U by Kotex challenges period shame with campaign to show off menstrual products

U by Kotex releases jeans with a transparent back pocket for menstruators to put their pads into, showing them off instead of concealing them. The limited-edition pants are designed to “end [the] period taboo.”

According to a study by menstrual product brand Thinx and organization Period, 83% of girls feel like they should hide their period products on the way to the bathroom. 

“U by Kotex believes a period should never get in the way of women’s progress,” says Nicole Pawlukowsky, vice president of U by Kotex. “We strive to end negative perceptions around period products and destigmatize menstrual care. Our MaxiMalism jeans bring that belief to life by showing that a period is nothing to hide.”

According to the study, 65% agree that society teaches people to be ashamed of their periods and 76% say there is a connotation that periods are “gross and unsanitary.” Meanwhile, 85% agree periods should be recognized as an indicator of good health. 

With about 1.8 billion people menstruating every month worldwide, Kimberly-Cark says “it’s time to end the shame and recognize there is nothing to hide.”

Tampon research

Earlier this month, Toxin Free USA sued Kimberly-Clark after discovering lead in U by Kotex’s tampons. The metal has no safe level in the body and can cause “serious health problems.” 

The lawsuit is not seeking monetary damages but aims to end the company’s “false and deceptive marketing.”

The nonprofit told Personal Care Insights that the presence of lead in U by Kotex’s Click Compact Regular Tampons is “especially concerning considering that the product is intended for use inside of the human body.”