You’ve probably never really thought about when tampons were invented, or even who invented them. Why would you? We’ve been fortunate enough to have never lived during a time where tampons didn’t exist, but up until 1929, the most common method for women to deal with their period each month was with bulky pads, usually made of some type of thick cloth. As you can imagine, those weren’t really the most convenient or comfortable way to manage your monthly flow. This is where we came in. While tampons as we know them today were invented in 1929, it wasn’t until 1934 when our fearless female founder bought the patent and started a female-led and female-focused company. Tampax has been educating and empowering women and those who bleed to live life without limits since then. Tampons have revolutionised how we deal with our periods. From introducing a product that helped women join the workforce in the 1930s to normalising conversations around women's health and period care, Tampax has a long history of game-changing moments that promote wellbeing for all.

Keep reading to learn some of the most fascinating moments in Tampax (and tampon) history.

Timeline

1931

Where it all began

An inventor patents a new kind of period product made of compressed cotton with a string in the centre and housed in a paper tube. This was the birth of the modern-day tampon.