Natural-focused hygiene products have changed the look of hygiene aisles in supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers. A decade ago shoppers were limited in choice when it came to natural hygiene products—if they had any at all—but today major national brands, store brands and smaller start-ups are all offering their own version of so-called natural baby diapers, feminine care and adult care products. But what is a natural hygiene product? It really depends. Some brands market specific natural raw materials used in their products, like a cotton-based topsheet or sustainably-sourced fluff pulp in the core. Newcomers to the baby diaper market, like Nest and Dyper, are highlighting compostability in addition to their use of fibers found in nature, while other brands talk about being “free and clear” of certain ingredients or chemicals like chlorine, alcohol, dyes and fragrances. Add to this proposed and pending legislation in the European Union and the U.S. limiting the amount of single-use plastics that can be made, and it’s no wonder more companies are getting into the natural hygiene game. “Products positioned as natural have indeed seen growth, especially in feminine care, baby diapers and baby wipes,” says Svetlana Uduslivaia, head of Home & Tech Americas at Euromonitor International. “In femcare and baby diapers, 100% organic cotton and plant-based ingredients are often used as a basis for natural claims.” In the U.S., she says, brands like Cora and Rael, which position themselves as lifestyle brands, have seen strong growth over the past three years to account for a combined 1% share of feminine care sales in 2019 (or combined over USD $31 million). “Add to these two all the other brands that have been expanding online and increasingly in stores—these brands have successfully turned to omnichannel strategies for wider consumer reach—and the natural segment is no longer a niche it used to be,” she adds. Rhiannon Davis, marketing and public relations executive at Natracare, a maker of cotton-based femcare products, says the natural hygiene market is growing rapidly, thanks to a heightened awareness of chemicals of concern, a push against unnecessary plastics and an increased desire for transparency. “We are welcoming new customers all the time – we expect this trend will continue as people move away from brands who push ‘business as normal’ and move towards brands who are committed to doing good in the world,” she says. Natracare first launched cotton-based feminine care products in 1989. Today the U.K.-based brand offers tampons, menstrual pads, liners, postpartum pads, light incontinence pads and wipes made from natural ingredients such as organic cotton, wood pulp and bio-based films made from plant starch. “Natracare has a very long history of trail blazing,” says Davis. “We helped to form the first organic standards for sanitary products – and we have campaigned for positive change to the industry for as long as we’ve existed.” Despite the increased competition over the last several years, Natracare is pleased to see that there are companies innovating in the natural hygiene market. “Anybody who shares the common goal of removing plastic from the waste stream and protecting human and environmental health is an ally of ours,” says Davis. “Of course, there are many who are jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon because they want their slice of the pie. Some of these brands cut corners when it comes to the integrity of their green claims and we will call out greenwashing where we see it!” Organyc is another early innovator in the natural hygiene space. Its cotton constructed femcare products have been marketed in Europe for several decades, and in the U.S. for over 10 years. While Organyc began as a cotton brand primarily sold in smaller organic shops across the world, today the brand is sold in nearly 50 countries, and is distributed in tens of thousands of outlets including CVS and Walgreens, DM, HEB, Harris Teeter, Winco and more, as well as on Amazon. “These changes came about because of a shift in brand focus towards solving a problem, sensitive skin irritation, something that women told us they were concerned greatly about,” says Rebecca Storrick, marketing manager of Corman USA, maker of Organyc. Storrick says the natural hygiene market is definitely growing and is accounting for all the category growth in feminine care. “Consumers are drawn to new ideas beyond old-fashioned pads, liners, tampons. As more consumers become aware of the ingredients that go into the products they use (not just feminine care), it seems logical that consumers will shift to natural products.” Maxim Hygiene, another feminine hygiene manufacturer of cotton-based products, was founded on the principle of developing safer menstrual care and personal care essentials for women and the planet. “When Maxim was founded in 2006, there were no U.S.-based companies offering natural cotton, chlorine-free tampons, pads or panty liners,” says Jonathan Soniker, VP of operations, Maxim Hygiene Products. Founder Kenneth Alvandi partnered with his daughter Rebecca Alvandi to develop a safer alternative to the conventional menstrual care brands existing on the market. “The problem with conventional products is that the synthetic ‘cotton-like’ materials typically used could cause rashes and irritation,” Soniker adds. “In addition, the chlorine bleaching agent conventionally used to disinfect the raw materials and give the products a white colored appearance can also result in the release of harmful chemical dioxins in the product. This is especially of concern for products like tampons that are being used in the most absorbent part of the body.” Today Maxim offers a range of organic cotton tampons and organic and natural cotton pads and liners. It recently debuted organic cotton BPA-free plastic applicator tampons that are designed to maximize comfort, ease of use and performance. “They combine the health and eco-friendly advantages of organic cotton with the smoothness of a BPA-free plastic applicator that is much slimmer and easier