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Site directory for commercial disposable menstrual pads
(sanitary napkins, towels) (see washable menstrual
pads)
(Site directories for ads for teens, tampons & company booklets
for girls. )
Women have used menstrual pads in various forms since - well, the beginning
of the species maybe? The modern commercial disposable pads seem to have
started in the late nineteenth century with the Hartmann company (ads below)
in Germany and Johnson & Johnson in the U.S.A. Both companies still
operate. Kotex and Curads, in the early 1920s, took the torch from J&J.
In Germany, Camelia began selling disposables in the mid-1920s. Belts, suspenders and special
underpants held these early pads in place. In
the early 1970s two revolutions - adhesive strips holding the pad in the
crotch of panties and smaller pads (see New Freedom
and Stayfree)- changed the industry, essentially
killing the belt-and-pad market, to the relief of most women.
See how women wore a belt (and in a
Swedish ad).
Washable pads, which are not included on
this page
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List of large contributors of items at bottom
of page.
Pads, at right (actual pads, advertising, boxes)
(See also Ads for Teens)
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Birdseye (Bird eye,
bird'seye, bird's eye) cloth used for diapers and menstrual pads:
ad in the Washington Post, September 11, 1904
(97 years before the infamous "9/11"). You can buy the cloth today.
Camelia (early German disposable still
widely sold) The camellia (English spelling of the flower) of the brand
has a exceptionally naughty history and would
have never been tolerated in the U.S.A. I can imagine the torchlight processions
of enraged citizens. Dutch booklet (excerpts) describing
the pad and its origin (probably 1928). Ads: 1920s
(Germany), 1930s (Germany), 1930s box, etc., terrific 1930s
ad!, 1940/41 (Germany), 1952
(Australia), 1973 Germany (shows the new adhesive
pad through panties), 1970s (France), 1990, also 1990 (white pants)
(Germany), 1992 (Germany) using white pants, 2003 (Austria)
Carefree (U.K.) panty liner ads, 1993, 1994
Carefree Teens (U.S.A.) Personal Products, colored
pantyliners, about 1990 - more of them
Cellucotton (Early
newspaper reports and later ads) & Kotex menstrual pads (scroll
down this page) (U.S.A.)
Chinese pad and belt (2000)
Chinese pad, Anerle
Chinese panty pad, Huitlao
Comforts (U.S.A., 1907) "Sanitary Comforts
of Old Blankets," tip in magazine for possibly making washable pads
(?)
Compad (U.S.A., 1940s-1960s?) single compressed
pad with belt in tiny package
Confetti very long ad for Brevia Confetti
menstrual tampons & panty pads (pantiliners) (13 June 1988, Kimberly-Clark
Corp., in Elle magazine, France)
See the second Confetti page
Confidets (U.S.A., 1961-1980s), a shaped
pad (the first?) and with disposal bags (the first? See other disposal
bags), pads & box (1967), ad
(1961)
Delicate (U.S.A., mid 1940s-50s?) pads to
carry, in a tube - ad, 1953
Dr White's (United Kingdom), ad, 1987 - 3-D ad, with glasses attached, 1989, for Shapes pads
- ad contest for Dr White's
Early newspaper ads for pads (U.S.A.). Includes
paper (disposable) pads before Kotex, the first really successful brand;
washable; and related things like sanitary aprons and belts. See also Generic menstrual pads, below.
Fems (U.S.A.) Ad, 1921
Freedom (Germany), plastic
bag with ad, France ad 1990, U.K. ad 1990
Generic menstrual pads (U.S.A.) Pads not
identified with a specific name. Ads: 1915 (paper
and cloth), 1916 (compressed for traveling, probably
disposable), 1914 (normal and compressed, probably
for traveling). See also Early newspaper ads
for pads, above.
Hartmann's Mulpa 1890s, first German disposable
pad
Hartmann's WWs (U.S.A.) Disposable pad,
19th century
inSync Miniform (U.S.A.) contemporary small
pad fitting between the small lips of the vulva to absorb small amounts
of urine and vaginal secretions. Now in a different form. Promotional
package, 1997. See also Padette.
