Tara Olivo, Associate Editor01.08.24
Over the last decade-plus, absorbent hygiene product categories have changed as new independent startup brands have launched in the baby diaper, adult incontinence and period care product categories. The emergence of accessible contract manufacturing services combined with social media-based marketing has made it easier to enter these product categories. The following is a look at some of the innovative brands that have launched in the absorbent hygiene market.
Kudos diapers feature a 100% cotton topsheet, meaning that the baby’s bottom touches only cotton, not polypropylene, which is found in most other diapers. Cotton is the number one pediatrician-recommended material to combat and prevent skin conditions like diaper rashes and eczema. Other diaper features include a double layer of absorbent material to protect against leaks, extreme softness and thinness.
A year ago, the company received a boost when Saigal and the Kudos brand appeared on the U.S. television show Shark Tank. During the episode, Saigal secured $250,000 in funding in exchange for a 10% stake in the company from host Mark Cuban and guest host Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress and founder of lifestyle brand Goop. The duo agreed to invest in the diaper brand after hearing Saigal’s background as an MIT-trained engineer, a Harvard Business School graduate and a part of Procter & Gamble’s research team as well as the story behind developing the award-winning diaper brand.
“We were blown away by the positive response we received after Shark Tank and are so grateful for the support we’ve been shown by the parents who have been with Kudos from the start, and those who have discovered us through the show,” says Saigal. “Not only did we more than double our business in one weekend, but we also welcomed a whole new set of consumers dedicated to the same mission that we have of promoting a toxin-free and plastic-free future for the next generation.”
Because of the experience, Kudos also saw a lot of inbound interest from the Shark Tank audience for applying its Kudos technology to products for adult incontinence.
“In our research before launching Kudos, what really stood out to us was how much parents care (as they should!) about the materials touching baby’s skin,” Saigal explains. “And when it comes to what’s touching baby’s skin, no material is better than cotton. There’s a reason that the doctor recommends cotton underwear for adults, just like there’s a reason that all the best baby clothes are made from 100% cotton.”
Cotton is naturally soft, breathable and hypoallergenic. It is also naturally very absorbent. “This aspect of cotton can be a double-edged sword,” Saigal says. “On the one hand cotton soaks up moisture fast, but on the other hand you need to figure out how to get that moisture out of the cotton and into the core of the diaper. That’s where our patent-pending and award winning DoubleDry tech comes in.”
Kudos’ DoubleDry technology features two layers of absorption and thousands of funnels built in to funnel moisture away from baby’s bum and into the core of the diaper so that baby’s skin can stay dry.
Kudos’ ultimate goal is to become the No. 1 eco-friendly consumer absorbents company in the world, Saigal says. “Diapers are just the start.”
Last year the company also launched baby wipes made with Veocel Lyocell fibers, and next it will be turning its attention to training pants (applying its DoubleDry technology) and adult diapers in the future.
In August, Dyper introduced Charcoal Enhanced Diapers, featuring a black topsheet infused with 3% charcoal from Bamboo, which is known for its filtering and odor-fighting properties.
The inner core of the diaper, which was made in Japan, features plant-derived materials and is textured to wick liquid away from baby’s skin and lock it in the diaper’s core. The diaper closures have been redesigned to provide an effortless fit and easy re-adjustments, thanks to a large attachment area on the front of the diaper. The packaging is made from renewable materials.
Dyper Charcoal Enhanced Diapers have undergone rigorous independent testing and are Certified Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX for the absence of harmful substances. They are hypoallergenic and feature a plant-based inner layer to lock away moisture and help keep little ones dry and comfortable. Made with FSC Certified wood pulp and without chlorine, natural rubber latex, alcohol, TBT, parabens, or phthalates, they’re soft, absorbent and safe – no dyes, prints or fragrances.
“We’re thrilled to announce Dyper Charcoal Enhanced Diapers – the same Simply Kind diaper, sourcing and materials, but with style. It’s not just a diaper, it’s a fashion statement for trend-setters and eco-warriors alike,” says Sergio Radovcic, founder and CEO of Dyper. “With its rebellious color and kind ingredients, this is sure to stand out from the crowd – just like your kiddo.”