to use,” he says. All of Maxim’s Tampons are made with 100% ICEA Certified Organic and Chlorine Free cotton, which means no added pesticides, dyes, fragrances, rayon, viscose or harmful chemicals. In addition to its Natural Cotton (natural cotton topsheet and absorbent core) and Organic Cotton (organic cotton topsheet and absorbent core) lines, Maxim introduced a third level to its offerings – Pure Cotton Pads and Liners, which feature an organic cotton topsheet and natural cotton absorbent core. “The new line provides the health benefits of pure cotton without having to spend the extra dollars on the organic cotton absorbent core,” Soniker explains. Maxim is also planning to launch a line of CBD products later this year. “Product category expansion is always in the works at Maxim,” he adds. While a handful of small players have dominated the natural hygiene space for some time, major multinationals Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark introduced new products in this segment over the last few years. P&G started with its Pampers brand, launching the Pampers Pure Collection in 2018, which includes diapers and wipes made with premium cotton and other thoughtfully selected materials. A year later it committed to natural products by extending it to the feminine hygiene category through the acquisition of This is L, an international brand of tampons, pads, liners and wipes made with organic cotton. Following this acquisition, P&G expanded its footprint in naturals through the launch of Tampax Pure, a new organic tampon option, and Always Pure pads, which are made with a cotton top layer from sustainably sourced cotton and are free of chlorine bleaching, dyes and fragrances. Meanwhile, Kimberly-Clark introduced its own natural diaper last summer with the launch of Huggies Special Delivery. Made with plant-based materials (23% by weight), the premium diapers feature a baby-side liner and waistband made with fibers derived from plant-based materials such as sugarcane, carefully selected to help provide superior absorption and fit. They are free of parabens, fragrance and elemental chlorine, and dermatologically tested and clinically proven hypoallergenic for baby’s delicate skin. Uduslivaia of Euromonitor notes that the brand dynamic in the natural segment can vary from market to market. “Yes, P&G’s and K-C’s lines have seen growth, however, the combined pressure from smaller brands and players that have been playing in ‘natural’ segment from their inception remains strong. These brands typically position themselves as lifestyle and wellness brands, and they go beyond just emphasizing their composition with respect to ingredients that are found (or not) in their products. These brands typically take a more holistic approach to their role in consumer lives, health and environment – from ‘free from’ messaging on the packaging to communicating with consumers boarder approach to environment (e.g. use of clean energy) and sourcing, support for ethical consumption and community involvement, broader range of products that speak to daily wellness management.” Diaper Developments While much of the focus in the so-called natural diaper category has centered on including plant-based materials or avoiding certain ingredients, some newer brands are taking it a step further by making compostability claims. The company Dyper makes baby diapers that incorporate plant-based materials and PLA films whenever possible. Its top and back sheets are made with 100% viscose from bamboo, bonded to compostable PLA films. “When my daughters were born I found myself with a whole new trash can full of diapers,” says Dyper founder and CEO Sergio Radovcic. “It inevitably led me to wonder, where do they go? What are they made from? The facts were very alarming and, as most entrepreneurs would do, I decided to do something about it. I wanted to leave a better planet behind for my kids, while improving the supply chain of diapering.” It took Dyper almost a year to go from the initial concepts to shippable products. “Our contract manufacturers, initially in Asia, and now in North America, were very helpful along the way guiding us to the right mix of materials and processes that would satisfy our needs. However, we’re not done…as a matter of fact, we’re already on the third generation of our diapers and working on even more advances to the materials and packaging.” In February Dyper announced a partnership with waste management company TerraCycle to implement the Redyper composting program in the U.S., making it turnkey for existing and new subscribers to return their soiled-diapers for composting. “The TerraCycle partnership was the result of a shared vision for the planet,” Radovcic explains. “When we launched our composting service, which was limited by scope and geography to places like Northern California, we knew we had to look for a national platform.” The Redyper program allows anyone in the continental U.S. to easily ship away their diapers to a centralized composting facility and see their diapers (sorted from few parts that are not compostable) end up as useful compost used for specific commercial purposes. Dyper subscribers that opt-in to the Redyper program are provided with bags and a specially designed box engineered to the strictest United Nations Haz Mat shipping standards. When the box is full, subscribers can download a prepaid shipping label from the Dyper Composting Program page found on the TerraCycle website for easy return of their soiled diapers for composting. The waste composted through this program will be used in specialized applications, such as for vegetation in highway medians. While Radovcic admits the market is saturated with both established brands and up and coming companies, he believes Dyper has a fairly unique value proposition. “We are a true Netflix-line subscription at a fixed price with guaranteed deliveries that is focused on a better diaper for a better planet. We carbon offset the subscriptions and provide composting capabilities. These services are simply not available elsewhere and families are responding very