Japanese pads and belts, early 20th century:
instructions for making the so-called uma (pony or horse, because it resembled in function
the device on horses to catch feces).
Junoform Serviettes Periodiques Items in
Butler Brothers catalogs starting here (early
20th century)
Junoform Sani-naps Items
in Butler Brothers catalogs starting here
(early 20th century)
Ladysan (Chile) magazine
ad, 1994, for Ladysan Ultra con Alas Protectoras (menstrual pad "ultra"
with wings). Procter & Gamble owns the company. I thank a Chilean
university student for the scan!
Libra (Australia) ads 1996,
1997 (gifts from C.W., in London, U.K.)
Libresse ad,
Poland, ca. 1998 (translated) - ad, Dutch, 1998,
showing red on a pad - Dutch bus-stop ad in the
town of Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands, where the contributor lives, 2006
- telephone-booth ad in London, U.K. - ad praising the men who helped Mølnlycke reach
second place in the Netherlands (1978) - booklet
describing pads, 2007, the Netherlands
Lightdays Pantiliners (Kotex): ads featuring
named women, 1982, 1985,
1986
Lilia (U.K., pad in a tube, 1930s?) Generous
gift from Andrew Smith, Wales, United Kingdom.
Lines ad (Italy)
Lister's [Sanitary] Towels (U.S.A., 1890s-1920s?)
4 ads for the first American disposable pad, by Johnson & Johnson
Mene ad (United Kingdon) Ad 1931
Merco (U.S.A., 1919) Ad. Disposable?
Mimosept mini (Denmark) ad,
1970s? - Germany, Mimosept Komfort, 1970s - Denmark,
Mimosept Mini, 1972
Modess (Johnson & Johnson, U.S.A.)
1927 Gilbreth report to Johnson & Johnson
about Modess - newspaper ads 1927-28 - "Silent Purchase" ad, June 1928 - ad, 1928 - "Modernizing Mother" ads: #1, February
1929 ("Mother . . . don't be quaint");
#3 April 1929 ("Don't weaken, Mother");
#5, June 1929 ("Never mind, Mother, you'll learn")
- ad about concealing pad, 1930 - ad
compared with Kotex ad, 1931 - ad, 1931 - wrapped Modess pad for dispenser, 1930s? - Ad, U.K., 1936 - True or False?
ad in The American Girl magazine, January 1947 - Australian
ad, 1957 - ad (1956) with "Modess . . . .
because" ad incorporated into it - ad for
"Growing Up and Liking It" booklet (1963, Modess) - actress Carol Lynley in "How shall I tell my daughter?"
booklet ad (1955) - Modess . . . . because ads
(many dates) - French ad, 1970s? - ad, French, 1972, photo by David Hamilton - Personal Digest leaflets (6), 1966-67: describe Modess
products - How Modess Sanitary Napkins Began:
excerpts from"A Company That Cares: One Hundred Year Illustrated History
of Johnson and Johnson"
Mosana Early disposable menstrual napkin (towel):
Ad from the United Kingdom, 1913
Mölnlycke (a company) see also Libresse
Mulpa, Hartmann's 1890s, first German disposable
pad?
Nana (France) one-page ad featuring just
a man (1980s?) - two-page
spread featuring a different man (1989)
Nefa (the Netherlands) - ad in Panorama
magazine, 28 July 1938 - ad, 1954
- ad, 1967 (all gifts from a frequest and generous
Dutch contributor)
New Freedom (U.S.A.), an early beltless pad
(by Kotex); box bears a copyright of 1970 - ad
November 21, 1971, The Milwaukee Journal - ad
using named person, 1978 - promotion leaflet
(date unknown) - ad, 1985, showing disposal bag
Nikini pads and briefs , ad (U.K., 1970s?)
Nupak (U.S.A., Johnson & Johnson) probably
the first disposable J&J pad after the late 19th century and early 20th
failures or seldom-bought pads. Ads, 1926, 1927.
