Ultra Quadro Sanitary Pad Long 16 pcs vs Chlorine Free Maxi Pads: which is safer?

Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Maxi Pads is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Kotex Natural Ultra Quadro Sanitary Pad Long 16 pcs

Kotex Natural

Ultra Quadro Sanitary Pad Long 16 pcs

PFAS grade

Good 70/100

Overall grade

Good 56/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

cotton, cellulose, absorbent core

Confidence

72%

PossibleFormaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers in cotton sizing or finish

ReportedAllergic contact dermatitis from adhesive, fragrance, or cotton residue

Our pick

Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Maxi Pads

Seventh Generation

Chlorine Free Maxi Pads

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 96/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 1

Material

organic cotton, wood pulp

Confidence

78%

PossibleFragrance allergen content

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers in cotton sizing or finish and Allergic contact dermatitis from adhesive, fragrance, or cotton residue on the Kotex Natural and not on the Seventh Generation.
  • We flag Fragrance allergen content on the Seventh Generation and not on the Kotex Natural.
  • The Kotex Natural is cotton, cellulose, absorbent core where the Seventh Generation is organic cotton, wood pulp, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 30 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Seventh Generation is the one to buy.

Both products run through the same public rubric: 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 →

More period pads: see the full ranking