Natural Hygiene Market Evolves

Plant-based hygiene products are rapidly moving mainstream even as the category itself remains vaguely defined, with consumers increasingly buying into wellness and skin-health messaging rather than sustainability alone.

Across menstrual care, baby diapers and adult incontinence, plant-based positioning has become an increasingly prominent feature of product development and marketing strategies. Brands now routinely spotlight cotton top sheets, plant-derived ingredients and “made without” claims aimed at consumers seeking products perceived as safer, gentler or more transparent. 

Liying Qian, global insight manager – Tissue and Hygiene at Euromonitor International, says that wellness and health remain front and center for consumers considering natural or plant-based products, with demand driven by both physical benefits like skin health and psychological factors such as mental well-being.

“Younger consumers in particular see period care as part of a broader wellness and self-care ecosystem, and want products that reflect their values and lifestyles. At the same time, we’re seeing people of all ages embrace more intentional choices around their cycles.”

—Dana Cohen, chief marketing officer at natural period care brand Cora

Consumers are also drawn to products with ingredients and claims they can more easily understand and intuitively interpret, Qian adds, and plant-based positioning helps solve that piece of the puzzle, connecting a product ingredient with something that consumers are familiar with.

Euromonitor uses the “natural” claim as a proxy to measure the growth and size of the plant-based category, and while it remains a relatively small segment of the overall absorbent hygiene industry, Qian says it’s growing steadily. Over the 2020–2024 period, the natural segment outpaced the broader category by a significant margin.

Yet even measuring the category is complicated, with no clear consensus on what counts as “plant-based” and different shades of the term still under debate. “‘Natural’ claims, too, have come under scrutiny, with questions over what is truly natural and whether consumers can trust the claim,” she says.

Despite an unclear consensus on what plant-based really is, manufacturers and brands across hygiene categories continue to see strong consumer interest.

Isabelle Vermeersch, innovation manager at Ontex, a manufacturer of absorbent hygiene products, says interest in bio-based materials is clearly increasing, but it is not yet translating into significant market growth. “The say-do gap remains evident: consumers say they want more natural materials, but ultimately choose based on reliable performance, price and softness,” she says.

In today’s macroeconomic context, these expectations are still most consistently met by products using fossil-based nonwovens at a more accessible price point, Vermeersch explains. At the same time, years of product lightweighting, primarily through reducing bio-based fluff pulp, have increased the relative share of fossil-based plastics in hygiene products. “If we want to drive real change, we need to move beyond the idea that products must be either fully bio-based or high-performing and affordable,” she continues. “In reality, progress comes from combining both.” 

Ontex’s strategy combines credible and affordable bio-based innovations with actions that deliver measurable impact, such as increasing recycled content and advancing scalable circular systems. “This is what enables us to deliver solutions that are not only desirable and affordable, but also meaningfully more sustainable,” Vermeersch says.

The company has long used organic‑certified cotton across several categories—from cotton tampons to ultratowels and pantyliners with cotton nonwovens, and baby diapers with cotton‑enhanced nonwovens in its premium and eco ranges, according to Bart Jansen, expert innovation and sustainability at Ontex. “It’s a material consumers trust and value, and today 97% of the cotton we source is certified organic (GOTS),” he says.

The company is also exploring several other types of bio‑based materials, mainly for feminine care, but Jansen says introducing newer bio-based materials beyond cotton remains challenging due to limited supply chains, inconsistent quality and uncertain consumer familiarity.

In 2025, Ontex introduced bioSAP in Moltex Pure & Nature baby diapers. This new material replaces virgin fossil-based plastic SAP in the core absorbent component, helping lower the carbon footprint of the product while maintaining performance. 

SAP (superabsorbent polymer) is essential to diaper performance yet is traditionally made from fossil-based plastic. It is also one of the most carbon-intensive components in hygiene products. The bioSAP now being introduced has a 15% to 25% lower carbon footprint than conventional SAP, with a promising outlook as the technology continues to evolve. 

Ontex’s Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions are largely driven by raw materials, which account for approximately 80% of the total footprint across sourcing, production and end-of-life waste treatment. Materials such as SAP and plastic synthetic nonwovens represent about half of these emissions.