positively to our message.” Nest Diapers is another company making compostability claims. Made using plant-based materials such as wood, bamboo and cane, the diaper features a compostable topsheet and a breathable PLA backsheet with a compostable material laminated on top of the backsheet, according to Clark Sather, founder and managing director at Nest Diapers. Soon Nest is planning to introduce a fastening system where the nonwoven is a bamboo-based material. “The majority of diapers in the eco category are the same exact product you might get under a retail brand label or any of the other national brands; it may have a feel-good ingredient, but that feel-good ingredient doesn’t truly make it eco,” Sather says. “What we’re trying to do versus everyone else is pushing further and it’s not just a single feel-good ingredient making it so-called eco.” Nest, which first launched a year ago, has partnered with leading baby diaper compost providers to manage the composting process, including Do Good Diapers in the Midwest and Tiny Tots in Northern California. Nest’s goal is to make any advancements it can to make a truly compostable product, and this year it plans to test a different type of SAP. Sather says they’re also hoping to find a partner that they can scale it with. “We’re going slow and making sure that we can do things right,” he says. Femcare Up-and-Comers The success of new natural products has largely been driven by women in the 18-34-year-old category who cite environmental and health concerns about traditional disposable period products, according to industry research. And, with the growth of e-commerce and social media, newer brands are able to get their products out there and capture this audience on limited budgets. Molly Hayward, founder and chief brand officer of the feminine care brand Cora, says the feminine hygiene industry is on the rise, and the organic/natural segment now comprises 5% of the total market. “Before launching Cora, I learned that many mainstream feminine products could contain synthetic fragrances, dyes and chemicals like pesticide residues,” says Hayward. “From then on, I knew I wanted to create products made without these harmful ingredients and also build a brand that would advocate for women’s health worldwide.” Cora is now one of the fastest-growing natural femcare brands, with 11% market share in the natural/organic segment, she says. Among Cora’s absorbent feminine care products are organic tampons as well as pads and liners made with an organic cotton topsheet. For light incontinence, the brand offers bladder liners and pads made with an organic cotton topsheet. Cora also offers a menstrual cup and cup cleanser, body cloths and body wash, as well as a new maternal care line of soothing sheets, belly butter and nipple balm. “To-date we have eliminated 40 of the most egregious chemicals found in conventional feminine care products, which ensures women don’t have to compromise when caring for their bodies,” Hayward says. “Our pads, for example, use a patent-pending channel technology that enables them to be highly absorbent (our liner can absorb up to 10x its weight) while super thin. They are much thinner than the pads we all probably grew up using and that is because of this innovative channel technology.” Cora also differentiates itself through its social impact program: For every subscription a woman in the U.S. purchases, a month’s supply of pads and reproductive health education are given to a girl in a developing country. To-date, Cora has provided more than 10 million menstrual pads and health education to girls throughout Kenya, India and the United States. Cora products can be found at Target, Wegmans, Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons and Amazon, and expanded to CVS and Meijer stores in the last two months. Organic Initiative (Oi) is another new natural femcare brand expanding its presence in retail stores. Founded in 2015, the New Zealand-based brand of certified organic hygiene products entered the U.S. market in 2018 and soon after launched new Oi Girl products, which offer younger girls just starting their periods a first-of-its-kind line of smaller products made from 100% certified organic cotton. “Our initiative is to remove synthetics and chemicals from hygiene products and make healthy, premium certified and affordable products accessible for all women,” says Helen Robinson, CEO of Oi. “Using products like Oi is a small change that we can all make while we join the journey to a lifetime of safe and healthy products for ourselves and the environment.” As the Oi products continue to gain traction in major stores like CVS and Walmart in the U.S. and globally, Robinson says she believes the use of natural products responds to a need not only for women’s health but for the health of the planet. Other new competitors in the natural femcare space are differentiating themselves in other ways. The NannoPad, created by the company Nannocare, is made with 100% OCS certified organic cotton, biodegradable plastic wrapping and natural Nannogenic technology that utilizes Far Infrared Energy, known to help stimulate circulation in the tiny blood vessels up to 1.5 inches under the skin around the pelvic region. By stimulating these blood vessels, NannoPad can help reduce menstrual discomfort and decrease the need for women to use painkillers during their periods. Nannocare’s founder Paul Van Kleef found and developed the far-infrared technology to work efficiently during menstruation for discomfort relief when he traveled to Asia – something that has been used for holistic health for many years, particularly in China and Japan, according to the company. The catalyst that led to the development of NannoPad was Van Kleef’s girlfriend, who had been suffering from menstrual pain and taking strong painkillers every cycle for years. In 2016 he began carrying out research to create a formulation that can be implemented in menstrual pads, which was tested as effective and safe for use in a laboratory in 2017. The Nannocare team was then established in 2017 along with Dr. Lisa Benest, a