Green Product Review: Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Ultra-thin Pads with Wings
So far for my special week or so feature on green feminine care products we looked at a basic cons of conventional products and a review of Natracare Tampons & Pads.
First a speech:
Now the last review brought up some concerns because I said, “A tampon is a tampon” - likely some of you disagree, one person said so, but I bet there’s more of you. Here’s the deal - I’m just one girl with one type of cycle and one set of experiences so all I can say is what I know.
If you have a different experience with a product (any product) that you see here at Tree Hugging Family always feel free to leave a comment or send us an email (with your name or not) and we might post it. I say “Might” because Peggy and I think a few of the comments and emails we get are from companies not readers. If we suspect your glowing review is company based and thus biased we won’t post it. But we do value reader input.
Back to reviews:
Today I’m reviewing Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Ultra-thin Pads with Wings - I’ve only used regular absorbency. The eco and health perks from their website include:
- “Whitened without chlorine
- Ultra-thin absorbent layer
- Safer for sensitive skin
- Wheat-based absorbent core
- Contoured wings for best fit
- Secure, no-slip adhesive
- Packaging is recyclable”
They also disclose all ingredients on their website, right smack in plain view, along with their Material Safety Data Sheets, in both English and Spanish.
Ingredients include:
“Ultra-thin pads are made of a combination of absorbent materials, polyolefins, adhesives, and a silicone-coated paper. The top layer is a non-woven polyolefin cover sheet. The absorbent materials consist of chlorine free wood pulp, chlorine free airlaid fabric, and Lysorb, an absorbent gel. Lysorb, also known as SNAP (super absorbent natural polymer), is a polysaccharide derived from wheat. Polysaccharides are complex sugars found in many natural substances, like the fibers of cotton, wood, and wheat.”
Also available are:
I haven’t used any of the above. I like the Natracare Tampons which are less expensive than the Seventh Generation tampons (where I shop), so I go with those.
What I think:
I think the regular size work great, (i.e. no leaks) and they’re super thin. I’m sort of surprised they work so well, being so thin. Unlike the Natracare pads, the Seventh Generation pads actually stick to your undies. As you might guess, the fact that they stick is a huge pro. I like that the packaging is recyclable and since there’s no plastic backing in the pads, they’re more biodegradable as well. (*SEE AMENDMENT)
Price: The pads is not expensive (around $3.50-5) and often go on sale at my local grocery store, in the natural food / body section. I’ve seen the price go as low as $2.50 per package.
What I love most about Seventh Generation as a company is how forthcoming they appear; nothing is ever hidden on the female products section of their website. If you have to go with a disposable pad, I think they’re a great choice. The pads come in super and overnight as well. I don’t know about the overnight, but a pal of mine raves about the super.
Total points: 
Five out of five for an excellent product. If I was comparing them to reusable pads they’d lose points for being well, not reusable. However, since some people will never change to reusable pads, I decided to rate them purely on product merit as a greener disposable pad, which is how I rated Natracare as well.
Have you used these? What do you think?
AMENDMENT: The statement above about no plastics is incorrect and for that I apologize. If you read the comment section you’ll see that this was pointed out to me. Seventh Generation does use polyolefins in their pads, which I skipped over, or misread the first go-through. Sorry about this. I’m not sure as to the exact type of polyefins used by this company, (there are different types) but am going to try and contact them to find out. Here’s what Greenpeace says about this type of plastic, which they grade second best to bioplastics:
“Polyolefins such as Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP) are simpler polymer structures that do not need plasticizers, although they do use additives such as UV and heat stabilizers, antioxidants and in some applications flame retardants. The polyolefins pose fewer risks and have the highest potential for mechanical recycling. Both PE and PP are versatile and cheap, and can be designed to replace almost all PVC applications. PE can be made either hard, or very flexible, without the use of plasticizers. PP is easy to mold and can also be used in a wide range of applications.
In comparison with PVC, PE and PP use fewer problematic additives, have reduced leaching potential in landfills, reduced potential for dioxin formation during burning (provided that brominated/chlorinated flame retardants are not used), and reduced technical problems and costs during recycling.”
This may or may not affect your decision to use these pads - that’s your call. Frankly, as noted when we had extreme green days here, I’m on the side of using reusable pads whenever possible. (Reusable are the next review by the way). If you’re not comfortable with reusable pads or polyolefins; then let me know which pads you like in the comments.
Next up: Reviews of reusable pads.