The shift to bioSAP is an important step toward Ontex achieving its SBTi-validated target to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030. While it is initially rolled out to selected products under the Moltex Pure & Nature brand, Ontex’s baby diaper brand available in retailers and online across Europe, the development also lays the groundwork for broader application. This includes future products and offerings for retail partners.

The conventional SAP available in the market is currently not recyclable or industrially compostable. However, Ontex views biodegradable SAP as a key enabler for multiple circular solutions in the future. The company continues to monitor innovations in this area closely, while remaining realistic about current limitations.

“Consumers today want sustainable products that don’t compromise on affordability, quality, or comfort,” says Laurent Nielly, president of Ontex’s Europe division. “By taking this step now, we’re laying the groundwork for future breakthroughs.”

Hygiene and health company Essity is also exploring bio-based superabsorbents. Earlier this year, the company announced it is participating in PROTEUS, a flagship project supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and its members. The project pioneers the development of bio-based superabsorbents derived from sustainably harvested brown macroalgae. As part of this initiative, Essity evaluates new bio-based raw materials for use in products such as baby diapers, feminine care and incontinence products, aiming to reduce the reliance on fossil-based plastics and minimize environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle.

Essity, through its collaboration in the PROTEUS project, is evaluating algae-based raw materials, specifically from Laminaria hyperborea, an underutilized European brown macroalgae, a sustainable and renewable alternative for absorbent hygiene and medical products.

“Continuous innovation is essential to improve people’s hygiene, health and well-being and to contribute to a more sustainable and circular society,” says Anke Renz, vice president research & development, Essity. “We actively collaborate with established suppliers and start-ups to access, develop and implement innovative and sustainable materials for our current and future products.” 

The initiative supports the sustainable production of bio-based ingredients from Laminaria hyperborea, helping meet increasing demand in areas like hygiene and health. Thanks to state-of-the-art, formaldehyde-free technology, the process can use almost the entire algae biomass, far more than the roughly 15% currently utilized in the industry. Operations are further optimized with a hybrid electric vessel, which lowers emissions and reduces environmental impact.

Efforts to replace fossil-based absorbent materials are also extending beyond large hygiene manufacturers. Elea & Lili, a deep-tech startup originating from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, is commercializing a cellulose-based alternative designed to replace fossil-based superabsorbent polymers in disposable diapers at an industrial scale, without compromising performance.

Elea & Lili has raised €2.5 million in seed funding to industrialize its patented Cellulose Super Absorbent (CSA)—a microplastic-free, biodegradable alternative to conventional superabsorbent polymers. VTT has transferred the underlying technology and IP to the newly established company.

The company’s first commercial applications target disposable diapers and agriculture, which both currently depend on fossil-based absorbent materials that generate long-lasting plastic waste and microplastic pollution. It is working with leading cellulose and biomaterials companies to scale CSA from pilot to industrial production. These partnerships support the company’s ambition to build a new global material category. 

The funding was led by Lifeline Ventures and will accelerate pilot production, industrial partnerships, regulatory validation and first commercial launches in the U.S. and Europe.  

CSA, made from cellulose, is biodegradable and microplastic-free, compatible with existing diaper production lines, and demonstrates absorption performance comparable to conventional SAP. The material has undergone safety and skin compatibility testing in accordance with relevant ISO standards. 

In agriculture, superabsorbent polymers are widely used to retain water and improve nutrient efficiency. The fossil-based polymers in current products are mixed directly into the soil, resulting in permanent plastics ending up in farmland. From 2028 onwards, EU regulation will restrict the use of fossil-based plastic components that persist in soil. CSA provides a biodegradable solution for water retention, reduced irrigation demand, improved nutrient delivery and regenerative agriculture solutions—without leaving persistent plastic residues in soil.

“Hygiene and agriculture are equally strategic entry points for us,” says Tatu Miettinen, CEO and co-founder. “In both markets, absorbent materials are mission-critical components – and today they are fossil-based. We are replacing them with a scalable biomaterial.” 

Inertia, a South Korean femtech company, is already using a patented, plant-derived alternative to the synthetic SAP typically used in feminine pad cores.

Founded in 2021 by female scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Inertia set out to address what it saw as a longstanding limitation in disposable period care: while visible materials evolved, the absorbent core remained largely unchanged. Instead of reformulating only the surface layer, the company engineered a bio-based core designed to replace the synthetic interior widely used across the category.