board-certified dermatologist, who also has a degree in homeopathic therapy, along with several partners. “NannoPad was developed to be the most efficient and innovative menstrual pads on the market,” says Xiaolin Li, chief development officer. “We created the first ‘multipack’ of pads on the market that contains Super, Regular and Pantyliners. Our pads are as thin as a nickel but with up to 180ml/7oz absorbency and made with OCS-certified 100% organic cotton, which is hypoallergenic.” The Nannogenic technology in the NannoPad is made with proprietary all-natural ingredients that utilize far-infrared technology, which is the same technology the body emits. It is a thermal-energy that has been proven by multiple scientific studies to help with menstrual cramping/muscle pain by increasing microcirculation, according to the company. “The far-infrared energy can reach up to 1.5 inches under the skin, which reaches the area of the pelvic floor,” Li explains. “We have done lab testing and three rounds of user testing including blind placebo testing conducted by third party testing organizations including SGS and NAMSA Labs, which has shown that over 75% of users found NannoPad effective in alleviating their cramps during menstruation.” Another new innovator in the natural hygiene space is Callaly, maker of the Tampliner. Launched in 2018, the Tampliner is a patented feminine hygiene device that combines a tampon and a built-in mini-liner between a labia, which gives the wearer extra protection from leaks without the bulk and bunching of a bigger liner. The mini-liner is held in place by a patented virtual applicator for clean insertion and removal. Tampliner was invented by a U.K.-based gynecologist after 30 years of listening to patients and their concerns with managing their periods. He found that seven out of 10 women did not trust their tampon not to leak. After teaming up with a fashion technologist, who knew how products can work with a women’s skin, and going through hundreds of prototypes, the company developed a product that features a three part system—a tampon, a pad portion that fits to the labia and a pull string. The product is medical quality, hypoallergenic and biodegradable, and is made from organic cotton. “The feedback from users and press has been overwhelmingly positive since we launched in February 2018,” says Callaly CMO Kate Huang. “We are continuing to see growth and retention of our customers which we not only attribute to marketing efforts but the greater awareness of periods, product diversity and customers seeking higher standards in the products they use.” Because everyone has different needs, Callaly expanded its product selection in October to include tampons, pads and liners, all made with organic cotton and in customizable absorbencies. Ewa Radziwon, co-founder and head of product, says they chose organic cotton because it hasn’t been treated with pesticides, dioxins, dyes or other harmful chemicals. “Your vagina is the most absorbent part of your body and our customer’s health is our top priority, so we make sure there is nothing harmful in the cotton we use,” she adds. Inco is Next As makers of organic cotton femcare products find success, they’re also beginning to test products in the light incontinence category. “While products with natural positioning in adult incontinence are not yet as pronounced as they are in feminine/menstrual care and baby care, recent innovation trends certainly start to explore the opportunities in natural positioning to catch up with developments in other hygiene categories,” says Uduslivaia of Euromonitor. In the past year or so she says more incontinence brands have featured more natural ingredients and with natural positioning, including Japanese hygiene manufacturer Unicharm which has introduced a number of new products in light incontinence featuring organic cotton. Last month Organyc announced a complete redesign and launch of its cotton-based light incontinence line. The line of products uses 100% certified organic cotton on the topsheet and a cotton-balanced absorbent core that has a mix of cotton and super absorbents to pull wetness away and maintain a dry feeling. “There is a trend towards natural products across many categories, and of course this trend carries over to light incontinence,” says Storrick. “But more importantly, consumers are looking for the benefits a natural product can bring, that doesn’t force them to make tradeoffs.” Corman, the owners and manufacturers of the Organyc brand, have been focused on converting cotton into consumer products for several decades. “Corman understands the properties of cotton and recognized a deficiency in traditional light incontinence products that cotton could overcome,” she adds. “That issue is skin irritation, something Corman solved in the feminine care category. Fortunately Corman also has know-how in the construction of the core or the product, where absorbency takes place. Using cotton in the core, balanced carefully with super absorbents, has created a product that delivers on the most important benefit, leakage prevention. This construction also manages odor, another common problem with traditional products.” The line comes in Ultra-Thin Liners, Moderate Pads, Maximum Pads and Ultimate Pads, and will be available in the U.S. next month. Meanwhile Cora added light bladder leakage products made with organic cotton to its lineup last summer. “Cora has relentlessly questioned traditional women’s personal care and seized opportunities to innovate, particularly in categories where both products and notions of womanhood are antiquated and out of touch,” says Hayward. “Bladder leakage among women in their 30s and 40s is an issue no brand has addressed, so Cora took a bold new perspective through a woman-led design process to create a product that is finally anatomically correct and technically modern.” Cora’s liner for light bladder leaks rethinks the design of traditional pads with a first-of-its-kind fan shape and ultra-absorbent pad at the front of the liner to give women more coverage where leaks actually happen.