Tampon made of seaweed could help reduce impacts of plastics on people and the planet

"Can a tampon be designed to be better for menstruators and the planet at the same time?"

That's the question Melanie Schichan told CG her team asked themselves while developing the Kelpon, a tampon made from seaweed. 

Schichan co-founded the German company Vyld with marine guide Ines Schiller to bring the Kelpon to market. The pair launched the product in an effort to address their frustration with the limited range of already-available sustainable period products — some greenwashed while still containing plastic — and with more typical tampons, which use land- and resource-intensive materials like cotton and viscose. 

The production process for the Kelpon begins with seaweed that has been dried and milled, Schichan told CG. Then, "absorbent cell components are extracted into a naturally white polymer, meaning it does not need bleaching, and that polymer can then be spun into fibers used in tampon production."

The process also relies on traditional tampon machinery with the intention that this will enable the burgeoning company to scale up within existing industry infrastructure. Currently, the Kelpon is sold through a direct-to-consumer shop and is available to be shipped to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Schichan said the process is meant to capitalize on seaweed's potential as a regenerative crop that doesn't require fertilizer, pesticides, or land resources — all of which can contribute to the climate and nature crises. The co-founders say the plastic-free Kelpon is designed to be biodegradable.   

Schichan also asserts that the product was developed with user feedback in mind, all with the goal of overcoming the regular pain points of tampon usage.

"Reported user feedback includes easier insertion, less dryness on removal, and strong overall comfort," Schichan said. "A follow-up consumer trial is in progress."

As for safety standards, she said the company aims to go beyond bare requirements to protect against toxic shock syndrome and support the health of the vaginal microbiome, with "an intention to raise the bar in a category that still has relatively few binding consumer-facing standards."

As more governments and groups work to address period poverty, expanding the menstrual product mix could help meet quantity demands and consumer preferences — some of which may entail a desire for items less likely to leach harmful materials into human bodies and the environment.

Another potential benefit may be linked to the possibility of growing employment opportunities for women farmers globally. Seaweed farming can support sustainable livelihoods in climate-vulnerable coastal communities, though safe outdoor working conditions are important to secure amid rising temperatures and sea levels.

The crop has already become a part of numerous consumer goods, including food products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biopackaging, fertilizers, and animal feed. Its cultivation is also observed as relatively low-impact, with the potential to support biodiversity, marine health, and some amount of carbon sequestration.

Kirsten Krueger contributed to the editing of this article.