Padette (U.S.A.) small menstrual/urine/vaginal
secretions pad that fit between the small lips of the vulva; obsolete but
there's a market for it as evidenced from the e-mail I've received. See
also InSync Miniform.
Pad-n-all (1930s-1940s?, U.S.A.) a combination
of pad and attached belt, probably made of cotton (Procter & Gamble
donation, 2001)
Paper sanitary napkins (U.S.A., pre-Kotex)
Ad in regional newspaper: 1917. Disposable menstrual
pads are almost always made of a paper-like substance from trees, but these
are identified as "paper."
Pen-Co-Nap (U.S.A., 1929) Ad
for the J.C. Penney Co. pad.
Polivia (France) ad,
1989
Prudex Disposable pad from Lydia Pinkham,
1929, U.S.A. The -ex form might come from a
competitor, Kotex.
Ria (Germany) panty pads ad with real pad
on page
Saba Ad, 1970s
(Denmark) - Short history of the Norwegian
company (SCA Mølnlycke) - Early ads (1956
& another & another,
Norway) - Swedish ad, 1981 - Ad (date?) Swedish,
showing hand holding pad in underpants - ad showing
a woman exercising while not shifting the pad (1970s, bottom
of the page)
SAN-NAP-PAK (U.S.A.) ad, in The American
Girl magazine, July 1945 - ad, 1932, in Love Mirror
(with a great magazine cover)
Sanisep (Sweden) ad, 1970s, photo of woman
in underpants wearing it, showing also photo of older belted pad on woman
in underpants - Swedish ad (date?) showing wearer's
hands holding pad in underpants - Finnish ad (date?)
showing hands holding pad in underpants
Slipvast (Dutch ads from the Mønlycke
company for Libresse, 1977)
Society (U.S.A.), pad and box, probably 1920s
or 1930s
Southalls (spelled
also with an apostrophe in different positions) Early disposable
menstrual napkin, U.K.: large box with single
pad, small box with single pad, (1930s?). Both
gifts from Andrew Smith, Wales, United Kingdom.
Southall ads from the United Kingdom,
1888-1913. American ads for Southalls. Southall's
pad disposal bag
Stayfree (U.S.A., the Netherlands) ad with
Cathy Rigby (1982). More
ads with Rigby and others (U.S.A., Germany,
Hispanic America). Listen
to Cathy Rigby speak a radio ad for Stayfree (1982). Ads, U.S.A., 1973, 1974, showing new beltless
pad - Ad, 1980, cheerleaders - Ad, 1977, girl skateboarding in white shorts - Ad, 1982, white shorts - Ad, U.S.A., 1984: white
sheets as main design element - Ad, 1996, cartwheel
in white pants - Dutch ads showing women wearing pad & belt: 1972 (photo), 1973 (drawing)
- German, 1976, 1977,
diagrams showing blood flow & panties - 1980 American folder with great
visual pun on cover: Your Teenage Menstrual Cycle
- Historic Stayfree writes MUM (no, I didn't get paid
for this), "STAYFREE® Maxi Pads and Information for Spotting,
Bleeding, and Discharge during Pregnancy URL: www.STAYFREE.com
Description: Pads can come in handy to protect you throughout many
of the bodily changes experienced during pregnancy and the childbirth recovery
period. STAYFREE® offers the broadest range of feminine hygiene products
available as well as helpful resources and products for your pregnancy. From
light menstruation to active bladder control, there's a STAYFREE® solution
that fits your needs before, during, and after pregnancy."
Thailand ad, date?
Thong, panty pad for (SCA,
a Swedish company)
Vania Kotydia (France) Ad with Betty Boop
for black panty pads (prot`ège-slip noir), April 2002. Scan kind
donation of a Frenchwoman
Washable: General
subject - India (in Almora, Uttar Pradesh
state) - 19th century Italian - 19th century
Norwegian - German pattern
for home sewing (probably late 19th century) - Snap-on
- with underpants - with belt
Whenever (U.S.A.) 1987
White (the color) in a series of menstrual advertising
from around the world
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| Bags for disposing of used pads |
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| Belts for menstrual pads |
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| Dispensers for menstrual pads |
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| Disposal unit for used pads |
Cannon "Concept Unit" |
| Panties (underpants) for holding menstrual
pads |
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| Powder for menstrual pads |
Amolin (U.S.A., from Kotex) produced from
the 1920s to probably the 1970s.
