Kotex Review, Is Kotex Non-Toxic?
Kotex averages 55 out of 100 on PFAS Authority's PFAS and toxin screen across the 21 Kotex products graded as of October 2026, and 13 of them reach its 70 point pass mark.
Kotex grades Good on our four-band scale.
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
What Kotex says and does about PFAS
Kotex is made by Kimberly-Clark, which told Insurance Journal in 2024 that it does not use PFAS in any of its U.S. consumer products. That was a company spokesperson statement in response to a Connecticut facility lawsuit, not a published Kotex PFAS policy. In independent testing, Mamavation found no organic fluorine in the one U by Kotex tampon it tested, and we found no PFAS lawsuit naming Kotex products.
- Brand statementKimberly-Clark, the maker of Kotex, said in a 2024 statement to Insurance Journal that it does not use PFAS in any of its U.S. consumer products and called the New Milford facility allegations unfounded. Insurance Journal ↗
- Legal caseA Connecticut class action alleges PFAS contamination from a Kimberly-Clark facility that makes diapers and tissue brands, not Kotex, and the company says the allegations are unfounded. Outcome not confirmed by us. Insurance Journal ↗
- Independent testMamavation's EPA-certified lab found non-detect organic fluorine in U by Kotex Click compact unscented tampons. Mamavation ↗
Sources checked September 29, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.
Kotex is one of the brands we researched by hand for our record of what every brand has published about PFAS, where the same question is answered for each of them in one line.
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Does Kotex have PFAS, by category
Which Kotex products are PFAS-free? Good or better, best-graded first
Kotex
Natural Tampons Normal 16 Count - Eco-Friendly, Biodegradable, and Chemical-Free Menstrual Hygiene
- organic cotton, viscose rayon, plant-based adhesives
- Starting grade for this product type
- rayon/cellulose, cotton, cardboard
- Bacterial contamination and toxic shock syndrome (TSS) risk. All tampons carry theoretical TSS risk tied to…
- cotton, rayon, adhesive (nonwoven blend)
- Synthetic adhesive leachables. The backing adhesive is not chemically characterized in public materials for…
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Rayon/cellulose core; cotton/rayon cover; plastic applicator
- Chlorine bleach residues in rayon core. Conventional rayon tampons are typically chlorine-bleached during…
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Cellulose/cotton absorbent core with adhesive backing
- Adhesive skin contact sensitization. Acrylate adhesives are generally non-toxic but can trigger localized…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Cotton, wood pulp absorbent core, plastic backing
- Pesticide residue. Product does not state organic certification or pesticide testing. Conventional cotton may…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- rayon/viscose/cotton core with cellulose layers
- Bacterial contamination (post-discontinuation storage). Tampons stored for 20 years may have been exposed to…
- cotton, cellulose core, adhesive
- Pesticide residue. Cotton is a pesticide-intensive crop. Kotex Natural does not disclose whether the cotton…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- cotton, cellulose, absorbent core
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Cotton fibers may be treated with formaldehyde-based resins during manufacturing to…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Cotton and rayon core, plastic applicator
- Plastic applicator composition and leachables. The applicator material is not specified; if polypropylene or…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Rayon/viscose core, cotton cover, plastic applicator
- Chlorine residues (dioxins) from bleaching. Rayon and cotton tampons may be bleached with chlorine compounds…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Rayon/viscose core, cotton blend cover
- Dioxins from chlorine bleaching. Conventionally manufactured rayon and cotton textiles may be bleached with…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Rayon/viscose core, cotton exterior, polypropylene layers
- Pesticide residue, U by Kotex Sleek does not specify organic cotton, so conventional cotton may contain trace…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Which Kotex products contain PFAS? Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
- Cotton, rayon, adhesive, undisclosed absorbent core
- Undisclosed adhesive composition. Pressure-sensitive adhesives in menstrual pads often contain acrylates or…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- Cellulose, cotton, adhesive, waterproof backing layer (unspecified)
- Waterproof backing layer (unspecified composition). Undisclosed backing material likely contains PFAS or…
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- Cellulose, synthetic absorbent core, polypropylene layers, waterproof backing
- PFAS. Polypropylene or polyethylene waterproof layers commonly use fluorinated or silicone water-resistant…
- Nonwoven synthetic blend with waterproof backing layer
- Teflon-type coating or fluorinated polymer fume/leaching (undisclosed waterproof coating). Waterproof backing…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- Nonwoven fibers (cellulose/synthetic blend) with waterproof backing layer, composition not fully disclosed
- PFAS. Waterproof backing material is not disclosed by the brand. Fluorinated compounds (PFAS) are the most…
- bamboo/rayon fibers with undisclosed waterproof/absorbent coating
- PFAS. Kotex does not disclose the chemical identity of the waterproof backing or adhesive layer; fluorinated…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- cellulose/rayon with proprietary absorbent core and waterproof barrier
- Waterproof barrier coating (unspecified chemistry). The barrier material and its components are not…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- Cellulose, absorbent core, waterproof backing layer
- PFAS. Waterproof polymer backing in conventional pads typically contains fluorinated chemicals (PFAS) to…
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on AmazonWhat to buy instead Good or better, in the categories Kotex sells
- organic cotton, wood pulp
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Fragrance allergen content
- cellulose, cotton blend, absorbent core
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bleach residues and processing chemicals in cellulose
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Cotton, cellulose, standard absorbent core
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) skin contact and allergic response
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 100% organic cotton
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Heavy metals
Natracare
Organic Super Plus Tampons, 3 x 20 ct
- organic cotton, cardboard applicator
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
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Natracare
Organic Cotton Super Plus Tampons
- organic cotton, no added fluorochemicals
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
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Kotex and PFAS, common questions
- Does Kotex have PFAS?
- Kotex averages 55 out of 100 on PFAS Authority's PFAS and toxin screen across the 21 Kotex products graded as of October 2026, and 13 of them reach its 70 point pass mark. Grades are model-based estimates built from published materials, ingredients and disclosures, not lab tests. Kimberly-Clark, which makes Kotex, says it does not use PFAS in any of its U.S. consumer products, and the one U by Kotex tampon Mamavation tested showed no organic fluorine, though we found no Kotex-specific PFAS policy page.
- Is Kotex non-toxic?
- Kotex Natural Tampons Normal 16 Count - Eco-Friendly, Biodegradable, and Chemical-Free Menstrual Hygiene is the highest-graded Kotex product we have scored, at 85/100. It depends on the product line rather than the brand, so check the grade of the exact item you are buying.
- Which Kotex products are lower concern for PFAS?
- The highest-graded Kotex products we have scored are Kotex Natural Tampons Normal 16 Count - Eco-Friendly, Biodegradable, and Chemical-Free Menstrual Hygiene, Kotex Natural Tampon Super 16, Kotex Core Daily Wrapped Liners. That is our model-based estimate from materials and public disclosure, not a lab test.
- Which Kotex products should I avoid?
- The lowest-graded Kotex products we have scored are Kotex Maxi Overnight Pads, U by Kotex Ultra Thin Pads, U by Kotex Bamboo Ultra Thin Pads with Wings. Each one links to the evidence behind its grade.
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →