KOTEX

KOTEX is a menstrual-care brand owned and managed by Kimberly-Clark, the consumer-products company behind brands including Kleenex and Huggies. The brand was introduced in the United States in 1920, when Kimberly-Clark adapted Cellucotton, a highly absorbent wood-pulp material developed for wartime medical dressings, into a disposable menstrual pad. The name is generally associated with the material's cotton-like texture and was formed through an altered spelling of “cot-tex.” KOTEX entered a market in which disposable menstrual products were still unfamiliar and socially sensitive. Early adoption was slowed by prevailing norms around menstruation and advertising, but Kimberly-Clark gradually normalized the product through magazine advertising, retail distribution, educational messaging, and discreet purchasing arrangements. Advertisements appeared in publications such as Good Housekeeping and Ladies' Home Journal, and the company used advice-oriented communications to explain the product's purpose and use. By the middle of the 1920s, catalog distribution and self-service retail presentation helped make disposable pads easier to obtain without a customer having to request them directly from a shop assistant. Over its history, the brand's portfolio has developed from traditional sanitary napkins into multiple pad formats, absorbency levels, liners, and tampons. Its products have been marketed under both the core KOTEX name and related sub-brands, notably U by Kotex. The U by Kotex platform, introduced in 2010, used more contemporary packaging and product design and emphasized younger consumers, personal expression, and menstrual empowerment. A teen-focused U by Kotex range followed in the United States in 2011. Kotex Luxe was introduced in Singapore in 2009 as a premium extension. The brand's current and recent product architecture includes ultra-thin, maxi, overnight, teen, bamboo, and BioCare pads; daily and absorbent liners; and U by Kotex Click compact tampons. Product claims and features vary by market, but commonly include absorbency cores, side protection, breathable or soft-touch covers, overnight barriers, and formats designed for different levels of flow and activity. Some products use bamboo-derived viscose in the topsheet, while BioCare products have been positioned around odor management, skin comfort, and pH-related product features. Because formulations, names, and availability differ by country, a product marketed under the KOTEX name in one market may not be available in another. KOTEX has also become associated with menstrual-health access and education. Since 2018, the brand has been a founding sponsor of the Alliance for Period Supplies and has worked with retail partners on donations intended to address period poverty. In 2020, its centennial activities included a reported three-year, $2.5 million commitment to Plan International through the She Can initiative, supporting menstrual-hygiene access and efforts to reduce stigma. The brand has also used youth-oriented and empowerment-focused communications to discuss menstruation more openly. The brand has faced product-safety and reputational issues. Kimberly-Clark warned consumers in 2012 about rejected Kotex tampons that had allegedly been stolen and resold. In December 2018, it recalled certain U by Kotex Sleek tampons after reports that they could come apart during removal and leave fragments in the body. KOTEX has stated that heavy metals are not intentionally added to its products and that such substances are prohibited from its manufacturing process, in response to wider public discussion about metals detected in some tampon products. The brand remains part of Kimberly-Clark's international personal-care portfolio, with products, sub-brand naming, and market positioning continuing to evolve.

