Let’s get personal and talk about non-toxic period underwear. With PFAS being quite the scary reality, finding organic options for period underwear is the way to go.
Whether used as a first line of defense or as a backup, period underwear is an essential item to add to your sustainable menstrual care kit (along with chocolate, menstrual cups, and a hot water bottle).
But for all their benefits, they might be costing wearers a steep price.
Over the last couple of years, there has been a lot of media attention (rightfully so) on PFAS and their risk to the environment and our bodies.
When it comes to period underwear, one of the most famous brands, Thinx, was involved in a class action lawsuit because of the PFOA chemical contaminants found in their underwear.
And they were not the only ones. Numerous “sustainable” and traditional period brands have come under fire. To be fair, we’d imagine that most of these brands did not know their products contained harmful chemicals and many are taking steps to address this big bloated issue.
But where does that leave you, the menstruating human that needs non-toxic period undies now?
Fortunately, there are a number of brands providing organic period underwear that won’t cramp your health or style.
For this list, we looked for inclusive brands that use materials that are PFAS free (obviously) but also more sustainable materials like organic cotton.
We also looked for brands that take transparency seriously, doing all they can to ensure a fair and traceable supply chain. And brands that prioritize green business practices and have an embedded culture of giving.
We’ve heard from our readers that more is needed to genuinely evaluate a brand’s credentials so we are moving to a new Brand Rating System, broadening our consideration set to cover 22 criteria, such as chemical use, climate impact and product performance. Learn more here and look out for rated brands who will start popping up on lists like these as they get rated.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Our Top Picks: Non-Toxic Period Panties & Undies
The Period Company has some of the most affordable non-toxic period underwear in the industry. Starting at only $9, they’re making sustainable, safe period care accessible and inclusive to menstruating folks on a budget.
Speaking of inclusiveness, Modibodi’s egg-cellent all-gender and plus size period underwear offers a decent range of sizes (XS–6XL) and styles for all body types, because everyone and everybody deserves a safe period.
Index: Organic Period Underwear Brands
- The Period Company Jump to brand
- Saalt Jump to brand
- TomboyX Jump to brand
- Modibodi Jump to brand
- Cora Jump to brand
The Period Company
About The Period Company
Price Range: $9–$24
What’s the secret to life?
According to The Period Company, “flowing is knowing”, and apparently you can only identify with this “more than physical” sensation when you wear their organic period underwear.
We’re sold; they have us bloody excited—especially their supportive, High Waisted Period for heavy flows.
Their leakproof sleeper shorts have absorbency ranging from 2 tampons to 10 tampons of menstrual blood, so even heavy flows can skip the backup overnight pad.
The Period Company’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Made with an organic cotton body and polyester absorbent, leakproof layers, each of their panties have been rigorously tested by a third party company to ensure they are free from harmful toxins like PFAS.
All period undies bear a non-toxic OEKO-TEX certification.
Inclusivity:
Offering plus size period underwear, sizes range from XS to 6XL.
Community & charitable giving:
The Period Company believes sustainability and attainability should go hand in hand.
They are very vocal on social media, speaking up on legislative changes, trans rights, women’s rights, and climate change.
They have previously shown support to a free period care event in LA where they donated period products in hopes of ending period poverty.
Recognizing that change is a community effort, they allow customers to give a donation that covers the costs of shipping four pairs of reusable period undies to refugees in Ukraine and around the world via Choose Love.
Saalt
About Saalt
Price Range: $27–$45
Saalt is named after something that is natural and essential for our bodies (just like our periods!), Saalt’s organic period panties have us feeling anything but salty.
Though thin, they remain mighty, with an absorbance of up to 4 tampons worth of flow.
Fashion isn’t sacrificed for function, either. Take the Leakproof High Waist Brief, for example, which features a silky smooth fabric topped with a stunning inset of European lace.
Saalt’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Choose between several collections, including seamless panties made of LYCRA® XTRA LIFE™ and lacy ones made of recycled polyester.
Their best non-toxic period underwear, however, is their OEKO-TEX-certified Cotton Collection or their TENCEL™ modal Comfort Collection, due to the natural nature of these fabrics.
All collections are FDA registered and compliant and not treated with PFAS.
Their patent-pending gusset technology is designed from four functional layers that result in super thin, ultra-absorbent padding that won’t make you feel like you’re wearing eco-friendly diapers.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Saalt’s is Certified B Corp. They have diverted almost 23 million waste products and repurposed more than 678,000 water bottles.
Saalt is also certified Plastic Negative
Inclusivity:
Sizes range from XS to 2XL.
Community & charitable giving:
Founded after a fateful phone call from an aunt in Venezuela who was having trouble accessing period products, Saalt dedicates 2% of their profits to fund initiatives in menstrual health access, education, and sustainability.
At the time of writing (2024), they’d donated over 104,000 menstrual products, backed more than 226,000 pounds of waste cleanup, and funded 645,500 days of school—earning them the Beauty Independent’s prestigious Philanthropy Champion award.
TomboyX
About tomboyx
Price Range: $25–$36
tomboyx is one of our favorite ethical underwear brands.
You can find various styles in the First Line range, from period boxers to boxer briefs to leak proof hipsters. Depending on the style, absorbency can be from 4 to 8 teaspoons of flow.
They come in black, purple, or blue colors with the option of solid colored or rainbow waistbands.
tomboyx’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
While not certified organic, they are made of OEKO-TEX-certified cotton with a polyester/spandex liner.
It’s antimicrobial, odor repellent, and tested to be free from PFOS and PFOA chemicals.
