09/01/2026
I’ve used period products every month for most of my adult life and never once asked what was actually in them.
A 2024 study testing tampons across 24 different brands found measurable levels of lead, arsenic, and 14 other heavy metals in every single sample. Separate testing found PFAS, the forever chemicals linked to cancer and hormone disruption, in nearly half of pads tested and two thirds of period underwear tested. Tampons are only regulated as a moderate risk medical device, so none of this has to be disclosed on the label.
I wish switching to reusable fixed this automatically. It doesn’t. A 2025 study found PFAS in reusable cups, pads, and underwear too, added on purpose in about a third of the products tested. This isn’t disposable versus reusable. It’s about which brands actually prove what they leave out.
A few reasons we carry Saalt , Period.™️ By The Period Company™️ , and viv specifically: each has independent, third party lab testing behind their PFAS-free claims, not just a label saying so. Saalt’s period underwear actually failed a test once, they fixed it, and retested clean. That kind of transparency is rare in this category.
You have options when it comes to your health. That’s what I want every woman to know.
Sources for the studies mentioned are in the comments.