THE O.B.® TAMPON STORY

  • What does o.b.® stand for?

    Dr. Judith Esser named the product o.b.®, which stands for "ohne binde" in German – or "without napkins." (Sanitary pads are often called binde in Europe.)


  • Who invented the o.b.® tampon?

    It all began 50 years ago with German gynecologist Dr. Judith Esser’s personal quest for a smarter tampon. Her fruitless search led her to develop her own tampon design, one that was easy to use, comfortable, and (most importantly) provided great protection. To this day, the o.b.® brand continues to retain a board-certified gynecologist and research teams to pursue Esser’s vision for creating safe, effective, and innovative options for women.


  • Why was the o.b.® tampon so ahead of its time?

    The original o.b.® tampon had no applicator and launched in Europe. It caught on in North America, due in large part to its phenomenal protection and inconspicuous size. Great for toting around, the design itself was revolutionary in the world of tampons and played to women's need for discreet yet reliable protection.


WHAT WE’RE MADE OF

  • What are o.b.® tampons made of?

    o.b.® tampons are made of two types of rayon and a polyester string. The cover for o.b.® ORIGINAL™ is made of polyester/polyethylene non-woven material and that of o.b.® PRO COMFORT® is made of polyethylene/polypropylene film. 90% of raw materials used for o.b.® tampons come from renewable resources. 

    o.b. 100% Organic Cotton tampons are responsibly sourced, made from renewable resources, and free from pesticides, chlorine, and dyes. It's only what you need, nothing you don't.


  • Is there chlorine bleach in o.b.® tampons?

    No. Production of o.b.® tampons involves only "elemental chlorine-free" bleaching processes, which do not cause the production of dioxins. State-of-the-art testing of tampon fibers that can detect even trace amounts of dioxin has shown that dioxin levels are at or below the detectable limits, posing no risk to tampon users' health.


  • Is there asbestos in o.b.® tampons?

    No, asbestos is NOT an additive and has never been added to o.b.® tampons. For additional information, please visit this website.


  • I’ve heard talk that tampons contain toxic amounts of dioxin. Is this true?

    The term "dioxin" refers to a number of related chemical compounds with differing degrees of toxicity created both by natural events (like forest fires) and industrial processes (like waste incineration or combustion in automobile engines). It has been claimed that as a consequence of the bleaching processes, the rayon fibers in some tampons contain dioxin(s). In fact, production of o.b.® tampons involves only "elemental chlorine-free" bleaching processes that do not cause the production of dioxins. State-of-the-art testing of tampon fibers that can detect even trace amounts of dioxin has shown that dioxin levels are at or below the detectable limits, posing no risk to tampon users' health. FDA's risk assessment indicates that these levels are many times less than normally present in the body from other environmental sources, and about the same as one teaspoon in a lake fifteen feet deep and a mile square.