Last month, U.K. retailer Boots became the latest major retailer to rename its feminine hygiene category. Moving forward, items like pads, liners and tampons will now be sold under the period products category both online and in stores. In recent years, traditional monikers for the category like feminine hygiene or sanitary protection have come under fire for insinuating that menstruation is somehow dirty or unclean and retailers are leading the way in changing this perception.

Change has been long overdue in this category which has seen a revival in recent years with new product choices, savvier marketing and more modern packaging concepts. All of these efforts are lifting the taboos around menstruation that have been in place for generations.

At the helm of these efforts in many cases are—you guessed it—women. Not only women, but young women who are demanding more choices when it comes to period care.

Last month at IDEA 2022 in Miami Beach, FL, Nonwovens Industry interviewed executives from two women-led period care start-ups, both aiming to provide more options to women. (See: nitesh_non.rodpub.com/contents/list_videos/). Both companies are founded by 20-something women who were unsatisfied with the choices on the market.

One of these start-ups, Sequel, has created a new tampon design, which offers leak-free protection thanks to a reengineered design featuring spiral grooves for even absorption. Developed by two high performing athletes and Stanford educated engineers, Sequel aims to offer women distraction-free periods. Meanwhile, Hempress Hygienics has developed hemp-based feminine hygiene products to offer women the choice of sustainable, comfortable and high performing products that are toxin free, petro plastic free, chlorine free and dye free.

These are just two new options that are soon to launch and offer more choices, changing the period products category, which has also seen the introduction of products like menstrual cups, reusable underwear, absorbent leggings, absorbent swimwear and more in recent years. With all of these changes afoot, it seems like a name change is a great idea.

Karen McIntyre
Editor
[email protected]