This resulted in the launch of Prism Pads, which use Inertia’s Labocell core technology, a cellulose-based absorbent matrix engineered to manage menstrual flow while remaining lightweight, breathable and flexible.

“Although many products today emphasize natural materials, in reality, most sanitary pads only use organic cotton in the top cover layer, while the internal absorbent core still relies heavily on synthetic polymers and conventional pulp-based structures,” says Inertia co-founder and CEO Hyoyi Kim.

When developing Prism Pads, Inertia sought to rethink both material transparency and absorbent performance from the ground up. As a result, Kim says the pads were designed using organic cotton nonwoven materials across multiple structural components, including the cover and wings, ensuring that the parts that directly touch the body are made from natural fibers.

At the same time, the brand developed Labocell technology to improve fluid absorption and distribution within the absorbent core. Within the absorbent layer, organic cotton is combined with the Labocell material, creating a structure that balances natural fiber comfort with advanced absorption performance.

“Our goal was to create a product that goes beyond surface-level material claims and instead integrates both natural materials and new absorbent technology into the overall design of the pad,” she says.

Developed by Inertia’s research team, Labocell is based on a cellulose-derived polymer hydrogel matrix. While many conventional absorbent cores rely on SAP particles or fiber-based pulp structures, Labocell works through a different mechanism.

“When liquid enters the absorbent layer, it diffuses into the porous hydrogel matrix and becomes trapped within the crosslinked three-dimensional network of the polymer, allowing the material to hold fluid efficiently without relying on particulate SAP,” Kim explains.

The organic cotton provides a soft, breathable structural layer, while Labocell enhances the pad’s ability to absorb and distribute fluid within the core. “As a result, the absorption performance of the pad is driven primarily by the hydrogel matrix inside the core rather than a traditional nonwoven fiber absorbent structure,” she adds. “This approach allows us to combine natural fiber materials with advanced absorbent technology in a single structure.”

From a functional standpoint, Labocell serves the same fundamental purpose as SAP: absorbing and retaining fluid within the absorbent core of the product. However, Kim says most conventional SAP materials have historically been optimized for distilled water absorption, which differs significantly from menstrual fluid in terms of viscosity, cellular content and flow behavior.

Labocell was engineered to perform effectively under the conditions of menstrual blood absorption. “Cellulose-based absorbent systems have long been explored as potential alternatives to SAP,” Kim explains. “In practice, however, their commercialization has been limited due to relatively low gel strength and higher material costs, which make it difficult to achieve both structural stability and manufacturing feasibility in hygiene products.”

Inertia’s research focused on overcoming these limitations by designing a cellulose-based absorbent structure optimized for menstrual fluid. Through this approach, the scientists were able to achieve practical absorption and retention performance while maintaining product stability and manufacturability.

Inertia has already established a significant commercial presence in its home market and is now entering the U.S. Since launching in South Korea, the brand has sold more than 10 million pads and established a strong retail and e-commerce presence. The company saw the U.S. as a natural next step for international expansion.

“In recent years, consumers in the U.S. have shown increasing interest in material transparency, product safety and innovation in feminine care products,” Kim says. “Many consumers are paying closer attention to what materials are used in products that come into direct contact with the body.”

---

Product Expansions

Brands across the absorbent hygiene market are continuing to expand plant-based product offerings with a growing focus on comfort, skin health and lifestyle-specific needs.

In February, Kimberly-Clark’s Kotex brand unveiled a completely reimagined lineup of pads and liners. Each new Kotex pad is powered by Gravity Core technology, which rapidly pulls blood to the bottom of the pad, to help women feel clean, dry and protected. Gravity Core is a part of the brand’s 5X System with LeakShield, which delivers breathability, odor control, dryness, fit and reliable leak protection.

Among the new offerings are Kotex Bamboo Ultra Thin Pads, featuring an ultra-soft viscose top layer made from organically grown bamboo. Providing comfort while maintaining protection, Kotex Bamboo is dermatologist tested, made without fragrance and free of synthetic pesticides, and is available in Regular, Heavy and Night Defense Ultra Thin pads, as well as liners.

According to the Kimberly-Clark team, bamboo viscose is known for being soft, breathable and silky, which is why it’s seen in clothing and personal care products, like Kotex. 