Dyper also introduced a charcoal enhanced baby wipe, which is hypoallergenic, made with 100% plant-based materials, and enhanced with a bit of activated charcoal. They are 98% pure water and made without alcohol, perfumes, or parabens. They also feature an embossed texture for more thorough cleaning and are available in a larger size for easier clean-up.
Dyper’s original bamboo-based baby diaper has also been improved, now featuring a thinner absorbent core and sizing optimized for comfort and fit—without sacrificing absorbency or performance. The new diaper remains a certified USDA BioPreferred 55% Product, DermaTest 5 star rated, Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certified and made with wood pulp certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The company now also utilizes manufacturing in North America to ensure a reduced carbon footprint, improved shipping lead times and a more promising innovation pipeline.
The company’s founders, Mike Constantiner and Russ Wallace, teamed up after they were both trying to figure out what they wanted to do next professionally. Wallace previously worked at another diaper brand. “We started talking about different opportunities as parents in the baby care and parenting space, and talking about brands,” Constantiner recalls. “Russ had a relationship with a supplier from his previous company, which we picked up a conversation with, and there was an opportunity to develop a very unique product.”
According to Constantiner, every other diaper on the market uses tree pulp in the core, which, depending on the diaper, is roughly 30-35% of the material in the product. “We’ve seen reports that upwards of one billion trees could be cut down a year to support the global diaper market, and we thought that it was a really interesting opportunity to instead of using tree pulp to work with bamboo from an organic farm.”
After exploring the opportunity, Constantiner and Wallace entered into an R&D process with the supplier, and after developing what they thought was a really good diaper product, built a brand that focuses on the youthfulness and creativity that goes into parenting. “That was really the impetus of Freestyle,” he says. “We felt like there was an opportunity to create a diaper that checks all the boxes. Most importantly it performs well. It also has some unique innovation on the sustainability side that it isn’t just greenwashing—there is material impact while not affecting performance—and we’re able to offer it at a price point that’s acceptable to most families.”
On the technology side, Wallace says the bamboo-based core is a drier pulp. “The job of the fluff pulp in the diaper is to spread the moisture around so that the moisture can reach the super absorbent polymer which does the heavy lifting,” he says. “In our case, it turns out that using bamboo instead of wood pulp has a material and performance impact.”
Freestyle had its baby diapers lab tested at SGS in preparation for conversations with some big box retailers and, according to the company, it outperformed in absorption capacity and moisture retention compared to some of the biggest brands in the natural diaper space.
In September, Freestyle BambooTek Diapers expanded with a launch into Whole Foods stores nationwide and online.
“We are thrilled to be on shelves at Whole Foods, a brand that shares Freestyle’s commitment to quality and sustainability,” says Wallace. “This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our company history, opening doors to a nationwide audience of modern parents who value high-performance, eco-friendly baby care products at accessible prices. With Whole Foods’ generous support, we plan to keep launching innovative, sustainable products that empower young parents to challenge the status quo and create their own unique parenting journey.”
In addition to the launch, Freestyle’s BambooTek Diapers were selected as a Good Housekeeping 2023 Parenting Award recipient.
Since it launched in 2020, Attn: Grace has added two new products to its incontinence line—Ultimate Pads that offer maximum protection for day and night, and its All Natural Barrier Cream that soothes, protects and restores skin that’s at-risk due to excessive dryness or prolonged wetness. “Both were developed in response to feedback from our community and have been hugely successful,” says Alexandra Fennell, co-founder and co-CEO, Attn: Grace.
Additionally, in 2023 the company launched its products in over 1500 Walmart stores nationwide and on Walmart.com.
“Offering Attn: Grace products at Walmart is a huge step in raising awareness around incontinence and increasing accessibility to high-performing, skin-safe products women can trust. We were originally inspired to start Attn: Grace because I had seen my mom struggling with conventional incontinence products that she described as bulky and uncomfortable, and that irritated her skin badly. Making our products accessible to the millions of women who shop at Walmart every day is such a huge milestone for us,” says Mia Abbruzzese, co-founder and co-CEO.
In July, the company announced $2 million in new funding to fuel further growth. Led by For Later, the oversubscribed round also saw participation from Flybridge, as well as existing investors, including Kapor Capital, Portfolia, Ingeborg Investments and Commonwealth.
