Regular Absorbency Tampons vs 100% Organic Cotton Tampons: which is safer?

Natracare 100% Organic Cotton Tampons is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Aunt Flow Regular Absorbency Tampons

Aunt Flow

Regular Absorbency Tampons

PFAS grade

Excellent 95/100

Overall grade

Excellent 77/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Rayon/viscose, cotton, non-woven fibers

Confidence

72%

PossiblePesticide residues in cotton

PossibleBleach byproducts (dioxins) in rayon processing

ReportedToxic shock syndrome (TSS) risk

Our pick

Natracare 100% Organic Cotton Tampons

Natracare

100% Organic Cotton Tampons

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 96/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 1

Material

100% organic cotton

Confidence

88%

PossibleHeavy metals in pigments or cotton processing

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Pesticide residues in cotton, Bleach byproducts (dioxins) in rayon processing and Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) risk on the Aunt Flow and not on the Natracare.
  • We flag Heavy metals in pigments or cotton processing on the Natracare and not on the Aunt Flow.
  • The Aunt Flow is Rayon/viscose, cotton, non-woven fibers where the Natracare is 100% organic cotton, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are 5 points apart, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

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