The multinational hygiene producer says the category continues to evolve as innovation and consumer expectations shift, and plant-based materials are part of that broader evolution. The company is seeing ongoing exploration across the industry as brands look at different ways to reimagine absorbent products, from materials to manufacturing approaches.

In April, Cora expanded its lineup with two new products. Its Applicator-Free Tampon offers first-of-its-kind, sleek, pocket-sized protection made from 100% organic cotton. The smooth outer layer made from organic cotton enhances comfort, while a rounded tip allows for easier insertion. Additionally, a W-style design expands width-wise to provide reliable leak protection.

Cora also introduced the Less-is-More Thong Liner, which offers discreet, flexible protection for daily use, light days, or backup support. While thong liners are a top-performing category, clean ingredient options have been limited until now, the company says.

The liner features a thong-friendly silhouette, edge-to-edge adhesive with stay-put wings and a 100% organic cotton topsheet for breathable comfort. A quick-absorbing core helps keep users feeling fresh throughout the day. Made without chlorine, fragrance, or dyes, it is hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested.

Cohen says both innovations came directly from listening to the brand’s community. “Both launches reflect what we’ve always believed; innovation in this category should serve real people, not just check a box,” she says.

Rif care also recently launched a plant-based thong panty liner. The brand’s liner uses a breathable blend of organic hemp and organic cotton fibers, which naturally resist odor and bacteria while keeping the body dry throughout the day.

Ideal for everyday wear, workouts, or for extra protection while wearing a thong, the liners help maintain balance without trapping heat or moisture, resulting in a cleaner, more natural way to care for the body.

The non-toxic and fragrance-free liners are made without petroleum-based plastic films, dyes, or synthetic fragrances, and are packaged in biodegradable plant-based packing and wrappers.

Rif care uses bioplastics to replace petroleum-based plastic films that are used in liners to prevent leakage. “We love seeing how sugars and other plant fibers can now be processed into materials that perform like plastic,” says Val Emanuel, Rif care’s founder and CEO.

In fact, she says Rif care conducted a test in the Amazon rainforest showing how the PLA materials used for the backsheet and wrappers can break down within 90 days without compromising leak protection while they are worn.

“There have been biodegradable and flushable pads on the market before, but many of the reviews said they broke apart in your underwear,” she says. “We could not compromise on our leak-proof promise by doing something like that. Nothing is perfect, but using plant-based materials is definitely an upgrade from petroleum-based plastic.”

Another period care brand, tween- and teen-focused brand Pinkie, has launched its first-ever organic cotton tampons, available in two multi-pack varieties. Offered in light, regular and super absorbencies, the 100% organic cotton tampons provide up to eight hours of leak protection.

Featuring smooth, slim, full-length BPA-free applicators with an anti-slip textured grip for easy insertion, the tampons are toxin-free (no rayon, chlorine, dyes, or fragrance), gentle for sensitive skin and have been extensively tested, both gynecologically and dermatologically.

Founded in 2022, Pinkie first launched with organic, appropriately-sized pads for tweens and teens. Pinkie co-founder Sana Clegg says that teen and pre-teen consumers have fundamentally different needs from adult users because they are at the very beginning of their menstruation journey — physically, emotionally and behaviorally. 

“Younger girls are typically smaller in body size, more active throughout the day and often experiencing lighter or more unpredictable flows, which means adult-sized pads can feel bulky, uncomfortable and intimidating,” she explains. “Fit and comfort matter significantly more at this stage because a poor product experience can directly impact confidence at school, sports participation, sleepovers and other everyday activities.”

The brand expanded into tampons because it wanted to continue growing with its customers throughout their menstrual journey. “As girls become more comfortable managing their periods, many begin exploring tampons during their early teen years — particularly around ages 12–15 — driven by sports, swimming, convenience and increased confidence managing menstruation independently,” Clegg says. “We knew that if we wanted to keep her within the Pinkie ecosystem as she matured, we needed to create tampons that delivered the same level of trust, safety and thoughtful design as our pads.”

At the same time, Pinkie was hearing consistent demand directly from its community. Parents, caregivers and tweens and teens across its social channels, website and blogs were actively asking for Pinkie tampons, she adds. 

Pinkie tampons are also supported with educational resources designed to help younger users feel informed and confident as they transition into new stages of their menstrual journey. An informational pamphlet is included inside each box, featuring easy-to-understand language for first-time tampon users, tips and FAQs, along with links to instructional videos. Including this ensures users feel comfortable and educated to take on using tampons, the brand says.