This funding secured by Attn: Grace, as well as its recent launch into national big-box retail, speaks to the growing demand for more natural, high-performing solutions in this category, the company says. “We’re thrilled to secure this additional investment and to continue expanding the impact we’re having in the incontinence care market,” says Abbruzzese. Fennell adds: “We hear stories from our customers every day about the difference our products are making in their day to day routines, and ultimately in their overall quality of life. We’re incredibly excited to continue driving our mission forward and increasing access to solutions that don’t force women to compromise on comfort, performance or their larger values.”
Looking ahead, Attn: Grace aims to further expand its distribution network and reach a wider audience of women seeking reliable, skin-safe, and more eco-friendly incontinence care.
In August 2023, the Sequel Spiral Tampon received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medical device and the company will now begin a series of consumer trials, with broad availability expected in the first quarter of this year. Approval from the FDA marks a critical step in enabling Sequel to bring its tampon–which is designed to be more comfortable and less prone to leakage–to market and reinvigorate a space that has been flooded with private label newcomers, but little product differentiation.
Greta Meyer, co-founder and CEO of Sequel, is a former Stanford University division one lacrosse player and developed the tampon design concept with co-founder Amanda Calabrese, also an elite athlete, in response to demand for a more reliable and comfortable tampon. Sequel has a manufacturing partnership with feminine hygiene manufacturer Albaad.
Sequel has been granted 11 patents in the U.S. and globally with seven additional patents pending internationally. They have developed a proprietary manufacturing method that enabled them to scale up quickly and transition from proof-of-concept manual manufacturing to automatic manufacturing.
In October the company announced it was the official period care partner of Equinox, the luxury fitness club, and is now supplying tampons, pads and liners in all fitness clubs across the country.
August provides essential period care products made from 100% ethically-sourced cotton to club members, ensuring they have a variety of pads, tampons and liners for anyone who menstruates. All of August’s products are toxin-free, hypoallergenic, and FDA-approved. August believes in full transparency, not only in the production and materials of their products, but also in the use. It has set out to end the stigma around periods and partnering with Equinox allows for a high-quality gym experience, to be paired with a high-quality period experience. The products will be cased in an exclusive new packaging, only available in clubs.
This partnership comes on the heels of August’s milestone of now being present in over 100+ schools in the country, starting from elementary and up. Not only do they provide products, August provides schools with free educational materials about menstrual hygiene.
The company also launched into over 400 Target stores across the U.S. in 2023. This marked the brand’s first entry into physical retail stores.
Nadya Okamoto, one of the co-founders of August, had worked for years in the period advocacy space as a nonprofit leader and a consultant, as well as an author. “I kept feeling frustrations on roadblocks on how to change culture and influence the industry and felt that many of them could be solved if I had the opportunity to build a socially conscious and period positive brand that really centered transparency and sustainability. And that is what August is,” Okamoto says. “We are a gender inclusive period care brand that prides itself on leading with transparency, and an interest in changing the culture around periods. It’s ridiculous how much period stigma still exists today…and I think August really exists to be able to shatter that period stigma.”
iCotton currently owns a 66% stake in Harper Hygienics SA, which is leading producer of skin-cleaning cosmetic and hygiene products in Poland.
Hempress launched its initial line in August, which includes the market’s first 100% organic hemp and cotton-based day pads, night pads, liners, swabs, cosmetic pads and silicone menstrual cups.
“We’re so excited to introduce consumers and retailers to the power of hemp via our intentional and sustainable product line,” said Hempress co-founder and CEO Marilyn Austin. “Our goal is to create a positive impact with products that will transform, but not disrupt people’s preferences and routines. We recognize that consumers prefer disposable personal care products and are proud to have created sustainable, disposable alternatives that prioritize both user health and that of the environment. By utilizing hemp, we have tapped into a remarkable natural resource that aligns with our commitment to fostering healthier and more conscious lifestyles—leveraging the ancient wisdom of hemp to solve modern day problems.”
Founded in 2019, Hempress intentionally reimagines the personal care items used every day to be 100% organic, biodegradable and regenerative—reinforcing the connection between humans and the greater ecosystem. The brand is passionate about inspiring a wider industry shift towards hemp-based products free from synthetic fibers and plastics, as hemp is water efficient, anti-microbial, carbon negative, non-toxic, replenishes soil with key nutrients and offers the benefit of breathability for the user.
All Hempress Hygienics products are Oeko-Tex class one certified, rigorously tested, gynecologist and dermatologist-approved, hypoallergenic, and free from fragrance and dye.
