Well this is a bummer: THINX has toxic chemicals in it

[California]

Posting for those of us who have bought THINX or its knockoffs:
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/my-menstrual-underwear-has-toxic-chemicals-it?fbclid=IwAR3oh7K9fWIZmO6i-JYyzeMR-AkPnlRKHoSegIaGld-70AdSJ5LIGXg6mIQ

A woman sent THINX and Lunapads (the brands she uses) to a scientist to get them tested for toxic chemicals. Unfortunately he found them in the THINX. Sounds like the Lunapads came through okay. Going to have to look into those!

[melrose7]

This is horrible. I thought this was a lifesaver for my DD1 since she will never understand her monthly cycle. This was a way for her not to be bothered by the blood since she couldn’t see it and the Thinx were keeping her dry.
We are doing an extended pill which I have issues with as well but will have to look at alternatives going forward.
And I was planning on having DD2 use these as well. She is still awhile from starting her cycle so I have some time to figure this out.

[HannaAddict]

“Toxic chemicals” can cover much ground and different levels. I wouldn’t default to immediate worry. I would think they need some sort of chemical involved to work.
ETA The link didn’t work for me, but I did pull up the article and read it and it was not what I would call a scientific analysis but sweeping statements and assumptions. And loaded language and angst. Always good to be aware but this article was not a smoking gun in the slightest for me.


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[essnce629]

I have at least a dozen pairs of Thinx and this will not stop me from using them. I'm assuming that traditional disposable pads and tampons are much worse (which I stopped using 15 years ago except for swimming/vacation). And I'm still not all that confident that the silicone in all the menstrual cups is great to be in the vagina for up to 12 hours a day either. Polyurethane lamination (PUL), which is used in the Thinx underwear, is also the waterproof layer that has been used in the majority of cloth diapers since I cloth diapered DS1 15 years ago. I love Thinx for light/medium days and my regular cloth pads for my heavy days.

[DualvansMommy]

“Toxic chemicals” can cover much ground and different levels. I wouldn’t default to immediate worry. I would think they need some sort of chemical involved to work.
ETA The link didn’t work for me, but I did pull up the article and read it and it was not what I would call a scientific analysis but sweeping statements and assumptions. And loaded language and angst. Always good to be aware but this article was not a smoking gun in the slightest for me.


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Agree. Also can’t that much more chemicals in pads and tampons too? It’s probably equal to those amounts.


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[Kindra178]

“Toxic chemicals” can cover much ground and different levels. I wouldn’t default to immediate worry. I would think they need some sort of chemical involved to work.
ETA The link didn’t work for me, but I did pull up the article and read it and it was not what I would call a scientific analysis but sweeping statements and assumptions. And loaded language and angst. Always good to be aware but this article was not a smoking gun in the slightest for me.


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We work really hard to avoid plastic and chemical exposure. The article above wouldn’t change my behavior at all. Regular pads and tampons are certainly worse.

Melrose, I wouldn’t do anything different. But many of the cloth pads I own have black felt on the top, so you don’t see much blood at all.


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[California]

Not sure why the link didn't work. Here is the article. I'm grateful the blogger took the time to pay for the product and sent it to a scientist, after the company refused to respond to her questions.

BY JESSIAN CHOY | JAN 7 2020
Remember how after I introduced myself to you in my debut column, I jumped into a ladylike conversation about how toxic chemicals in single-use menstrual pads are likely absorbed through skin? Then I overshared that I wear Lunapads’ leakproof menstrual underwear because it’s more comfortable and it’s certified organic. I also mentioned that I’d had a difficult time getting swimwear and organic-period-underwear manufacturers to reply to my inquiries about how they measure up on workers' rights and sustainability and whether their period underwear has certain toxic chemicals in them.

Well, I decided to get the information myself. To do that, I mailed unused (I swear!) Lunapads and Thinx menstrual underwear to Dr. Graham Peaslee, a nuclear scientist at the University of Notre Dame who discovered PFAS chemicals in fast-food wrappers in 2017, and his undergraduate student assistant Robert Bartsch. No one had asked them to test menstrual underwear before. But I needed to quiet the voice in my head, since I started wearing Thinx in 2016, that said, “Surely life can’t be so easy that you can bleed seven days a month and feel comfortable.”

The results are in, and I’m afraid it’s bad news.

