Natural fiber leads the field in nonwovens

A walk through the feminine hygiene and baby diaper aisles is proof enough that natural products are enjoying gains in the nonwovens space. In the past few months, two major feminine hygiene brands—o.b. and Tampax were the latest companies to launch cotton products. o.b. organic, featuring certified organic cotton tampons, offers a new choice for women who don’t want to sacrifice protection for sustainability. All o.b. organic tampons are free from chlorine, dyes, pesticides, fragrances and BPA.For decades, o.b. has strived to introduce sustainable, effective solutions for periods,” says Devon Driscoll, brand manager at Edgewell Personal Care. “With the launch of o.b. organic, we are excited to now offer women-certified organic cotton tampons along with an innovative plant-based applicator option.

We at o.b. were committed to making an applicator that is in line Apertured Film with our commitment to sustainability.”I have always been a Tampax user, and period protection is the focus of my Research & Development career. I’ve tried lots of tampons, researched them, talked about them, designed them – I’ve done it all. In speaking with thousands of tampon users in the last several years, it was clear that there was still a big unmet need in the natural menstrual category – an option that worked well,” says Amy Krajewski, section head Global Tampax Research & DevelopmentMany people using current options are settling, and don’t even realize it because they go on autopilot with so many other decisions to make every day.

When we set out to create Tampax Pure, we took our time to develop a tampon that is not only made with an organic cotton core, but that also provides Tampax protection. Users can feel good about the ingredients, and trust that our product works.”Consumers view cotton as the sustainable fiber; and consumer appeal, cotton is a favorite of consumers and their favorable perceptions cross product boundaries from T-shirts to tampons,” she says.

Over recent years, consumers in Asia have stimulated the market through their demand for products made from cotton, especially products that come in contact with skin such as diapers, wipes, masks, and feminine hygiene pads and liners.The groundswell for cotton in hygiene products began with smaller brands and new businesses with corporate images and strategies focused on products that are healthy for people and the environment,” O’Regan adds, citing the launch of Kotex cotton-containing feminine hygiene products in Asia as an important trailblazer in the area. Additionally, Procter & Gamble’s recent acquisition of This is L, a cotton-based feminine hygiene brand, shows that marketing power has lifted demand for cotton to new heights.