Disposable menstrual pads emerged commercially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but they were initially constrained by limited distribution, social taboos, and the difficulty of discussing menstruation publicly. Kimberly-Clark entered this field in 1920 with KOTEX, adapting surplus Cellucotton, a wood-pulp fiber used in medical dressings during the First World War. The material was highly absorbent and had a texture that suggested the brand name. The resulting product offered an alternative to reusable cloths and more cumbersome menstrual belts, although consumer acceptance developed gradually. Early KOTEX marketing illustrates how menstrual products were introduced through both mass advertising and discreet retail practices. Kimberly-Clark placed advertisements in women's magazines, including Good Housekeeping and Ladies' Home Journal. Some readers considered the subject inappropriate for public advertising, but continued promotion helped establish disposable pads as a recognizable consumer product. The company also used advice-based communications to explain menstrual hygiene and product use without relying solely on direct product claims. Retail innovation was important to the brand's early growth. KOTEX was initially sold in a distinctive hospital-blue package and was made available through catalog and retail channels. Montgomery Ward's 1926 catalog helped expose the product to a wider audience. In physical stores, products were sometimes placed on counters with a payment box, allowing women to purchase them without having to ask a clerk for the product or exchange money directly with the clerk. Reference material reports that KOTEX reached distribution in 57 countries and recorded $11 million in sales in 1927, although the historical figure should be read in the context of the period's reporting and is not treated here as a current financial measure. The category changed substantially over the following decades. Tampons became more prominent after the introduction of Tampax in 1936, while beltless pads gained wider acceptance from the 1970s onward. Kimberly-Clark's New Freedom was among the early beltless pad products and was later associated with the broader Kotex family. These developments shifted menstrual care toward products that were easier to wear with ordinary underwear and compatible with more active lifestyles. KOTEX later expanded its segmentation and product formats. In Singapore, the company introduced Kotex Luxe in 2009 as a premium sub-brand. In the United States, U by Kotex launched in 2010 with redesigned packaging and a more expressive visual identity. The platform included pads, liners, and tampons, and its messaging was directed partly at younger consumers and at challenging embarrassment around menstruation. U by Kotex Tween followed in 2011 with products designed for girls roughly eight to twelve years old. The portfolio has continued to diversify into thin and ultra-thin pads, maxi and overnight formats, teen-specific products, daily liners, absorbent liners, and compact tampons. Recent product descriptions reference absorbency systems such as Gravity Core and Xpress Dri Core, as well as features including raised rear barriers, side guards, breathable covers, and multiple absorbency grades. Bamboo-branded products use bamboo-derived viscose in selected product layers, while BioCare products emphasize skin comfort, odor management, and pH-related features. Product names and claims are market-specific and can change as Kimberly-Clark updates its portfolio. Public-health access has become an important part of KOTEX's corporate and brand activity. In 2018, the brand became a founding sponsor of the Alliance for Period Supplies and worked with retailers on product donations addressing period poverty. In 2020, its centennial program included a reported commitment to Plan International through the She Can initiative. These efforts linked product marketing with education, access, and attempts to reduce the stigma associated with menstruation. KOTEX has also experienced controversies and safety-related events. A 2004 advertising execution used an animated red dot and the slogan “Kotex fits. Period.” The campaign attracted criticism because the visual and wording could be interpreted by children without an understanding of the menstrual reference; the slogan was discontinued in 2005 amid reported concerns about its effect on sales. In 2012, Kimberly-Clark warned about rejected tampons that had allegedly been stolen and resold. In 2018, it recalled certain U by Kotex Sleek tampons after reports of separation during removal. More recently, KOTEX addressed public concern about metals in tampons by stating that heavy metals were neither intentionally added nor permitted in its manufacturing process. The brand continues to operate under Kimberly-Clark while adapting its products, communications, and sustainability claims to changing consumer expectations and regulatory scrutiny.

1. 2026Own Your Flow platform introduced

   Reference material describes a global brand-platform relaunch under the Own Your Flow name, alongside renewed KOTEX product branding.

   Source
2. 2020Centennial and She Can commitment

   KOTEX marks 100 years and announces a reported multi-year commitment to Plan International for menstrual-health access and education.

   Source
3. 2018Alliance for Period Supplies sponsorship begins

   KOTEX becomes a founding sponsor of the Alliance for Period Supplies and supports product donations addressing period poverty.

   Source
4. 2011U by Kotex Tween launches

   A U by Kotex product extension aimed at younger menstruating consumers launches in the United States.

   Source
5. 2010U by Kotex platform launches

   U by Kotex introduces refreshed packaging, product design, and empowerment-oriented positioning.

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6. 2009Kotex Luxe launches in Singapore

   Kimberly-Clark introduces a premium KOTEX sub-brand in Singapore.

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7. 2000Kotex fits. Period. campaign begins

   KOTEX launches a campaign using an animated red punctuation mark to refer indirectly to menstruation.

   Source
8. 1970Beltless pad era develops

   The introduction of beltless products, including Kimberly-Clark's New Freedom, helps reshape the menstrual-pad category.

   Source
9. 1927International sales milestone reported

   Reference material reports KOTEX sales of $11 million and distribution in 57 countries.

   Source
10. 1926Catalog distribution expands access

    Montgomery Ward advertises KOTEX in its catalog, helping move the product beyond limited in-store availability.