Pinkie Organic Tampons are available in a Light + Regular Multipack 36-count and a Regular + Super Multipack 36-count. 

In baby care, plant-based positioning continues to center heavily around skin sensitivity and ingredient safety.

Pura recently introduced a new newborn diaper size designed to deliver softness, comfort and a secure fit for the earliest days of life. The diapers are enhanced with organic cotton and feature an umbilical cord cutout and wetness indicator. They are also totally chlorine-free and made without fragrance, lotion, parabens, phthalates or natural rubber latex.

The brand is seeing strong and growing demand for plant-based baby diapers from parents who are becoming far more conscious about what touches their baby’s skin. “Consumers today are increasingly aware of skin health and the importance of using products that are clean, gentle and responsibly made,” says Matt Moreland, Pura sustainability director. “Babies’ skin is much more delicate than adults’, and many parents are surprised to learn that some traditional baby care products still contain chemicals that were introduced decades ago and have since been linked by scientists to allergies and skin irritation.”

Pura’s diapers are designed to meet Environmental Working Group (EWG) standards and are currently going through the verification process.

Moreland says parents are actively seeking products that are completely chlorine free, toxin-free and made with plant-based and naturally derived materials wherever possible. Pura’s products are specifically designed for sensitive, newborn, allergy-prone and eczema-prone skin, and every product is vetted to meet strict safety standards backed by science, he adds. “While environmental impact absolutely matters to modern parents, we find that baby health and skin safety remain the number one priority. Most parents appreciate brands that are making responsible choices for the planet, but only if performance and safety come first.”

The brand believes the market for clean and conscious hygiene products will continue to grow significantly over the next few years as consumers become more educated about ingredients, sustainability and product safety. “GenZ parents in particular are increasingly looking for brands that align with their values around health, transparency and environmental responsibility,” Moreland explains. “We expect to see continued demand for products that combine strong performance with cleaner ingredients and greater transparency around sourcing and manufacturing. Certifications and third-party validation will also become increasingly important as parents seek reassurance that products are genuinely safe and responsibly made.”

---

Expanding the Algaeverse

Germany-based Vyld, which develops seaweed-based absorbent hygiene products, recently expanded its so-called “Algaeverse” with a pilot project for menstrual pads made with seaweed fibers. The company previously developed the Kelpon, which it describes as the world’s first tampon made from seaweed, as well as Vyndel, a compostable diaper insert.

The diaper project emerged in part from a desire to move away from conventional petroleum-based hygiene materials, the company says.

“Baby diapers still contain highly unsustainable materials, from plastic leak guards and elastics to petroleum-based superabsorbent polymers in the core,” says Melanie Schichan, co-founder of Vyld. “We wanted to challenge that status quo and develop an option that can work without those harmful, fossil-based components.”

Schichan says the diaper project was also an important step toward developing nonwovens. “After developing and patenting the Kelpon, we wanted to understand how seaweed-based materials could perform in products like diapers, which are far more complex due to their multi-layered construction,“ she explains. “We were able to develop a nonwoven suitable for diapers relatively quickly, and based on its material properties, we defined it as the core of the diaper insert, in our case the Vyndel.“

The Vyndel project generated important learnings for the company, and it has now translated that knowledge around nonwovens into new ideas for developing seaweed-based panty liners and menstrual pads. “Developing a diaper insert forced us to understand absorbent products as engineered, multi-layer systems,” Schichan says.

While working on the Vyndel project, Vyld learned what seaweed can contribute within a nonwoven structure, where its advantages are strongest, and what kind of challenges can emerge depending on which layer the material sits in.

It also made the company realize how much room there is to experiment across nonwoven technologies. “Depending on the process, you can engineer very different properties, which means seaweed can potentially play a role in different layers of a product,” she explains.

Additionally, Schichan says one key finding emerged consistently: seaweed should be in contact with the skin. “It is simply incredibly pleasant to wear, and that comfort is a key part of performance in menstrual care.”

Since the end of last year, supported by a grant for industrial research by the IBB, Vyld has been taking a closer look at pad applications and is now working towards a product concept that includes at least three layers made from seaweed.

Stay up to date with all Nonwovens Industry content by subscribing to our newsletter.