100% Organic Cotton Tampons vs Regular 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

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

Seventh Generation Regular Tampons

Seventh Generation

Regular Tampons

PFAS grade

Good 70/100

Overall grade

Good 62/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

rayon/viscose (bleached), cotton applicator

Confidence

72%

PossibleDioxins from bleaching (historical concern)

PossibleBacterial or fungal contamination during storage or manufacturing

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Heavy metals in pigments or cotton processing on the Natracare and not on the Seventh Generation.
  • We flag Dioxins from bleaching (historical concern) and Bacterial or fungal contamination during storage or manufacturing on the Seventh Generation and not on the Natracare.
  • The Natracare is 100% organic cotton where the Seventh Generation is rayon/viscose (bleached), cotton 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, 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