Benefits of organic period products. Q&A with Susie Hewson, founder of Natracare.

Image above: Susie Hewson

To explore Natracare products please visit www.natracare.com

Q: Susie, please tell us more about the Natracare brand. Why does Natracare offer organic and natural personal hygiene products?

A: In the 1980s, through my environmental campaigning work, I knew about the ecological dangers of dioxin pollution created by the pulping industry, as well as the damaging impact of plastics and other synthetics in the environment. I was appalled to find that all disposable period products came from these sources. There was no choice, and the industry was not about to change. The art school disruptor that I am, decided my action was to develop and manufacture an alternative that respected my concerns and that could succeed.

Natracare organic 100% cotton tampons were included in independent peer reviewed research into the effect of synthetic materials in tampons on the production of toxins that led to Toxic Shock Syndrome. Natracare was the product that did not generate toxins – and the rest is brand history (ask me one day - the story is remarkable).

Image below: Organic Tampons y Natracare

In the early 90’s market, ecological products were thought less effective than conventional ones, and I needed to prove this notion incorrect. Organic Cotton nonwoven next to the skin was to be a given, but I rejected super absorbent gels, now known to be microplastics, and had to rely on the absorbency of pulp in the core of Natracare pads & liners. Fortunately, I convinced a European mill to produce Totally Chlorine Free pulp from sustainably grown, softwood forestry. The last part was the barrier layer. I found one of the first biodegradable films produced in the mid-90s to replace the polyethylene commonly used. Today, we continue to use GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic 100% cotton nonwoven. The TCF pulp still comes from the same mill. Barrier film development has moved on and Natracare pads and liners are now certified compostable to EN 13432. Natracare tampons are still certified organic 100% cotton and our applicators are paper-based not plastic. Why all this? Natracare was founded as a direct response to chemical and plastic pollution in period products. By creating the initial disruption, others needed now to step up and make meaningful changes.

Q: What is the current range of Natracare certified organic personal hygiene products?

A: Natracare has certified organic products in its range as well as ecologically accredited products made with certified organic and natural ingredients. All plastic free and certified compostable. Our range includes:

• Certified Organic Cotton tampons

• Certified Organic Cotton wipes

• Menstrual pads and panty liners (ecologically accredited products)

• Maternity and nursing pads (ecologically accredited products)

• Incontinence pads (ecologically accredited products)

Q: What does it mean for tampons to be truly organic?

A: Organic only has benefits for nature and people. The benefit for the end user is that the materials in direct contact with the skin are not introducing chemicals of concern to burden the body. To be truly organic, there must be accreditation throughout the supply chain for the raw materials right through to production of the final ingredient. GOTS is critical in validating the processing and end production of organic fibre products just as COSMOS is for organic cosmetic ingredients. The growing of the unprocessed raw materials needs to be under organic agricultural standards, and the certification process needs to be competent, independent and to the highest standards.

Natracare applies the rigour of organic to all natural ingredients that we also use in our pads and liners, acquiring independent validation to ecological standards for all our natural raw materials.

Using organic natural materials means we can help support our oceans, our soil and our farmers – compared to conventional processes. We ensure all of our products are biodegradable, this means we can also help reduce the burden of plastic pollution and use the principles of organic to guide us.

Tampons are worn internally; the vagina is a very sensitive and permeable part of the body. When I investigated the creeping use of synthetics and plastics in certified organic tampons, based on the evidence gathered in collaboration with Greenpeace and University of the West of England, identifying polyethylene, polyester ingredients, along with chemicals that exuded out of the plastic applicators into the body, I challenged GOTS to improve the standards to seek to remove these ingredients in version 6.0 of the GOTS standard. I continue to monitor, test and input into the standard to maintain the integrity of the organic principles I strove for back in 1989.

Q: How are Natracare organic tampons and wipes produced?

A: All Natracare tampons, pads and wipes, since I founded the brand in 1989, have been made in the same European factories, and audited to organic standards such as GOTS and COSMOS. We also work to European SWAN green label and LOHAS standards. All ingredients and processes are vegan. We are accredited to medical device quality standard ISO 13485 and MDSAP because it is important that Natracare, as a natural brand, works for the end user as they expect them to, and hopefully, a lot better than their previous experiences with conventional products. All Natracare finished products are manufactured using renewable energy.

Q: Can you tell us more about the fibres you use and the manufacturing process?

A: The organic cotton used for Natracare tampons is long fibre and grown in Kyrgyzstan and certified by Control Union. Because we also distribute Natracare Tampons in the USA, the cotton is also grown according to the USDA National Organic Programme. Processing is to GOTS for all the cotton fibres (including the withdrawal cord and sewing thread), and the cotton nonwoven. The certified organic, 100% cotton nonwoven, we use for Natracare wipes and period pads, is also GOTS processed cotton and comes from India and Pakistan. Transaction certificates follow every part of the journey because validation is key to our quality management system and tracking back to farm.

Q: Why might not all personal hygiene products which are labelled as organic, not be truly organic?

Anything that is not GOTS or COSMOS certified, has not gone through the full organic validation process from field to finished product. However, for cotton products, there is the Textile Exchange Organic Content Standard with the sole aim of increasing organic agriculture production for products which contain at least 5% organically grown material. We, however, feel that GOTS is the gold standard for organic textiles and the specific category for tampons means the integrity of 100% certified organic is uniquely maintained.

Unlike the legal controls for organic food and drink claims, organic claims made for non-foods are not protected by law but can be subjected to challenges of labelling and advertising claims through appropriate national regulations such as advertising standards across countries. In the USA, GOTS is the accepted textile standard for the USDA, as well as by the California Organic Protection Programme.

GOTS version 6.0 is currently the most robust and trustworthy standard when it comes to tampons. For example, the GOTS standard for tampons excludes the use of any synthetics and excludes the use of plastic applicators. It goes above and beyond just using an organic ingredient. For pads, petrochemical derived ingredients are not permitted, including SAP and barrier films. But there is always a risk for the standard when brands fail to comply as directed.

There are tampon brands, labelled with the GOTS Trademark logo, that were previously GOTS certified, but no longer comply with GOTS version 6.0 standards. Some brands contain synthetic nonwoven overwraps that were banned from 1st March 2021, some brands have plastic applicators which were banned from March 1st, 2022. Confusing for consumers and damaging for the industry, these brands are still being displayed and sold in retail well after the GOTS cut-off date for conforming to version 6.0.

Unvalidated claims can be challenged, but without a legal protection structure as there is for organic food, the category is open to mislabelling and false claims. This is where retailers and consumers need to be vigilant.

Natracare organic cotton wipes fall under cosmetics category which is famously unregulated although COSMOS may eventually succeed for the cosmetics category as GOTS did for textiles, as a global standard. Legislation by country can vastly differ and organic claims can be thrown out in all manner of misleading ways. Legislation is changing slowly – but again – I would always suggest looking for an accredited organic logo.

Q: Where can we buy Natracare products?

A: Natracare can be found all over the world!

After 30 plus years, Natracare has built a sizable global market and proudly, we have found that amongst our many independent ecological and ethical accreditations, organic certification, has put us top of the tree for validation in categories, so long in need of trustworthy references.

Thank you Susie!