Tampons are made primarily of absorbent fibers, either cotton, rayon (a cellulose-based material derived from wood pulp), or a blend of the two. Beyond that core, a finished tampon includes a thin outer cover, a withdrawal string, and usually an applicator. Each component serves a specific purpose, and the materials vary more than most people realize.
The Absorbent Core
The core is the part that actually absorbs menstrual fluid, and it’s built from cellulosic fibers. Most mainstream tampon brands use rayon, cotton, or a cotton-rayon blend. Rayon is sometimes listed as “viscose” on packaging. It’s not a synthetic material in the way polyester is. It starts as wood pulp and goes through chemical processing to become a highly absorbent fiber.
Cotton and rayon each have different absorption characteristics. Rayon tends to absorb fluid quickly and expand, while cotton fibers hold fluid more gradually. Brands that market themselves as “organic” typically use 100% cotton, often grown without synthetic pesticides. Conventional brands more commonly use rayon or a blend, though specific ratios aren’t standardized across the industry and aren’t always disclosed on the box.
The Outer Cover and String
Most tampons have a thin layer of nonwoven fabric wrapped around the absorbent core. This cover is typically made from synthetic fibers like polypropylene or polyester, and it serves two purposes: it helps the tampon hold its shape during insertion and creates a smoother surface. Some brands skip this layer entirely, especially all-cotton products.
The withdrawal string is usually made from cotton or polyester, braided or twisted for strength. In some products, the string is coated with a thin layer of paraffin wax. This keeps the string cleaner and adds a small degree of water resistance, which prevents it from wicking fluid along its length.
Applicator Options
The applicator is the part you touch, not the part that stays in your body, but it’s still worth understanding. Most applicators are made from either smooth plastic (typically polyethylene) or cardboard. Plastic applicators are the most popular in the U.S. because of their smoother insertion, but they contribute to plastic waste. Cardboard applicators are biodegradable and will break down in a landfill, though they have a more rigid feel. Some brands now offer plant-based bioplastic applicators as a middle ground, and a smaller number of tampons come with no applicator at all, designed for finger insertion.
How the Fibers Are Bleached
Raw cotton and wood pulp are naturally off-white to brown, so the fibers in tampons go through a bleaching process. This is where two terms come up: Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) and Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF).
ECF bleaching uses chlorine dioxide, a milder chemical than the elemental chlorine that was standard decades ago. TCF skips chlorine compounds entirely and relies on hydrogen peroxide or ozone instead. Both methods are considered safe for the finished product. The older concern about dioxin contamination came from a time when tampons were bleached with elemental chlorine gas, a practice the industry abandoned in the 1990s. Modern bleaching methods produce negligible or undetectable dioxin levels.
TCF sounds like the cleaner option, but it comes with tradeoffs in manufacturing: weaker fiber strength, lower brightness, and higher energy use. ECF remains the dominant method worldwide for both tampon and paper production.
Metals Found in Tampons
A widely reported 2024 study tested 30 tampons from 14 brands and found detectable levels of toxic metals, including lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Lead was present in 100% of the tampons tested. The researchers found that lead concentrations were higher in non-organic tampons, while arsenic levels were actually higher in organic ones.
These metals likely come from the raw materials themselves. Cotton absorbs metals from soil and water during growing, and rayon picks them up during processing. The presence of metals doesn’t automatically mean they’re dangerous at the concentrations found. What remains unclear is how much of those metals actually transfers from a tampon into vaginal tissue during use. The vaginal lining is highly absorbent compared to skin, which is why researchers flagged this as a concern worth further study rather than an immediate health alarm. No regulatory body has set limits on metal concentrations in tampons specifically.
What’s on the Label (and What Isn’t)
In the United States, tampons are regulated as medical devices by the FDA, not as cosmetics or consumer products. This classification means they must meet safety and performance standards, but historically it has not required the same kind of ingredient transparency you’d see on a food label or a bottle of shampoo. Most major brands voluntarily list their primary materials (cotton, rayon, or a blend), but they aren’t always required to disclose every component, such as fragrances, dyes, or processing chemicals.
This is slowly changing. The FDA has drafted updated guidance recommending clearer labeling of tampon materials, though as of 2025 this guidance has not been finalized. In the meantime, if full ingredient transparency matters to you, brands that market organic or “clean” tampons tend to disclose more on their packaging and websites. Looking for certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) can help verify that a product’s cotton is genuinely organic and processed without certain chemicals.
Organic vs. Conventional Tampons
The practical difference comes down to fiber source and processing. Organic tampons use cotton grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, and they typically skip rayon, fragrance, and chlorine bleaching. Conventional tampons may use rayon, cotton, or both, and are more likely to be ECF-bleached.
Whether organic tampons are meaningfully safer is still debated. The 2024 metals study showed that organic doesn’t mean contaminant-free. Organic tampons had lower lead but higher arsenic, likely reflecting different soil conditions where the cotton was grown. Both types performed comparably in terms of absorbency and basic safety. The choice often comes down to personal priorities: environmental concerns, chemical exposure preferences, or simply comfort and availability.