Tags: 100% certified organic cotton tampons, additive free, chlorine free tampons, Chlorine-Free Organic Cotton Tampons, conventional cotton, conventional female products, FDA, Fragrance free tampons, green sanitary napkins, green tampons, greener tampon, insecticides, landfills, Natracare School Program, Natural Panty Liners, Nutracare pads, organic cotton, organic maxi pads, pesticides, plastic tampon applicators, Recyclable packaging, Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Ultra-thin Pads with W, Seventh Generation pads, Seventh Generation tampons, tampons on beachesRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Health & Wellness, Product Review
4 opinions for Green Product Review: Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Ultra-thin Pads with Wings
Susie Hewson
May 8, 2008 at 1:36 pm
OK - yes I am the creator and developer of Natracare feminine hygiene products and I need to make two points here. I am seeing some of the deadly sins of Greenwashing here. Bury the bad stuff in more lines for the better stuff. You If you look at the ingredient lists of 7G pads, they contain polyolefins…Crude oil plastic, and you state that what you love about them is that they do not have plastic backing! That is exactly what that is and no wonder they don’t leak, crude oil plastic backing and polypropylene, another crude oil plastic, next to your tender and sensitive skin. Try setting fire to them and watch them melt. I respect what you try to do as a freelance blogger, but understand that the information must be truthful and clear and I believe that either you did not know that Polyolyfins are crude oil plastic and that non woven polyolyfine cover sheet is crude oil derived polypropylene, how can you and 7G mislead women so easily. I spent 20 years building a brand based on truth and ecological foundations, 7G are using greenwash to convince women they are buying a green pad, and they are buying a product close on 90% crude oil plastic. I can take a point on the
glue which we use in the appropriate places on our Ultra pads to adhere the pad to underwear. The glue is the only part of the pad that is not biodegradable so we use the minimum to do the job. Note that body heat makes the glue more sticky. Synthetic fabrics are not so easy to get adhesion to, so cotton undies are more friendly for our glues. I am passionate about truth in labelling and annoyed that women can be persuaded by greenwashing and that you as a respected blogger support their claims as being honorable when the intent is to misguide with terminology that the adverage person would not be expected to understand. Polyolyfine is CRUDE OIL PLASTIC and NEVER Biodegrades. The production of plastic and polypropylene releases toxic and noxious chemicals, including dioxin, into the environment. Then the plastic gets washed on the beaches and eaten by marine life. Go see http://www.messageinthewaves.com/ for the end result of that plastic. So I apologise is the slight issue of not being too sticky is the reason the abandon the best ecological and ethical pads that are Natracare, and we are improving the glues all the time, in favour of a product that is full of plastics. Chlorine is only a part of the issues for pads and tampons, so look at all the issues and do not be misled by the large chlorine free claim as it distracts you from the extensive use of plastic in 7G pads and liners and diapers .
Jennifer
May 8, 2008 at 5:30 pm
One, I did miss the polylefin issue. I misread – or saw the word incorrectly, which is totally my bad, and I shouldn’t have said they were plastic free. I’ll amend that in both the post and round up post. I’ll also try to contact 7G to see what they have to say about being as you question, so ok with misleading women and what they have to say about this greenwashing.
Two, polylefins are not quite as bad as you note though. According to Greenpeace PEs are one step above biobased plastics, which technically, maybe 7G should use instead of PE. According to Greenpeace (and some other place that discuss plastics, “Polyolefins such as Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP) are simpler polymer structures that do not need plasticizers, although they do use additives such as UV and heat stabilizers, antioxidants and in some applications flame retardants. The polyolefins pose fewer risks and have the highest potential for mechanical recycling. Both PE and PP are versatile and cheap, and can be designed to replace almost all PVC applications. PE can be made either hard, or very flexible, without the use of plasticizers. PP is easy to mold and can also be used in a wide range of applications.
In comparison with PVC, PE and PP use fewer problematic additives, have reduced leaching potential in landfills, reduced potential for dioxin formation during burning (provided that brominated/chlorinated flame retardants are not used), and reduced technical problems and costs during recycling.”
I’m not sure of the exact PE used by 7G – I’ll ask though.
Also, you ask why I’m greenwashing and misleading women so easily. I think if you were a regular reader of this blog you’d see that there’s no way I’d do this intentionally, and that when people argue facts or let me know something they think I got wrong, that I always correct my original statement. This was one mistake pure and simple. If you’ve never made a green mistake ever, then that’s cool, but most of us are human, and just trying to help people live a little greener, everyone makes some mistakes along the way. I honestly think accusing me of greenwashing or saying that I’m intentionally misleading people is only called for if I ignore people when they comment on a mistake I may make. But I don’t do that.
The few times someone has called me out, I always address it. Also, plenty of other blogs and websites have posts up of this nature with both your products and 7G, many who have made this same mistake about 7G (I looked today) and I didn’t see you there asking why they intentionally mislead people. Greenpeace has partnered up with 7G in the past, I’m not even associated with 7G, so should we not support Greenpeace now? I think there are issues all over with the green movement; honestly, I’ll I’m doing is trying to help. Which is why I appreciate comments like yours, just realize had you been friendlier about it, I still would have gotten your point and amended my post.
Lastly, overall, if you’d read back posts you’d also see that I mainly recommend reusable pads. However, many women won’t use them. There’s obviously no perfect solution. If 7G uses PE and yours don’t stick (on cotton btw), and women won’t all use reusable, then this is a problem I can’t solve.
Susie Hewson
May 9, 2008 at 8:46 am
Jennie, I apologise as I was not questioning your values but 7Gs and others that tell half truths to gain our confidence, just highlighting that we women are easily being greenwashed by companies and we need to think for ourselves. I appreciate that you are doing what you can to help educate. Crude oil Plastics, which we do not use at all, is a major toxic Polluter. Greenpeace were comparing PVC with Polyethylene not PE with starch based films. Biobased plastics which we use are made from starch. Polyolyfines are the starting point for all the non PVC plastics including polyethylene and polypropylene. Production of which releases Carbon dioxide, Nitrous Oxides, dioxin etc and is a major contributor to climate warming, acidification of trees and is toxic to animals. Dow chemicals produces this stuff and I believe that they manufacture on the Indian reservation in the St Claire valley. I do not think that the Indians on the reserve would agree that plastic production is OK. I am sorry if my passion for truth came over as unfriendly, but there you go… for the record, I am a member of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and The Womens Environmental Network and strongly support independent environmental action.
Wendy
May 11, 2008 at 11:16 am
I have not used the pads because when I read the label about all I saw was clorine free where as another brand labels itself as more.I have used the tampons from 7G and like them as well as any others EXCEPT price….$7.00 for a box of 20!
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