Val Emanuel, Rif care’s founder and CEO, says the brand plans to continue to try to make its products with more and more hemp fiber. In the pads, hemp is currently only in the topsheet, but the brand is also working on getting hemp into the inside of the pads and finding a stable supplier for hemp-pulp.
Rif care’s reusable underwear can absorb two regular tampons or two pads worth of fluid. “I’m someone who is a super heavy bleeder, so this was really important for me because it doesn’t matter what product it is; if I’m going out of the house for eight hours, I always need back up protection,” Emanuel says.
Also, Emanuel couldn’t find anything on the market that didn’t feel diaper-like when it came to reusable period underwear, and another of her concerns was that a lot of brands have made them with materials that she believes aren’t so great. “There are companies that have come out with organic cotton ones, and those are cool, but we wanted to make something that was kind of in between, where it still has the high performance of what some of the nylon and polyester ones have done but is also made with hemp. As much as we love disposables, we see a huge opportunity in reusables.”
Kudos (Baby Diapers)
In 2021, Kudos launched with the aim to be the most skin-friendly, high-performance plant-based baby diaper on the market. Amrita Saigal, an MIT graduate who previously worked at Procter & Gamble, began development on the baby diaper in early 2019, following a stint in India where she created Saathi Pads, biodegradable sanitary pads made from waste banana tree fiber.Kudos diapers feature a 100% cotton topsheet, meaning that the baby’s bottom touches only cotton, not polypropylene, which is found in most other diapers. Cotton is the number one pediatrician-recommended material to combat and prevent skin conditions like diaper rashes and eczema. Other diaper features include a double layer of absorbent material to protect against leaks, extreme softness and thinness.
A year ago, the company received a boost when Saigal and the Kudos brand appeared on the U.S. television show Shark Tank. During the episode, Saigal secured $250,000 in funding in exchange for a 10% stake in the company from host Mark Cuban and guest host Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress and founder of lifestyle brand Goop. The duo agreed to invest in the diaper brand after hearing Saigal’s background as an MIT-trained engineer, a Harvard Business School graduate and a part of Procter & Gamble’s research team as well as the story behind developing the award-winning diaper brand.
“We were blown away by the positive response we received after Shark Tank and are so grateful for the support we’ve been shown by the parents who have been with Kudos from the start, and those who have discovered us through the show,” says Saigal. “Not only did we more than double our business in one weekend, but we also welcomed a whole new set of consumers dedicated to the same mission that we have of promoting a toxin-free and plastic-free future for the next generation.”
Because of the experience, Kudos also saw a lot of inbound interest from the Shark Tank audience for applying its Kudos technology to products for adult incontinence.
“In our research before launching Kudos, what really stood out to us was how much parents care (as they should!) about the materials touching baby’s skin,” Saigal explains. “And when it comes to what’s touching baby’s skin, no material is better than cotton. There’s a reason that the doctor recommends cotton underwear for adults, just like there’s a reason that all the best baby clothes are made from 100% cotton.”
Cotton is naturally soft, breathable and hypoallergenic. It is also naturally very absorbent. “This aspect of cotton can be a double-edged sword,” Saigal says. “On the one hand cotton soaks up moisture fast, but on the other hand you need to figure out how to get that moisture out of the cotton and into the core of the diaper. That’s where our patent-pending and award winning DoubleDry tech comes in.”
Kudos’ DoubleDry technology features two layers of absorption and thousands of funnels built in to funnel moisture away from baby’s bum and into the core of the diaper so that baby’s skin can stay dry.
Kudos’ ultimate goal is to become the No. 1 eco-friendly consumer absorbents company in the world, Saigal says. “Diapers are just the start.”
Last year the company also launched baby wipes made with Veocel Lyocell fibers, and next it will be turning its attention to training pants (applying its DoubleDry technology) and adult diapers in the future.
Dyper (Baby Diapers)
Dyper continues to transform itself following the launch of its bamboo-based compostable baby diaper.In August, Dyper introduced Charcoal Enhanced Diapers, featuring a black topsheet infused with 3% charcoal from Bamboo, which is known for its filtering and odor-fighting properties.
