Absorbency Pads vs Chlorine Free Maxi Pads: which is safer?

Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Maxi Pads is the clear pick. Poise Absorbency Pads carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Poise Absorbency Pads

Poise

Absorbency Pads

PFAS grade

Poor 25/100

Overall grade

Bad 7/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

absorbent core with waterproof backing layer, composition unspecified

Confidence

45%

ReportedUndisclosed waterproofing chemicals (PFAS suspected but unconfirmed)

PossibleSkin irritation from absorbent core additives

PossibleFragrance allergens (if product is scented variant)

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 Undisclosed waterproofing chemicals (PFAS suspected but unconfirmed), Skin irritation from absorbent core additives and Fragrance allergens (if product is scented variant) on the Poise and not on the Seventh Generation.
  • We flag Fragrance allergen content on the Seventh Generation and not on the Poise.
  • The Poise is absorbent core with waterproof backing layer, composition unspecified where the Seventh Generation is organic cotton, wood pulp, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 75 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 Poise grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.

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 period pads, see the full ranking