in scented feminine products comply with the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) safety standards for usage limits. IFRA bases these standards on risk assessments by expert panels of the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM). In scented tampons and pads and liners, all components of the perfume adhere to the IFRA Code of Practice. For more information on the IFRA Code of Practice, click here.
Manufacturers monitor actions by IFRA and RIFM, the scientific literature, and relevant legislation to assure the continued safety of all fragrance materials used in feminine hygiene products. Scented products are labeled clearly so that consumers can make decisions based on their needs and preferences.
Adhesives
Feminine hygiene products may use adhesives in the absorbent cores, or on the outer surface of the pad or liner to enable it to be adhered to a panty. Pads and liners are also designed in a way that limits direct skin contact with adhesives. The adhesives used in feminine care products must have a favorable safety profile, demonstrate skin tolerance in the rare chance there is skin contact and contain substances that will not be absorbed by the body.
Non-Woven Fabrics
Pads and liners and tampons usually have components made of non-woven fabrics. Designed to wick moisture these fabrics are made of high molecular weight polymers, which means they cannot be absorbed by the body and are inert. They have a very safe use history in consumer and personal care products as well as in food packaging and medical devices.
Colors
The colorants used in pads and liners and tampons are similar to those used in baby diapers and many other commonly used household items. Inks and pigments help to identify various parts of the product for use and make them more enjoyable to use.
Most importantly, these colors must have a robust and favorable safety profile for them to be used in products. They are present in small amounts and are tucked away from the skin and safe for use.
In Pads and Liners Only: Super Absorbent Polymers
Inside the core of some pads and liners are super absorbent polymers (SAP), highly absorbent materials that lock away liquid. Extensively safety tested, SAP has low toxicity and does not cause skin irritation or sensitization. For more than two decades, SAP has been widely used in consumer products and remains a trusted ingredient across the personal care and food industries.
Women can be confident the pads and liners and tampons that they rely on are safe. Because the FDA regulates all menstrual products as medical devices, there are specific guidelines for safety assessment and manufacturing obligations that the menstrual products sold in the United States must follow.
Have questions about the safety of feminine care products? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions.