Basics Regular Maxi Pads with Wings vs Chlorine Free Maxi Pads: which is safer?

Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Maxi Pads is the clear pick. Modess Basics Regular Maxi Pads with Wings carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Modess Basics Regular Maxi Pads with Wings

Modess

Basics Regular Maxi Pads with Wings

PFAS grade

Good 60/100

Overall grade

Poor 38/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

rayon, polypropylene, polyethylene core

Confidence

42%

Possible1,4-dioxane (residual solvent from rayon production)

PossibleFormaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing resins (finishing/sizing agents)

PossibleChlorine residues (if bleached rayon)

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 1,4-dioxane (residual solvent from rayon production), Formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing resins (finishing/sizing agents), Chlorine residues (if bleached rayon) and Allergens or irritants from adhesives and synthetic polymers on the Modess and not on the Seventh Generation.
  • We flag Fragrance allergen content on the Seventh Generation and not on the Modess.
  • The Modess is rayon, polypropylene, polyethylene core where the Seventh Generation is organic cotton, wood pulp, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 40 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Seventh Generation is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Modess grade, at 42% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.

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