Fibre loss is the issue small fibres falling away from the tampon. You can use the dip test as a method to see this in action. Take your average store tampon and dip it in a glass of water, preferably alongside a natracare tampon. Then wait a short while.
With many brands of tampon you will notice small fibres falling away from the tampon after just a few minutes. This is because most tampons are made with rayon or a cotton/rayon mix. The structure of Rayon fibres are short and straight, so they easily slide apart from each other.
Tampons made with rayon can shed in the vagina during use. Apart from the hygienic concerns of fibres remaining in the vagina, there are also implications for bacterial colonisation which can contribute to vaginal infections. Rayon in tampons has also been linked with Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Manufacturers, who at first denied the fibre loss issue, quickly placed a veil over tampons. An over-wrap material made from plastic is wrapped around tampons to prevent fibre loss.
Plastic is heated to melt the overwrap and form a seal over the tampon core. This reduces some of the fibre loss but does not eradicate it. Additionally it creates an unnecessary form of single-use plastic. Polypropylene is made from crude oil meaning conventional tampons do not biodegrade.
Today, the average tampon is made with plastic, rayon and GM cotton.