Supply chain & labor practices:
tomboyx is a Certified B Corp and they’re ethically certified by WRAP or the FLA and employees receive a living wage and numerous benefits.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Headquartered at a Gold LEED certified building, they use biodegradable, sustainable packaging for natural or recycled products.
Inclusivity:
Down to their models and brand image, queer-owned tomboyx provides empowering clothing to people who remain underrepresented in the fashion industry.
That includes the tomboyx team, which is 35% BIPOC, 30% LGBTQ+, and 77% female-led.
The size and gender inclusive non-binary brand’s leak proof undies have been fit tested on all sorts of body types, from 3XS to 6XL.
Community & charitable giving:
tomboyx continues their effort toward queer representation through donations to organizations like the Trevor Project and the National Center of Transgender Equality.
Modibodi
About Modibodi
Price Range: $25–$35
Modibodi has some of the best PFAS-free and organic period underwear out there. Their range includes classic panties, boylegs, boyshorts, briefs, high waist and thongs.
They have teen, basic, seamfree and sensual collections. And non-toxic period swimwear. With bundles and packs, there’s the option to save a little if you need to buy a big batch.
Modibodi’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Their leakproof undergarments are made from sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, recycled nylon and bamboo fabric.
Their gusset is made from wool, polyester, polyamide, and elastane, though they do have a vegan gusset made from polybrush rather than wool.
Their products do not contain PFAS as are ZDHC compliant
Supply chain & labor practices:
With all entities falling under the BSCI umbrella, their suppliers and factories are audited for safe conditions and fair wages and treatment.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Modibodi is 95% freight shipped and their HQ is powered by carbon neutral energy. They have an understanding of their carbon baseline and an emissions reduction plan is in place.
They are signatories to the Canopy Package4Good policy and are a Certified B Corp.
Inclusivity:
Modibodi wants to promote safe period care to everyone who menstruates, which is why you’ll find an all-gender line as well as non-toxic period underwear for teens.
Their plus-size period underwear range has sizes ranging from XS to 6XL.
Community & charitable giving:
Since 2020, Modibodi has donated over 200,000 pairs of period underwear to improve global period equity.
Our Personal Review Of Modibodi’s Period Underwear
I currently own Modibodi’s classic full brief, classic bikini, the sensual French cut, the classic thong, a seamfree bikini and the sensual high waist bikini. They’re a critical part of my wardrobe and I rely on them heavily.
I find the heavy overnight briefs are incredibly reliable – I have literally no worries or concerns about leaks which feels like a total gamechanger. The thong is super handy for lighter days when I’m out and about and the panties just do what they should the rest of the time.
Fabric wise, I prefer the bamboo / cotton fibers over the seamfree nylon which, aside from a general preference for natural fibers, seems to ride up a bit for me.
Review by Joy McConnochie, SJ Co-Founder
Cora
About Cora
Price Range: $30–$38
What’s unique about Cora’s designs isn’t just that they won’t bunch or dig in, but that the “floating gusset” provides an extra layer of fabric under which you can tuck pad wings in case you need a backup.
And if you do, check their range of organic cotton pads and organic tampons.
Keeping it simple, Cora period underwear is available in two styles: Free-To-Flow Period Underwear and Free-To-Flow Sleep Shorts, which replace 6-10 (!) regular tampons per wear.
The soft, breathable fabric blends yields period undies designed for all occasions, whether it be sleep, exercise, or cramping.
Cora’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
In the outer layer of their period underwear, organic cotton takes center stage, encasing two different layers of leakproof polyester, elastane, and TPE in the gusset.
All fabrics are OEKO-TEX-certified and further tested by an additional third party USA lab, showing they contain no “detectable level” of PFAS/PFOA or azo dyes.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The brand is currently converting all tampon applicators into plant-based plastic and replacing plastic wrappers with paper.
Inclusivity:
Sizes range from XS to 2XL.
Community & charitable giving:
For each purchase, Cora provides period products and body literacy resources to people in need throughout India, Kenya, and the USA.
10% of profits help end period poverty, with 75% of domestic giving dedicated to BIPOC communities in most need of these resources.
Additional Notes On Non-Toxic Period Underwear
PFAS: Why It Matters When Considering Period Underwear
PFAS is the acronym for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – essentially a group of chemicals. Also called “Forever chemicals,” they are linked to all sorts of health issues including decreased fertility, high blood pressure in pregnant people, increased risk of certain cancers, developmental delays and low birthweight in children, hormonal disruption—and more.
Environmentally, they’re a disaster and have been found in waterways around the world.
You can learn more about PFAS in a recent podcast episode we did or visit PFAS Central. You can also watch Dark Waters which offers more cinematic coverage.
Caring For Your Period Underwear
Buying period underwear isn’t the cheapest, at least not compared to regular underwear.
Though, considering the average menstruating person spends about $7,000 over the course of their life on disposable tampons and pads alone, they’re well worth it.
Still, you want to keep them fit and functional for as long as possible, both for sustainability and financial reasons. Check the brand’s guidelines as they’re likely customized for their products but if you’re not sure, here are some care tips:
- Gentle handwashing will preserve the life of your absorbent underwear best.
- If handwashing them grosses you out, you can toss them in your washing machine. Just machine wash cold and gentle using natural laundry detergent. Cold water actually lifts menstrual blood better than warm water.
- Do NOT use liquid fabric softeners, as they can permeate the absorbent gusset fabrics. Instead, use non-chemical fabric softener alternatives
- Never put in the clothes dryer. Hang or lay flat to dry.
We prefer gloating to bloating, so tap on (or should we say, tampon) the share button to tell your menstruating friends about your fabulous new PFAS-free period panties.