My Thinx “organic” brief and “organic” BTWN Shorty underwear for teens had high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), especially on the inside layers of the crotch. Some PFAS are associated with cancer, decreased immune response to vaccines, decreased fertility, and more. Exposure to PFAS at even the lowest concentrations has been shown to harm human health. The crotch in my underwear had 3,264 parts per million (ppm), and the one for teens had 2,053 ppm, according to Peaslee’s particle induced gamma ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy test. That’s high enough to suggest they were intentionally manufactured with PFAS.

PFAS never degrade. In one test, the chemicals migrated from waterproof textiles for adults and babies into simulated spit and sweat, and laundry wash water. PFAS are not what I want touching one of the most sensitive and absorbent parts of the body.

In addition, Peaslee found that my Thinx underwear, one for teens, and a non-organic Super Hiphugger had tens to hundreds of ppm of copper on the inside of the crotch, and zinc on both sides. Thinx did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The good news is my Lunapads menstrual underwear for people of all genders did not have PFAS, according to Peaslee’s test.

Oddly, the Thinx BTWN website said, “Our signature period-proof technology has an application of nonmigratory silver, commonly used in performance wear and medical devices to control odor and the spread of bacteria.” The Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE)’s website cites studies that state, “Silver can have adverse impacts on beneficial vaginal bacteria”:

A disruption of the microbial balance can lead to overgrowth of harmful bacteria resulting in bacterial vaginosis, increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases, increased risk of pregnancy complications, and other similar conditions.

I contacted Alexandra Scranton, WVE director of science and research. She told me, “WVE questions the need for an antimicrobial layer in period underwear in the first place. Silver applications in athletic clothing fabric are a marketing gimmick and have a poor track record of actually being effective. Putting potent antimicrobial chemicals adjacent to vaginal tissue where a balance of healthy vaginal bacteria is crucial to health sounds like a truly unnecessary risk.”

“My worry is that these metals are not part of the dye used to color them (neither make black dyes) but are actually zinc oxide and copper nanoparticles,” Peaslee told me. “These nanoparticle metals are used as antimicrobials and might be able to penetrate the skin and get into the bloodstream. The microbial toxicity of all these compounds is well known; what isn't as well known are the human lymph node responses to them and other disease outcomes in humans from exposure.”

All of this had me rethinking Thinx: Which organization certifies the company's “organic” underwear? Does its polyurethane lamination (PUL) meet US government CPSIA standards indicating that there are no diisocyanates present? (Human exposure to them poses a risk to health, in particular asthma in workers.)

Oh, and how can I get the hundreds of dollars back that I spent on my Thinx menstrual underwear plus the three I bought in May and October 2019 that Peaslee’s team tested?

Companies might not disclose treatments they add to fabric. As consumers, we can demand better. Here’s what you can do:

Ask companies to post on their websites the results from independent lab tests and letters and certificates from third-party certifiers verifying green product claims.
Verify the product is listed on the certifier’s website. For example, go to Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
Ask the certifier if it does surprise visits to manufacturers. Several only verify products by asking manufacturers for documents proving they meet green claims. That’s called a desk audit as opposed to a surprise, on-site audit.
If the product doesn’t match green claims, ask the manufacturer for a refund and a prepaid envelope (recycled, of course!) to take back their product and find the greenest way to safely dispose of it. If it’s toxic, it might be safer to not recycle it into another toxic product.

[essnce629]

Response from Thinx:

https://www.shethinx.com/blogs/thinx...nMG-r5YZLpdPIo

[mmsmom]

Response from Thinx:

https://www.shethinx.com/blogs/thinx...nMG-r5YZLpdPIo

Wow- that is one of the best, straight forward responses I have ever seen. Addresses the issue without even mentioning the accusations. Love that they shared their test results too.

[California]

When I search for Thinx the Sierra article comes up on several news sites. Clearly the story got a lot of interest!

The blogger wrote that she had a difficult time getting a response from Thinx. Imagine how much those Thinx staff members wish they’d simply responded to her now!

The one thing the Thinx response left open, after I’d read it a few times, is that there may be PFASs that their certifications do not test for, that may be in the underwear. (Thinx will "dramatically" expand the list of chemicals it tests for, and if any “unregulated PFAS chemicals" are ever found remove them.)

I’ll be following to see if there’s further response from Dr. Peaslee. If he’s right in his findings, a second lab should be able to duplicate his results.