GreenCore launches tree-free feminine pads in Europe

GreenCore has launched FemCare UltraThin, a line of tree-free feminine hygiene pads available to private label retailers across Europe. The company says the launch meets a growing demand for private label and sustainable products, especially as millennials and Gen Z look for products that match their quality and sustainability values.

Third-party testing by SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance) confirmed the pads’ high absorbency, leakage control, and dryness performance. The “Lite” version of FemCare UltraThin pads can hold 55.5 g of liquid with no leakage and minimal wetness after use, says the brand. It received a Class A rating from SGS, scoring 90 out of 100.

The pads come in standard packaging that can be customized according to independent retailers’ branding. Retailers can also include the Eco Score App to give shoppers more information about the product’s environmental impact. 

According to the company, the European feminine hygiene market is expected to reach US$8 billion this year. Much of this growth comes from private label brands, holding 62% of the market volume in countries such as Germany, France, and the UK. 

GreenCore is targeting this space by offering a high-performance, eco-friendly option for store-brand lines. The product also features a TreeFree Passport badge, which verifies traceable sourcing and third-party testing.

Changing the game

FemCare UltraThin pads offer tree-free performance for eco-conscious store brands.Personal Care Insights previously reported on the developments in female intimate care innovation. Recently, we spoke with Joanna Pepper-Koskimo, head of Beauty and Wellness at Bodyotics’ holding company, eBrands, about how menstrual care is changing and how the brand’s menstrual discs play a part.

“Most people still use single-use products, but we are seeing a shift. Cups were really the first reusable option to break through. However, cups rely on suction, and many users find that uncomfortable. Discs do not use suction — they sit at the base of the cervix and stay in place anatomically,” she said.

While innovation in the product category is rising, Pepper-Koskimo explained that there is still a prominent stigma surrounding the topic of menstruation and menstrual care.

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, internalized stigma around women’s reproductive health, which includes menstruation and menopause, is a barrier to people who need to seek help.

Another study found that 83% of girls feel like they should hide their period products on the way to the bathroom. This spurred U by Kotex to release jeans with a transparent back pocket for menstruators to put their pads into and show them off rather than concealing them.