Mum deodorant (U.S.A.) produced from
at least the 1920s and still sold today (2000)
Quest (U.S.A., 1930s - ?)) two cans
and an ad |
Reports
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Consumer Report (U.S.A., selections), 1949, rated contemporary American tampons & pads
- Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Kotex and others. Photos and narrative about what
pads & tampons consisted of and a photo of a pad-testing
machine (see Syngyna, a tampon-testing machine).
See also the important "Dickinson Report"
favoring tampons over pads in the 1945 CR.
"The Dickinson Report" (U.S.A.
article comparing pads unfavorably to tampons, 1945, based on a Journal
of the American Medical Association article)
Report of [Dr. Lillian] Gilbreth, Inc., (excerpts
and discussion), 1 January 1927, to the Johnson & Johnson company. It
gathered and studied the wishes of women for menstrual pads and gave recommendations
about pads and additional products. It was probably
the first such study and led to the development of better pads (the
new Modess), which conformed to the wishes of its users.
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Selling
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Ad-design contest in the United Kingdom
How to sell Kotex page for trade publications,
probably early 1920s, U.S.A.
"Your Image is Your Fortune!," Modess
sales-hints booklet for stores, 1967 (U.S.A.)
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| Shields to protect clothing |
Sanitary apron, U.S.A., 1914 Sears, Roebuck
catalog. MUM director Harry Finley commissioed Dr. Ann Wass to reconstruct
it for the physical museum.
Sanshe['?]s shields for sanitary napkins, U.S.A., 1940-50s? |
| Suspenders for pads |
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Teachers' guides
(See also educational booklets for girls) |
"A Teaching Guide for Menstrual
Hygiene" (cover, 1962, Personal Products
Corp., U.S.A.)
"A Teacher's Guide to Feminine Hygiene"
(cover, 1973, Personal Products Corp.,
U.S.A.)
"Educational Material on Menstruation furnished
by the makers of Tampax" (1966) U.S.A.
Folder with huge number of information sheets, etc.
"Educational Portfolio on Menstrual Hygiene"
(1968) U.S.A. Teacher's
kit for Modess sanitary napkins, menstrual tampons
and panties (mostly complete)
"From Fiction to Fact: a teaching guide about
puberty, menstruation and the human reproductive system" (cover, 1986, Tambrands, U.S.A.)
"Teacher's kit" (complete,
early 1950s, Personal Products Corp., U.S.A.)
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| Testing pads |
Consumer Reports (U.S.A., selections),
1949, rated contemporary American tampons &
pads - Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Kotex and others. Photos and narrative about
what pads & tampons consisted of and a photo of a pad-testing
machine (see Syngyna, a tampon-testing machine).
See also the important "Dickinson Report"
favoring tampons over pads in the 1945 CR. |
| Underpants for holding menstrual pads |
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| Large gifts of historic pads, tampons, ads,
documents, panties, etc., to this museum (many people from around the world
have generously made smaller donations of boxes, ads, etc.) |
In 1995, a woman who read an article about this museum in the Chicago
Tribune newspaper kindly donated boxes of fax,
Fibs, and other tampons and advertising material from the 1930s left by
her father, who had worked for Kotex.
In 1997, Tambrands, former maker of Tampax
tampons, generously donated over 450 boxes of tampons from as early as 1936,
plus hundreds of other items.
In 2001, Procter & Gamble, owner of
Tampax and Always pads, generously donated scores of boxes of tampons and
other menstrual products from the 1930s to the 1960s. |
See how women wore a belted pad (and
in a Swedish ad and a Dutch ad).
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Why the tabs, belt or suspenders holding a menstrual pad or cloth must
be longer in the back.
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this page copyright 2009 Harry
Finley
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