Chlorine Free Maxi Pads vs Pads Regular: which is safer?
Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Maxi Pads is the clear pick. Stayfree Ultra Thin Pads Regular carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
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
Stayfree Ultra Thin
Pads Regular
PFAS grade
Good 60/100
Overall grade
Poor 46/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
absorbent core, plastic backing (unspecified)
Confidence
40%
PossiblePlastic backing composition and leachables
ReportedPFAS in plastic backing or coatings
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Fragrance allergen content on the Seventh Generation and not on the Stayfree Ultra Thin.
- We flag Plastic backing composition and leachables and PFAS in plastic backing or coatings on the Stayfree Ultra Thin and not on the Seventh Generation.
- The Seventh Generation is organic cotton, wood pulp where the Stayfree Ultra Thin is absorbent core, plastic backing (unspecified), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 40 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 Stayfree Ultra Thin grade, at 40% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.
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 period pads: see the full ranking