Natracare

Natracare is a British feminine-hygiene brand founded in 1989 by Susie Hewson and headquartered in Bristol. Its creation followed Hewson’s viewing of a television documentary about the environmental effects of dioxins, which led her to question the materials and chemicals commonly used in disposable menstrual products. She established the business after arranging a £90,000 overdraft from NatWest. From its beginning, Natracare positioned itself as an alternative to conventional sanitary products, emphasizing organic cotton, plastic reduction, chlorine-free processing and materials designed to have a lower environmental impact. The brand’s principal products are tampons, sanitary pads and panty liners. Natracare tampons are described as plastic-free and use organic cotton alongside bioplastics and cardboard applicators where applicable. The company’s product development has also extended into wipes and related personal-care products. In 1996, Natracare became the first company identified in the reference material as producing certified organic-cotton tampons, an important turning point in the development of the organic menstrual-care category. In 2019, it began producing wet wipes designed to be safely flushed under applicable standards. Its makeup-removal wipes have received COSMOS certification, while its wet wipes were the first product to qualify for use of Water UK’s “fine to flush” symbol. Natracare’s brand proposition combines menstrual care with environmental advocacy. It has promoted products free from conventional plastic components and has connected its commercial activity with campaigns concerning waste, composting, organic materials and responsible consumption. Since 2019, the company has been a member of One Percent for the Planet. In 2023, its Project #BeKind campaign included a partnership with Social Farms & Gardens for composting trials involving its products. The business has also used influencer marketing in its advertising and communications. The brand has received recognition for its export performance and environmental credentials. It won The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise for export in 2018 and became the first non-food product to receive Korean LOHAS certification. A 1994 study cited in the reference material reported no measurable amounts of the superantigen TSST-1 in Natracare tampons; TSST-1 is associated with toxic shock syndrome. Natracare’s founder, Susie Hewson, received an MBE in the 2023 Birthday Honours. Natracare remains part of Bodywise (UK) Ltd and operates as an active specialist brand in menstrual and personal care. Its differentiation rests on organic and plastic-free product attributes, environmental certifications and advocacy, rather than on mass-market scale or a broad consumer-goods portfolio. The supplied material does not identify current sales, ownership beyond its relationship with Bodywise (UK) Ltd, public-market information or a definitive list of countries in which the brand operates.

Natracare was established in the United Kingdom in 1989 by Susie Hewson. The founding idea emerged after Hewson watched a television documentary addressing the environmental impact of dioxins. Concerned about the materials and chemical processes associated with mainstream menstrual products, she pursued an alternative brand centered on organic and lower-impact materials. To begin operations, she arranged a £90,000 overdraft from NatWest. The company developed a position in the emerging market for environmentally oriented feminine hygiene. Its core portfolio consisted of tampons, sanitary pads and panty liners, with an emphasis on organic cotton and the reduction or elimination of conventional plastic components. The reference material states that Natracare became the first producer of certified organic-cotton tampons in 1996. This milestone helped define the brand’s distinction from conventional products and established organic certification as part of its product identity. Natracare’s early history also included public controversy surrounding the broader menstrual-products industry. Hewson said that established feminine-hygiene companies attempted to discredit research into possible health risks associated with chemicals in menstrual products and subjected her to media harassment and lawyers’ letters. The supplied material does not provide enough detail to identify specific companies, legal proceedings or independently verified outcomes, so these claims are recorded as historical context rather than as a confirmed scandal involving Natracare. Product and standards-related developments continued over subsequent decades. A 1994 study cited by the source reported that Natracare tampons produced no measurable amounts of TSST-1, a superantigen associated with toxic shock syndrome. The brand later obtained or participated in several certification and standards initiatives. It became the first non-food product to receive Korean LOHAS certification. Its makeup-removal wipes received COSMOS certification, and its wet wipes were the first product to qualify for use of Water UK’s “fine to flush” symbol, according to the supplied reference. In 2018, Natracare won The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise for export. In 2019, it entered the wet-wipes category and became a member of One Percent for the Planet. The wet-wipes expansion broadened the company beyond menstrual care while retaining its emphasis on materials and disposal. The brand also continued using influencer marketing and environmental communications to engage consumers. In 2023, Natracare’s Project #BeKind included a partnership with Social Farms & Gardens for composting trials of its products. The same year, founder Susie Hewson received an MBE in the Birthday Honours. Natracare is part of Bodywise (UK) Ltd and is headquartered in Bristol. The available reference material does not establish a separate corporate listing, current chief executive, detailed ownership structure, revenue, employee count or complete international market list. It therefore remains best characterized as an active specialist British brand in feminine hygiene and adjacent personal care.