The inner core of the diaper, which was made in Japan, features plant-derived materials and is textured to wick liquid away from baby’s skin and lock it in the diaper’s core. The diaper closures have been redesigned to provide an effortless fit and easy re-adjustments, thanks to a large attachment area on the front of the diaper. The packaging is made from renewable materials.
Dyper Charcoal Enhanced Diapers have undergone rigorous independent testing and are Certified Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX for the absence of harmful substances. They are hypoallergenic and feature a plant-based inner layer to lock away moisture and help keep little ones dry and comfortable. Made with FSC Certified wood pulp and without chlorine, natural rubber latex, alcohol, TBT, parabens, or phthalates, they’re soft, absorbent and safe – no dyes, prints or fragrances.
“We’re thrilled to announce Dyper Charcoal Enhanced Diapers – the same Simply Kind diaper, sourcing and materials, but with style. It’s not just a diaper, it’s a fashion statement for trend-setters and eco-warriors alike,” says Sergio Radovcic, founder and CEO of Dyper. “With its rebellious color and kind ingredients, this is sure to stand out from the crowd – just like your kiddo.”
Dyper also introduced a charcoal enhanced baby wipe, which is hypoallergenic, made with 100% plant-based materials, and enhanced with a bit of activated charcoal. They are 98% pure water and made without alcohol, perfumes, or parabens. They also feature an embossed texture for more thorough cleaning and are available in a larger size for easier clean-up.
Dyper’s original bamboo-based baby diaper has also been improved, now featuring a thinner absorbent core and sizing optimized for comfort and fit—without sacrificing absorbency or performance. The new diaper remains a certified USDA BioPreferred 55% Product, DermaTest 5 star rated, Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certified and made with wood pulp certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The company now also utilizes manufacturing in North America to ensure a reduced carbon footprint, improved shipping lead times and a more promising innovation pipeline.
Freestyle (Baby Diapers)
Launched in 2023, Freestyle baby diapers has set itself apart in the market by developing a baby diaper engineered with a proprietary 100% tree-free BambooTek core, unlike most other diapers that feature tree-based fluff pulp. BambooTek technology is a 100% organic bamboo core free of harsh chemicals and bleaches. Freestyle also collaborates with artists to incorporate artistic designs onto all of its diapers, making an often-monotonous task a bit more colorful.The company’s founders, Mike Constantiner and Russ Wallace, teamed up after they were both trying to figure out what they wanted to do next professionally. Wallace previously worked at another diaper brand. “We started talking about different opportunities as parents in the baby care and parenting space, and talking about brands,” Constantiner recalls. “Russ had a relationship with a supplier from his previous company, which we picked up a conversation with, and there was an opportunity to develop a very unique product.”
According to Constantiner, every other diaper on the market uses tree pulp in the core, which, depending on the diaper, is roughly 30-35% of the material in the product. “We’ve seen reports that upwards of one billion trees could be cut down a year to support the global diaper market, and we thought that it was a really interesting opportunity to instead of using tree pulp to work with bamboo from an organic farm.”
After exploring the opportunity, Constantiner and Wallace entered into an R&D process with the supplier, and after developing what they thought was a really good diaper product, built a brand that focuses on the youthfulness and creativity that goes into parenting. “That was really the impetus of Freestyle,” he says. “We felt like there was an opportunity to create a diaper that checks all the boxes. Most importantly it performs well. It also has some unique innovation on the sustainability side that it isn’t just greenwashing—there is material impact while not affecting performance—and we’re able to offer it at a price point that’s acceptable to most families.”
On the technology side, Wallace says the bamboo-based core is a drier pulp. “The job of the fluff pulp in the diaper is to spread the moisture around so that the moisture can reach the super absorbent polymer which does the heavy lifting,” he says. “In our case, it turns out that using bamboo instead of wood pulp has a material and performance impact.”
Freestyle had its baby diapers lab tested at SGS in preparation for conversations with some big box retailers and, according to the company, it outperformed in absorption capacity and moisture retention compared to some of the biggest brands in the natural diaper space.
In September, Freestyle BambooTek Diapers expanded with a launch into Whole Foods stores nationwide and online.
“We are thrilled to be on shelves at Whole Foods, a brand that shares Freestyle’s commitment to quality and sustainability,” says Wallace. “This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our company history, opening doors to a nationwide audience of modern parents who value high-performance, eco-friendly baby care products at accessible prices. With Whole Foods’ generous support, we plan to keep launching innovative, sustainable products that empower young parents to challenge the status quo and create their own unique parenting journey.”
