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

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

Poise Ultimate Absorbency Incontinence Pads

Poise

Ultimate Absorbency Incontinence Pads

PFAS grade

Poor 25/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 5

Material

absorbent cellulose core with synthetic polymer waterproof backing

Confidence

45%

LikelyPFAS in waterproof backing (non-quantified)

ReportedDermal irritation from synthetic backing

PossibleCellulose degradation and microfiber shedding

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 PFAS in waterproof backing (non-quantified), Dermal irritation from synthetic backing, Cellulose degradation and microfiber shedding and Adhesive residue on skin 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 cellulose core with synthetic polymer waterproof backing 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