100% Organic Cotton Tampons vs Organic Cotton Tampons with Cardboard Applicators: 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
Rael
Organic Cotton Tampons with Cardboard Applicators
PFAS grade
Good 70/100
Overall grade
Good 58/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Organic cotton fibers, cardboard applicator
Confidence
78%
PossibleBleaching agent residues (chlorine or oxygen-based)
PossibleDioxin (byproduct of chlorine bleaching)
PossibleAllergic contact dermatitis or vulvitis from cotton processing chemicals
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Heavy metals in pigments or cotton processing on the Natracare and not on the Rael.
- We flag Bleaching agent residues (chlorine or oxygen-based), Dioxin (byproduct of chlorine bleaching) and Allergic contact dermatitis or vulvitis from cotton processing chemicals on the Rael and not on the Natracare.
- The Natracare is 100% organic cotton where the Rael is Organic cotton fibers, cardboard applicator, 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: 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