    Source
11. 1920KOTEX launches in the United States

    Kimberly-Clark introduces a disposable menstrual pad made from absorbent Cellucotton developed for wartime medical dressings.

    Source

A mainstream-to-premium feminine-care brand positioned around reliable protection, comfort, discreet use, product choice, menstrual confidence, and improved access to period supplies.

• KOTEX Ultra Thin PadsMenstrual pads

  Ultra-thin disposable pads offered in multiple absorbency levels. Product descriptions reference a Gravity Core system intended to direct fluid into the absorbent center while supporting leak protection, breathability, and everyday comfort.

• KOTEX BioCareMenstrual pads and liners

  A line of thin pads and liners positioned around skin comfort, odor management, and pH-related product features. Descriptions reference a pH Proactive System and dermatologist testing, though exact specifications and availability vary by market.

• KOTEX BambooMenstrual pads and liners

  A range using a soft, breathable topsheet made with bamboo-derived viscose. It is positioned as an alternative material option within the KOTEX pad and liner portfolio.

• KOTEX TeenTeen menstrual pads

  Teen-oriented day and overnight pads sized and marketed for younger users. The range emphasizes approachable product design while retaining the protection and absorbency formats associated with the wider KOTEX pad portfolio.

• KOTEX Maxi PadsMenstrual pads

  Traditional thicker pads designed for users seeking a higher-capacity format. Maxi overnight and extra-heavy variants use larger rear coverage, soft-touch covers, and winged or non-winged configurations in some markets.

• KOTEX Overnight PadsOvernight menstrual pads

  Overnight and extra-heavy overnight pads designed with extended rear coverage and features such as raised back barriers and side guards. Product descriptions state that some versions are designed to provide protection for up to twelve hours, subject to use and product variant.

• U by Kotex ClickTampons

  Compact tampons with an applicator that extends before insertion. They are marketed for portability and are offered in regular, super, and super-plus absorbency levels in relevant markets.

• KOTEX Daily LinersPanty liners

  Everyday liners intended for sweat, discharge, light flow, and non-menstrual use. Formats may include thong, thin, regular, extra-coverage, bamboo, and BioCare variants depending on the market.

• Kotex LuxePremium feminine care2009

  A premium KOTEX sub-brand introduced in Singapore in 2009. The available reference material identifies the launch and positioning but does not establish its current product range or continued availability.

• U by KotexFeminine-care sub-brand2010

  A platform introduced in 2010 with contemporary packaging, pads, liners, tampons, and messaging centered on younger consumers, menstrual confidence, and women's empowerment. Its product banners and market availability have changed over time.

• 2026Own Your Flow

  Global

  A new global brand platform presenting KOTEX around personal confidence, menstrual self-expression, and ownership of one's experience.

  Outcome. Introduced alongside renewed use of the KOTEX name and updated pad and liner ranges.

  Source
• 2020She Can

  Global

  A centennial initiative associated with Plan International focused on menstrual-hygiene access, education, and reducing stigma.

  Outcome. Reference material reports a $2.5 million commitment over three years.

  Source
• 2018Alliance for Period Supplies partnership

  United States

  KOTEX became a founding sponsor of the Alliance for Period Supplies and worked with retailers to donate menstrual products to people facing period poverty.

  Outcome. Reference material reports more than 40 million products donated nationwide through the initiative and related retailer activity.

  Source
• 2000Kotex fits. Period.

  United States

  A campaign used an animated red punctuation mark as an indirect visual reference to a menstrual period and promoted product fit.

  Outcome. The slogan and advertising execution drew criticism and were discontinued in 2005 after the company reportedly concluded that the campaign had adversely affected sales.

  Source

• 2026Renew the KOTEX master-brand identityStrategy

  Reference material describes a move away from relying primarily on the U by Kotex identity and toward renewed use of the KOTEX master brand.

  What changed. The brand introduced updated ultra-thin, teen, maxi, daily-liner, bamboo, and BioCare products under KOTEX-related banners and launched Own Your Flow.

  Aftermath. The long-term effect on sub-brand architecture and market-specific product naming remains unclear.

  Source
• 2020Commit to the She Can initiativeStrategy

  The brand's centennial created an opportunity to link KOTEX's history with menstrual-health access and education.

