This week, Pinkie, a feminine care company devoted to creating solutions for the youngest menstruators, will expand its retail presence to 1300 Walmart stores across the U.S. The preteen-focused organic period care line was developed by two New York City-based mothers frustrated by the lack of options for their daughters in the feminine care aisle. It is already one of Amazon’s fastest selling fem care lines and has been available in Target stores since 2023.
 
“When it came time for us to start discussing period care products for our daughters, we were shocked at the selection—there were the same options we had in the 90s,” says co-founder Sana Clegg. “For years, big-name brands have relabeled their products for teens but have failed to consider the size difference between a tween and an adult woman. Others who offer slightly smaller sizes don’t offer organic or natural ingredients on store shelves.”
 
Clegg, a former investment banker and publics relations executive as well as the co-founder of a successful children’s sleepwear brand, founded Pinkie with Fiona Simmonds, who also has experience in investment banking and working with start ups. The pair met as parents at their daughters’ school and together saw a need to normalize period conversation with tweens and create products that meet the needs of young girls, not grown women.
 
Pinkie pads—named for the smallest finger on the hand— offer mini and small sizes measuring smaller than other organic competitors to offer better fit and comfort for tweens and teens. Pinkie also appeals to Generation Alpha with fun branding and packaging like a striped draw string disposal pad and bright colors.
 
“ We loved the idea of the “Pinkie Promise” as our motto for going along on the puberty journey with our customers and offering a safe space for advice, hacks, and answers to all puberty and period questions,” Clegg adds.
 
Despite the smaller size, Pinkie pads don’t sacrifice on absorbency with levels ranging from 30-80 millileters, or the equivalent of 16 tampons, dependent on the size. Design features include leak-guarded wings, an organic cotton top sheet and a plant-based Japanese superabsorbent core.
 
“Pinkie is all about empowering young girls to feel confident and comfortable in their bodies, especially during puberty when everything is changing, and the confidence gap is getting wider,” Clegg says.

According to studies, puberty in girls is starting earlier, with the the average age of the first signs of puberty having dropped about three months each decade since the 1970s. Based on these estimates and the newer starting age for puberty, girls in the U.S. are more likely to get their period around 12 years old than in previous generations.
 
In advance of the Walmart launch, Pinkie redesigned its packaging to feature colorful and fun boxes for its three sizes (mini, small and regular) as well as a combo pack of pads and a period prep pouch. Each pad is sub packaged in a striped drawstring baggy that doubles a clean and easy way to dispose pads after use.
 
“We created the slip-out baggie to eliminate that extra noise when handling the pads, really giving girls the opportunity to own their period experience and feel comfortable opening and disposing of their pads,” Clegg explains. 
 
 A key challenge in developing Pinkie was finding a manufacturer that would accommodate the smaller sized pads. “Creating the perfect-fitting pad required measuring underwear for sizes 8 to 14 years, as well as a precisely curated marketing strategy that speaks directly to Gen Alpha through our engaging TikTok and Instagram social channels and dynamic packaging that stands out on feminine care shelves,” says Clegg. 
 
To achieve this, Pinkie works closely with its manufacturers, logistics teams, and retail partners to keep margins competitive, which allowed the brand to lower its price point to $8.99 from $9.99 for a box of 18 pads.