1 The Facts About Conventional Feminine Hygiene Products: How well do you know the content of your Feminine Hygiene Products? Copyright © Maxim Hygiene Products Prepared by: 39 Maple Street, Roslyn Heights, NY USA Website: Tel Fax Toll Free: MAXIM

2 Conventional Feminine Hygiene Products The content of most standard sanitary napkins, pantiliners and tampons available on the market today is questionable. They are made with: –Plastics, Petrochemicals, Superabsorbent Polymers, Viscose, Synthetics and/or Chemically Treated Cellulose Fluff Pulp, Chemical-Based Perfumes. Multinational large companies use the power of media to promote these products, however consumers are left uninformed about the risky health and environmental facts associated with the harmful product content.

3 Conventional Feminine Hygiene Products: Main Harmful Contents & Health and Environmental Risks Content #1: Viscose/Rayon and other synthetics Associated Health Risk  Occurance of vulvo-vaginal irritations Content #2: Chlorine/dioxin Associated Health Risk  Linked to major health concerns Content #3: Cellulose Fluff Pulp Associated Environmental Risk  Destruction of our natural forests

4 Conventional Feminine Hygiene Harmful Content #1: Viscose/Rayon Rayon is a type of viscose which is a petrochemical based by- product. It has the same characteristics of natural cotton with much higher liquid absorbency. It is easier and less expensive to produce fluff from Rayon than Cotton; this is why rayon is the preferred material used in a feminine hygiene products, even though rayon is not as safe for the body or environment as cotton. There are many chemical substitutes for cotton but none as good as the natural fiber itself. Maxim is the only 100% Cotton-Made feminine hygiene brand keeping your Body, Earth and Health Safe and Irritation Free.

5 Associated Rayon/Viscose Health Risk: VULVO-VAGINAL IRRITATION A vulvo-vaginal irritation is a yeast infection in the vaginal area, typically occurring in warm, moist environments. The synthetic materials used in non-organic and non-natural cotton feminine hygiene products trap moisture, increasing the likelihood of developing a yeast infection. The plastics, viscose, cellulose, perfume, super-absorbent and other petro- chemical products found in standard fem hygiene products creates what’s called a “heat-dampness micro-climate,” which is an ideal environment for encouraging the proliferation of bacteria, fungi and other irritation-causing subjects.

6 Conventional Feminine Hygiene Harmful Content #2: Chlorine/Dioxin Industry standard methods use Chlorine to bleach the Fluff Pulp, Cotton or Rayon contained in standard feminine hygiene products. The purpose of bleaching is to disinfect these materials from germs and to whiten their color. Dioxin is a chemical substance or residue of Chlorine, which stays within the fluffs of Cotton or Rayon. It is a kind of poison that can be harmful to human health, if the dosage becomes too high in the body.

7 Dioxin Dangers Dioxin is a toxic carcinogenic product that could cause serious health problems in women and men. 1.Short term exposure: poisoning, skin lesions, liver damage 2.Long Term exposure: damage to the reproductive system (endometriosis, abnormal shedding of the uterus lining), impairment of immune system. 3. Chronic exposure: links to cancer

8 Tampon Usage and Dioxin Exposure On average each woman uses 4 to 5 Tampons per day during her Menstrual Period. A normal period takes between 5 to 6 days per month. After 38 years of menstruation during a woman’s lifetime, the amount of Dioxin which can be absorbed into a woman’s body by using Tampons is not acceptable by the Environmental Protection Agendy

9 Ilustration of how tampon fibers cling on to the vaginal wall upon removal from inside the body, allowing for prolonged exposure to the chemicals used in bleaching the fibers.

10 Alternative Healthy Bleaching Process: Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen-Peroxide is a safer chemical that can be used instead of Chlorine/Dioxin to disinfect Fluff Pulp, Cotton or Rayon from germs and whiten their colors. It is a more expensive and time consuming bleaching process, but it is the best and healthiest available alternative to chlorine. It does not leave any chemical substances or residue behind in the Cellulose Fluff, Cotton or Rayon and it is not harmful to human health. Another name commonly used for this process is Oxygenation.

11 Conventional Feminine Hygiene Harmful Content #3: Cellulose Fluff Pulp Cellulose fluff pulp is obtained from tree wood and is the main ingredient of all sanitary pads, EXCEPT ours. Maxim products use natural cotton instead to prevent the abuse and destruction of natural forests to obtain cellulose fluff pulp. Cotton is more waste efficient, easily cultivated and its production has less of an overall negative impact on the natural environment.

12 Made with 100% Pure Cotton Rayon/Viscose Free Chlorine/Dioxin Free 100% Cellulose Fluff Pulp Free Perfume and Super-Absorbent Free Hypoallergenic In considering the health and environment risk factors described, Maxim Hygiene Products has created the safest and most eco- friendly line of Organic and/or Natural Products based on the following qualities: