o.b. Ultra Tampons
Lower concern; no known PFAS in tampons or applicators.
O.B. Ultra tampons use cotton and rayon materials with no disclosed treatments. No public lab detection or PFAS claims; category rarely involves PFAS-prone additives.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
cotton, rayon, cardboard
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What o.b. Ultra Tampons is made of, ingredients and materials
o.b. Ultra tampons are constructed from a blend of cotton and rayon (viscose) fibers, compressed into an absorbent core, with a cardboard applicator. Rayon is a regenerated cellulose fiber and does not contain synthetic polymers, heavy metals, or known persistent contaminants when produced under standard manufacturing. The cardboard applicator is inert and poses no leaching risk. Both materials are biodegradable and have been used in menstrual products for decades without widespread reports of chemical contamination or adverse reactions tied to material composition alone.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Allergic contact dermatitis from additives or fragrance
O.b. Ultra does not claim to be fragrance-free or additive-free. Some formulations of o.b. products have included absorbency enhancers or surface treatments. Individual sensitivity to rayon, cotton sizing agents, or processing chemicals remains possible but is not more common with this brand than competitors.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Dioxins and bleaching residues
Cotton and rayon used in menstrual products are typically bleached using elemental chlorine-free or oxygen-based methods. No documented dioxin contamination or chlorine residue has been reported in o.b. tampons or major competing brands in publicly available testing or regulatory filings.
Pesticide residue
O.b. does not disclose the origin, farming practices, or pesticide testing of its cotton. Conventional cotton may carry trace pesticide residues, but standard manufacturing and bleaching processes remove or degrade most. No specific contamination event or regulatory action has been tied to o.b. products.
Source, EPA ↗Bacterial overgrowth during extended wear
This is a usage risk (prolonged wear) rather than a product defect. The cotton-rayon material itself does not promote bacterial growth faster than competing tampons. Risk mitigation depends entirely on user behavior, not material composition.
Heavy metals
Cotton and rayon can absorb trace metals from soil or processing water, but levels in finished consumer products are not regulated in most jurisdictions and no testing data is publicly available for o.b. Tampons or peers. This remains a data gap, not a confirmed hazard.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
o.b. (owned by Edgewell Personal Care) does not publish detailed ingredient certifications or third-party testing summaries on its website or packaging. The brand has not marketed itself as organic, unbleached, or chemical-free, and makes no public sustainability or safety certifications (e.g., no GOTS organic, no "hypoallergenic" claims). No major recalls or safety controversies involving o.b. tampons have been documented in public health records or FDA databases. The brand's silence on PFAS and other chemical testing reflects the industry norm rather than a red flag specific to this company.
How it compares in its category
o.b. Ultra is a mainstream, mass-market tampon with no differentiation in safety posture from competitors like Tampax or Kotex. It does not occupy the certified organic or eco-labeled tier (which would carry third-party testing and reduced chemical risk profiles). It also does not make clinical or dermatological claims. In terms of material risk, it sits squarely in the standard tampon category, cotton-rayon blends are the industry baseline, and no evidence suggests o.b.'s specific manufacturing or sourcing carries elevated hazard compared to peers.
If you buy it
No special precautions are needed for standard use. Replace tampons every 4-8 hours to reduce any theoretical risk of bacterial colonization unrelated to the product material itself. If you experience unexplained irritation, itching, or allergic symptoms, consider switching to an alternative brand or material (e.g., certified organic cotton or a different applicator type) to isolate the cause, though such reactions are rare and not inherent to the product. Store in a dry place to prevent moisture ingress into the cardboard applicator.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- OB has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to o.b. Ultra Tampons?
- 100% organic cotton
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Heavy metals
Natracare
Organic Super Plus Tampons, 3 x 20 ct
- organic cotton, cardboard applicator
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Dioxins from bleaching
Natracare
Organic Cotton Super Plus Tampons
- organic cotton, no added fluorochemicals
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Verified PFAS-free by a third party
More tampons grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.