100% Organic Cotton Tampons vs Sport Tampons: which is safer?
Natracare 100% Organic Cotton Tampons is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
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
Playtex
Sport Tampons
PFAS grade
Good 70/100
Overall grade
Good 52/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Rayon (viscose) core; cotton-blend outer layer
Confidence
78%
PossibleDioxin residues (bleaching byproduct)
PossiblePesticide residues (cotton component)
ReportedVulvovaginal irritation from unknown production residues
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Heavy metals in pigments or cotton processing on the Natracare and not on the Playtex.
- We flag Dioxin residues (bleaching byproduct), Pesticide residues (cotton component) and Vulvovaginal irritation from unknown production residues on the Playtex and not on the Natracare.
- The Natracare is 100% organic cotton where the Playtex is Rayon (viscose) core; cotton-blend outer layer, 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 Natracare is the one to buy.
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 →
More tampons, see the full ranking