• 2023

  Project #BeKind composting partnership

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  Project #BeKind included composting trials conducted with Social Farms & Gardens.

• 2023

  Susie Hewson receives an MBE

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  Founder Susie Hewson received an MBE in the 2023 Birthday Honours.

• 2019

  Wet-wipes production begins

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  The company began producing wet wipes described as safely flushable under the referenced standard.

• 2019

  Natracare joins One Percent for the Planet

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  Natracare became a member of One Percent for the Planet.

• 2018

  Queen’s Award for Enterprise for export

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  Natracare received The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise for export.

• 1996

  Certified organic-cotton tampons introduced

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  Natracare became the first producer identified in the source material to make certified organic-cotton tampons.

• 1994

  Study reports no measurable TSST-1 in Natracare tampons

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  A cited study reported no measurable amounts of TSST-1 in Natracare tampons.

• 1989

  Natracare is founded

  [1]Natracareen.wikipedia.org

  Susie Hewson founded Natracare in the United Kingdom after becoming concerned about the environmental impact of conventional menstrual products.

An environmentally focused feminine-hygiene brand offering organic-cotton and plastic-free alternatives to conventional menstrual products, supported by certifications, waste-reduction advocacy and responsible-material claims.

• Menstrual care

  Tampons

  Natracare’s tampons are positioned as alternatives to conventional menstrual products. The source describes them as plastic-free and made with organic cotton, with bioplastics and cardboard applicators used in applicable formats. The brand’s organic-tampon proposition became especially significant after its reported 1996 introduction of certified organic-cotton tampons.

• Menstrual care

  Sanitary pads

  Natracare sanitary pads form part of its core feminine-hygiene range. They are marketed within the brand’s broader organic and plastic-reduction positioning, offering consumers an alternative to conventional disposable pads. The supplied material does not specify individual product names, launch dates or the full construction of each pad format.

• Menstrual and intimate care

  Panty liners

  Natracare produces panty liners as part of its plastic-free and environmentally focused feminine-hygiene portfolio. The products extend the brand’s material and organic-cotton positioning to lighter daily or period-related protection. Detailed specifications and individual launch dates are not provided in the available reference material.

• Personal care · 2019

  Wet wipes

  Natracare began producing wet wipes in 2019. The source describes them as safely flushable and states that they were the first product to qualify for Water UK’s “fine to flush” symbol. The range broadened Natracare beyond menstrual products while retaining its emphasis on responsible materials and disposal.

• Personal care

  Makeup-removal wipes

  Natracare’s makeup-removal wipes are an adjacent personal-care offering. The source states that these wipes have received COSMOS certification, supporting the brand’s emphasis on standards and environmentally oriented product attributes. Specific formulation, market availability and launch timing are not identified.

• 2023Project #BeKind

  United Kingdom

  Natracare’s Project #BeKind included a partnership with Social Farms & Gardens to conduct composting trials involving its products.

  Outcome. The supplied material confirms the partnership and trials but does not report quantified results.

  Source
• Influencer marketing campaigns

  Natracare has used influencer marketing in its advertising and brand communications. The available material does not identify individual campaigns, influencers, dates or performance outcomes.

  Source

• 2019

  Expand into wet wipesProduct launch

  Background

  The brand sought to extend its environmentally focused proposition beyond core menstrual products.

  Action taken

  Natracare began producing wet wipes described in the source as safely flushable and later associated with Water UK’s “fine to flush” symbol.

  Aftermath

  The expansion broadened the portfolio into personal care while keeping disposal and material standards central to the proposition.

  Source

• 2019

  Join One Percent for the PlanetStrategy

  Background

  Natracare linked its environmental positioning with a formal sustainability-oriented membership.

  Action taken

  The company became a member of One Percent for the Planet.

  Source

• 1996

  Introduce certified organic-cotton tamponsProduct launch

  Background

  Natracare was developing an alternative to conventional menstrual products in response to environmental concerns about their materials and manufacturing.

  Action taken

  The company introduced certified organic-cotton tampons and made organic certification a central part of its product proposition.

  Aftermath

  The move strengthened Natracare’s identity as an early specialist in organic and plastic-free menstrual care.

  Source

1. 1Natracareen.wikipedia.org