National Tampon Day – May 12, 2027

Expected National Tampon Day Deals

As a Cause holiday, National Tampon Day focuses on advocacy and support rather than commercial deals. Organizations like Period.org and the Alliance for Period Supplies often partner with brands such as Tampax, Kotex, and Always for donation drives and awareness campaigns. Expect opportunities to contribute to product donations or participate in fundraising events. We encourage checking the websites of these non-profits for specific ways to get involved and support period equity initiatives.

History of National Tampon Day

Not much is known about the history of National Tampon Day, except that it is observed on May 12 annually. According to Wikipedia, a tampon is “a menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation.” Before the invention of modern tampons and pads, women in different cultures and civilizations used various methods to protect their modesty during menstruation. Ancient Egyptian women are said to have used softened papyrus during their menstrual flow. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, documented that ancient Greek women made tampons by wrapping bits of wood with lint.

During the Medieval period, menstruation was regarded as a thing of shame, and women were forced to go to excessive lengths to hide the smell of their flow by carrying sweet-smelling pouches of herbs around their necks or waists. At this time, women used rags as menstrual pads; hence, ‘on the rag’ came to mean ‘menstruating.’ Some women just bled into their clothes without using anything. Things started to change during the Victorian era as people realized that old methods were unsanitary and unsafe.

The first menstruation product to emerge was known as Lister’s Towels, invented by Johnson & Johnson in 1888. Lister’s Towels were disposable pads. Next came the Hoosier sanitary belt, which was popular among women between the 1890s. This belt could be attached to a washable pad and worn around the waist. Then in 1929, Dr. Earle Haas invented the first tampon. Inspired by a female friend who often used a sponge inside her vagina to absorb blood, he developed a cotton plug that was inserted using two cardboard tubes. When self-adhesive pads were finally invented during the 1970s, women abandoned the Hoosier sanitary belt.

Today, there are various menstrual products on the market, from menstrual pads to tampons to menstrual cups. Thanks to these products, women can experience better hygiene during their periods.