In addition to the launch, Freestyle’s BambooTek Diapers were selected as a Good Housekeeping 2023 Parenting Award recipient.
Attn: Grace (Adult Incontinence)
In the incontinence space, Attn: Grace, which offers a line of incontinence pads, liners and briefs that feature plant-based backsheets as well as 100% plant-based topsheets, continues on a path of growth.Since it launched in 2020, Attn: Grace has added two new products to its incontinence line—Ultimate Pads that offer maximum protection for day and night, and its All Natural Barrier Cream that soothes, protects and restores skin that’s at-risk due to excessive dryness or prolonged wetness. “Both were developed in response to feedback from our community and have been hugely successful,” says Alexandra Fennell, co-founder and co-CEO, Attn: Grace.
Additionally, in 2023 the company launched its products in over 1500 Walmart stores nationwide and on Walmart.com.
“Offering Attn: Grace products at Walmart is a huge step in raising awareness around incontinence and increasing accessibility to high-performing, skin-safe products women can trust. We were originally inspired to start Attn: Grace because I had seen my mom struggling with conventional incontinence products that she described as bulky and uncomfortable, and that irritated her skin badly. Making our products accessible to the millions of women who shop at Walmart every day is such a huge milestone for us,” says Mia Abbruzzese, co-founder and co-CEO.
In July, the company announced $2 million in new funding to fuel further growth. Led by For Later, the oversubscribed round also saw participation from Flybridge, as well as existing investors, including Kapor Capital, Portfolia, Ingeborg Investments and Commonwealth.
This funding secured by Attn: Grace, as well as its recent launch into national big-box retail, speaks to the growing demand for more natural, high-performing solutions in this category, the company says. “We’re thrilled to secure this additional investment and to continue expanding the impact we’re having in the incontinence care market,” says Abbruzzese. Fennell adds: “We hear stories from our customers every day about the difference our products are making in their day to day routines, and ultimately in their overall quality of life. We’re incredibly excited to continue driving our mission forward and increasing access to solutions that don’t force women to compromise on comfort, performance or their larger values.”
Looking ahead, Attn: Grace aims to further expand its distribution network and reach a wider audience of women seeking reliable, skin-safe, and more eco-friendly incontinence care.
Sequel (Period Care)
A completely novel technology in the tampon category received the 2023 Hygienix Innovation Award. The Sequel Spiral Tampon by Sequel features a proprietary spiral design that is engineered to be more fluid mechanically efficient, meaning it is designed to absorb more evenly and not leak before it’s full.In August 2023, the Sequel Spiral Tampon received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medical device and the company will now begin a series of consumer trials, with broad availability expected in the first quarter of this year. Approval from the FDA marks a critical step in enabling Sequel to bring its tampon–which is designed to be more comfortable and less prone to leakage–to market and reinvigorate a space that has been flooded with private label newcomers, but little product differentiation.
Greta Meyer, co-founder and CEO of Sequel, is a former Stanford University division one lacrosse player and developed the tampon design concept with co-founder Amanda Calabrese, also an elite athlete, in response to demand for a more reliable and comfortable tampon. Sequel has a manufacturing partnership with feminine hygiene manufacturer Albaad.
Sequel has been granted 11 patents in the U.S. and globally with seven additional patents pending internationally. They have developed a proprietary manufacturing method that enabled them to scale up quickly and transition from proof-of-concept manual manufacturing to automatic manufacturing.
August (Period Care)
Period care brand August, a gender-inclusive and sustainable period care brand that first launched direct-to-consumer in June 2021, has been in expansion mode.In October the company announced it was the official period care partner of Equinox, the luxury fitness club, and is now supplying tampons, pads and liners in all fitness clubs across the country.
August provides essential period care products made from 100% ethically-sourced cotton to club members, ensuring they have a variety of pads, tampons and liners for anyone who menstruates. All of August’s products are toxin-free, hypoallergenic, and FDA-approved. August believes in full transparency, not only in the production and materials of their products, but also in the use. It has set out to end the stigma around periods and partnering with Equinox allows for a high-quality gym experience, to be paired with a high-quality period experience. The products will be cased in an exclusive new packaging, only available in clubs.
