Are organic tampons better? Our guide to natural tampon alternatives.

Making the switch from conventional to natural period products makes sense when you consider that your vagina is one of the most absorbent parts of your body. Regular tampons or conventional (non-organic) tampons are usually made out of a bleached and whitened mix of synthetic rayon and “regular” (aka grown with pesticides) cotton. They often also contain dyes and chemical fragrances (unfortunately, we can’t be more specific, because there’s currently no law requiring manufacturers to list what goes into their tampons). That’s pretty concerning because the vagina is comprised of highly-absorbent mucus membrane tissue. So whatever is on your period products gets absorbed into you. There have also been no studies testing the safety of these ingredients when used long-term inside someone’s body.

“Tampon users use around 11,000–13,000 tampons in their lifetime, so what’s in these products really matters,” says Meika Hollender, co-founder and president of Sustain, a period care and sexual wellness brand that offers certified-organic tampons in a range of sizes. “That’s the equivalent of a tampon inside your body for a total of six years.”

Not only are organic tampons eco-friendly, but they are also body-friendly. When you choose sustainable, organic tampons, you’re using a product made with certified organic cotton — free of hazardous chemicals or dyes and grown without the use of toxic pesticides — that’s produced under safe factory conditions.

And organic tampon applicators are usually crafted from BPA-free plastic, primarily plant-based plastic, or from 100% biodegradable and compostable cardboard.

Most conventional tampon brands rely on non-biodegradable, landfill-clogging plastic applicators (although applicator-free options are available). Organic tampons, like their conventional counterparts, also come in designs with and without an applicator, but there’s generally a more eco-friendly focus to what makes up those applicators.

For those who prefer the ease of plastic, brands like Sustain and Seventh Generation use recycled and/or plant-based plastic, and Cora also uses plastic applicators that are BPA-free. Natracare offers a biodegradable cardboard applicator if you want to go full sustainable.