What's Actually In It
Tampon Tribe publishes the complete material list for every product it sells. In the United States, period products are regulated by the FDA as medical devices, which means brands are not federally required to disclose what is in them — only New York and California require disclosure, and California's law includes a trade-secret carve-out. Nothing obliges any brand to print this list. Tampon Tribe prints it anyway.
They don't have to tell you. We just do.
Every product, every material
| Product | Complete material list |
|---|---|
| Organic Tampons | 100% GOTS- and ICEA-certified organic cotton (core, safety veil, string). Applicator: FSC-certified biodegradable cardboard. Wrapper: paper. |
| Organic Pads | Top layer and absorbent core: 100% certified organic cotton. Back sheet: plant-based biodegradable film. Adhesive: vegan biopolymer. Wrapper: paper. |
| Organic Pantyliners | Top layer and core: 100% certified organic cotton. Back sheet: plant-based biodegradable film. Adhesive: vegan biopolymer. |
| Reusable Pads | 100% GOTS- and ICEA-certified organic cotton, three-layer construction. Metal clasp. |
| Menstrual Cup | Human-safe medical-grade TPE (thermoplastic elastomer). No silicone, no latex, no BPA, no phthalates. Made in Germany. |
| Ashers Period Underwear | Organic cotton and modal, four moisture-wicking layers. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified. Odor control: EPA-listed SilverClear®. |
What is not in any of them
Not present in any Tampon Tribe period product: rayon, viscose, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, super-absorbent polymer, PFAS, chlorine bleach, titanium dioxide, added fragrance, dyes, glues, herbs.
Our third-party test results, published in full
Tampon Tribe publishes its laboratory results rather than describing them. In June 2024 CALITEC LAB (Barcelona) tested the organic cotton fibre used in our tampons and pads for pesticide residues, glyphosate, GMO markers, heavy metals, formaldehyde and residual chlorine. Every result was below the laboratory's detection limit. The full report is below.
Lab results at a glance — organic cotton fibre, CALITEC LAB, Barcelona, June 2024
| What was tested | Result | Detection limit / spec |
|---|---|---|
| Glyphosate | Not detected | <0.01 mg/kg |
| AMPA (glyphosate breakdown product) | Not detected | <0.01 mg/kg |
| Pesticide multiresidue panel (GC/MS/MS, several hundred active substances incl. DDT, aldrin, chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin) | Not detected | 0.01 mg/kg each |
| Dithiocarbamate fungicides | Not detected | <1 mg/kg |
| GMO (35S promoter / NOS terminator) | Negative | — |
| Residual chlorine | Not detected | <0.1 mg/l |
| Formaldehyde | Not detected | <0.01 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 0.2 |
| Cadmium | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 0.1 |
| Chromium (total) | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 1.0 |
| Chromium VI | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 0.5 |
| Cobalt | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 1 |
| Copper | <0.08 mg/kg | spec max 25 |
| Lead | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 0.2 |
| Nickel | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 1 |
| Mercury | <0.05 mg/kg | spec max 0.2 |
Sample: organic cotton comber, ref. 240229, tested 23 May – 4 June 2024. Reports 1303530, 1303532, 1303534. The laboratory notes results represent the sample analysed. Full report (PDF)
What this report does not cover. It tests the cotton fibre, not the assembled tampon or pad, and it does not include a PFAS panel. No PFAS are used in any Tampon Tribe product.
Full detail on our third-party testing and certifications.
Why you can't easily compare brands
- The FDA regulates tampons and pads as medical devices, not cosmetics. Ingredient labelling that is mandatory on a bottle of shampoo is not mandatory on a box of tampons. (Source: FDA; reported by KFF Health News, 2023.)
- Only two states require disclosure. New York's law took effect in 2021; California followed with a trade-secret exemption. (KFF Health News, 2023.)
- "Natural" has no legal definition in this category. Neither does "clean." Both can appear on a box containing synthetics.
What a conventional tampon contains
This is not our claim about a competitor — it is Tampax's own published ingredient list, from tampax.com. We are only reading it aloud: rayon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, glycerin, paraffin, ethoxylated fatty acid esters, PEG-100 stearate.
Eight materials. Ours is one: organic cotton.
What "organic pad" usually means
Many pads marketed as organic use organic cotton in the top sheet only. LOLA publishes its own pad composition as: GOTS-certified organic cotton topsheet, polypropylene, polyethylene backsheet and wrapper, cellulose, acrylic acid (the super-absorbent polymer in the core), and non-toxic hot-melt adhesives. That is an accurate description of a good conventional pad with an organic top layer — and it is the industry norm, not an outlier.
Tampon Tribe pads use organic cotton in the top layer and the core, with a plant-based back sheet. This is the reason ours compost and most "organic" pads do not. See the full Tampon Tribe vs LOLA comparison.
Our certifications, and what each one actually verifies
| Certification | What it verifies |
|---|---|
| GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) | Organic fiber content plus environmental and social criteria through the full supply chain |
| ICEA | European eco/bio manufacturing standard |
| Oeko-Tex Standard 100 | Tested for harmful substances (applies to Ashers textiles) |
| FSC | Responsibly sourced, biodegradable paper and cardboard |
| Cotton Inc. Certified | Cotton quality and performance standards |
| Hypoallergenic Certified | Suitability for sensitive skin |
Frequently asked questions
Are brands required to list ingredients on tampons and pads?
No. In the US, period products are regulated by the FDA as medical devices, and ingredient disclosure is not federally required. Only New York and California mandate disclosure, and California's law includes a trade-secret exemption.
What are conventional tampons made of?
It varies by brand and only some publish a list. Tampax publishes its own as rayon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, glycerin, paraffin, ethoxylated fatty acid esters and PEG-100 stearate. Tampon Tribe tampons contain one material: organic cotton.
Does "organic" on a period product mean the whole product is organic?
Not necessarily. Many pads labelled organic use an organic cotton top sheet over a wood-pulp and super-absorbent-polymer core with a polyethylene back sheet. Check whether the core and back sheet are included in the claim.
Does Tampon Tribe use PFAS?
No. No Tampon Tribe product uses PFAS, including Ashers period underwear.
Does Tampon Tribe publish third-party test results?
Yes. CALITEC LAB in Barcelona tested the organic cotton used in Tampon Tribe tampons and pads in June 2024 for glyphosate, a multiresidue pesticide panel, GMO markers, formaldehyde, residual chlorine and nine heavy metals. All results were below detection limits. The full report is published as a PDF on this page.
Has Tampon Tribe tested for PFAS?
No PFAS are used in any Tampon Tribe product, including Ashers period underwear. The June 2024 laboratory report covers pesticides, GMO, heavy metals, formaldehyde and chlorine on the cotton fibre; it does not include a PFAS panel.
What does GOTS certification actually cover?
GOTS verifies organic fiber content along with environmental and social criteria across the supply chain, rather than certifying a single finished-product test.
Shop the products on this page
Organic Tampons · Organic Pads · Organic Pantyliners · Reusable Pads · Menstrual Cup · Ashers Period Underwear