This partnership comes on the heels of August’s milestone of now being present in over 100+ schools in the country, starting from elementary and up. Not only do they provide products, August provides schools with free educational materials about menstrual hygiene.
The company also launched into over 400 Target stores across the U.S. in 2023. This marked the brand’s first entry into physical retail stores.
Nadya Okamoto, one of the co-founders of August, had worked for years in the period advocacy space as a nonprofit leader and a consultant, as well as an author. “I kept feeling frustrations on roadblocks on how to change culture and influence the industry and felt that many of them could be solved if I had the opportunity to build a socially conscious and period positive brand that really centered transparency and sustainability. And that is what August is,” Okamoto says. “We are a gender inclusive period care brand that prides itself on leading with transparency, and an interest in changing the culture around periods. It’s ridiculous how much period stigma still exists today…and I think August really exists to be able to shatter that period stigma.”
Hempress (Period Care)
In June, the key assets of U.S.-based period care brand Hempress Hygienics, including IP rights, trademarks and patents, were acquired by iCotton, a Latvian cotton-based products manufacturer. The transaction sets iCotton’s footprint in the U.S. market in-line with its strategy aimed at producing natural fiber-based hygiene products sold in Europe and exported internationally. iCotton’s goal is to become one of the leading hemp-based and natural fiber-based products suppliers in the U.S. and Europe.iCotton currently owns a 66% stake in Harper Hygienics SA, which is leading producer of skin-cleaning cosmetic and hygiene products in Poland.
Hempress launched its initial line in August, which includes the market’s first 100% organic hemp and cotton-based day pads, night pads, liners, swabs, cosmetic pads and silicone menstrual cups.
“We’re so excited to introduce consumers and retailers to the power of hemp via our intentional and sustainable product line,” said Hempress co-founder and CEO Marilyn Austin. “Our goal is to create a positive impact with products that will transform, but not disrupt people’s preferences and routines. We recognize that consumers prefer disposable personal care products and are proud to have created sustainable, disposable alternatives that prioritize both user health and that of the environment. By utilizing hemp, we have tapped into a remarkable natural resource that aligns with our commitment to fostering healthier and more conscious lifestyles—leveraging the ancient wisdom of hemp to solve modern day problems.”
Founded in 2019, Hempress intentionally reimagines the personal care items used every day to be 100% organic, biodegradable and regenerative—reinforcing the connection between humans and the greater ecosystem. The brand is passionate about inspiring a wider industry shift towards hemp-based products free from synthetic fibers and plastics, as hemp is water efficient, anti-microbial, carbon negative, non-toxic, replenishes soil with key nutrients and offers the benefit of breathability for the user.
All Hempress Hygienics products are Oeko-Tex class one certified, rigorously tested, gynecologist and dermatologist-approved, hypoallergenic, and free from fragrance and dye.
Rif care (Period Care)
Rif care, another brand of hemp-based period care products, recently added tampons and reusable period underwear to its lineup. The company initially launched a line of hemp-based sanitary pads in 2022. Made with organic cotton, Rif care’s tampons feature a non-shed nonwoven security veil on the outside to prevent fibers from shedding inside the body. The brand is currently working on developing this part of the product using hemp fibers. Meanwhile, Rif care’s Period Leakproof Underwear PFA-Free is made with a custom natural fiber blend of regenerative hemp fiber, organic cotton, and Tencel (Eucalyptus).Val Emanuel, Rif care’s founder and CEO, says the brand plans to continue to try to make its products with more and more hemp fiber. In the pads, hemp is currently only in the topsheet, but the brand is also working on getting hemp into the inside of the pads and finding a stable supplier for hemp-pulp.
Rif care’s reusable underwear can absorb two regular tampons or two pads worth of fluid. “I’m someone who is a super heavy bleeder, so this was really important for me because it doesn’t matter what product it is; if I’m going out of the house for eight hours, I always need back up protection,” Emanuel says.
Also, Emanuel couldn’t find anything on the market that didn’t feel diaper-like when it came to reusable period underwear, and another of her concerns was that a lot of brands have made them with materials that she believes aren’t so great. “There are companies that have come out with organic cotton ones, and those are cool, but we wanted to make something that was kind of in between, where it still has the high performance of what some of the nylon and polyester ones have done but is also made with hemp. As much as we love disposables, we see a huge opportunity in reusables.”