  What changed. KOTEX announced a reported three-year, $2.5 million commitment to Plan International through She Can.

  Aftermath. The initiative positioned menstrual access and stigma reduction as continuing elements of KOTEX's public-facing brand activity.

  Commitment. $2.5 million (Three years from 2020)

  Source
• 2018Support period-supply access initiativesOther

  Research and public discussion identified lack of affordable menstrual supplies as a barrier affecting many menstruating people in the United States.

  What changed. KOTEX became a founding sponsor of the Alliance for Period Supplies and supported product donations with retail partners.

  Aftermath. The initiative expanded the brand's social-impact activity beyond product marketing and connected KOTEX with period-poverty advocacy.

  Source
• 2010Create the U by Kotex platformStrategy

  Kimberly-Clark sought a more contemporary approach to feminine care, particularly for younger consumers who responded to expressive design and less euphemistic menstrual messaging.

  What changed. The company introduced U by Kotex with redesigned packaging, product formats, and empowerment-oriented communications.

  Aftermath. The platform became a major part of the brand's pad, liner, and tampon portfolio and was later extended with teen-focused products.

  Source

• 2018U by Kotex Sleek tampon recallControversy

  Certain U by Kotex Sleek tampons were recalled after reports that they could break apart during removal and leave fragments in the body, sometimes requiring medical attention.

  Source
• 2012Stolen rejected tampons warningControversy

  Kimberly-Clark warned that rejected Kotex tampons had allegedly been stolen and sold publicly. The company said the products posed only a minor health risk, but the incident raised concerns about unauthorized distribution and product quality.

  Source
• 2004Red Dot advertising controversyControversy

  KOTEX advertising featuring an anthropomorphic red dot and menstrual wordplay was criticized as potentially inappropriate for children who might see the campaign without understanding its intended meaning. The related slogan was later withdrawn.

  Source

• 2026KOTEX introduces the Own Your Flow platform

  Reference material describes a new global KOTEX brand platform called Own Your Flow, accompanying renewed emphasis on the KOTEX name and updated pad and liner ranges.

  CampaignProduct launch
  Source
• 2025Kotex appointed NINGNING as a brand ambassador

  Kotex announced aespa member NINGNING as a brand ambassador and linked the appointment to promotion of a cranberry-probiotic sanitary-pad product.

  CampaignLeadership changeProduct launch
  Source
• 2024KOTEX responds to discussion of metals in tampons

  Following public discussion of research reporting trace metals in a range of tampon brands, KOTEX stated that heavy metals were not added to its products and were prohibited in its manufacturing process.

  RegulationOther
  Source
• 2024Kotex partnered with Didi to support female drivers and passengers

  In selected Chinese cities, Kotex distributed menstrual-care emergency packs to female Didi drivers and made products available to passengers through designated vehicles during a period-support campaign.

  CampaignOther
  Source
• 2020KOTEX marks its centennial with menstrual-health initiative

  For its 100th anniversary, KOTEX announced a reported three-year commitment to Plan International through the She Can initiative, focusing on menstrual-hygiene access, education, and stigma reduction.

  CampaignOther
  Source
• 2018U by Kotex Sleek tampons recalled over possible product separation

  Kimberly-Clark recalled certain U by Kotex Sleek tampons after reports that the tampon could break apart during removal, potentially leaving pieces inside the body and requiring medical attention.

  RecallOther
  Source
• 2017Kotex launched a Weibo social-video advertising package

  Kotex reportedly won a competitive bid for Weibo’s social-media video marketing solution at the 2017 ROI Festival, seeking stronger engagement with younger consumers.

  CampaignOther
  Source
• 2012Kimberly-Clark warns of stolen rejected Kotex tampons

  Kimberly-Clark warned that rejected Kotex tampons had reportedly been stolen and sold to consumers. The company described the potential health risk as minor but advised consumers to avoid the affected products.

  RecallOther
  Source

1. Kotex
2. KOTEX official website
3. Kimberly-Clark China apologized for controversial Kotex advertisement
4. Kotex Weibo launch-screen advertisement criticized for forced autoplay
5. Kotex appointed NINGNING as a brand ambassador
6. Kotex partnered with Didi to support female drivers and passengers
7. Kotex launched a Weibo social-video advertising package