Complete product overhaul features new benefits designed to meet women’s unique period care needs
CHICAGO, Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Kotex® proudly unveiled a completely reimagined lineup of pads and liners to address the staggering fact that 82% of women regularly feel frustrated by today’s period products*. This complete portfolio overhaul is bringing innovation to the category to support women’s bodies, lifestyles, and evolving needs.
Each new Kotex pad is powered by Gravity™ Core technology, which rapidly pulls blood to the bottom of the pad, to help women feel clean, dry, and protected. Gravity™ Core is a part of the brand’s unique 5X System with LeakShield™, which delivers breathability, odor control, dryness, fit, and reliable leak protection.
The new portfolio includes:
- BioCare Ultra Thin Pads – Features a proprietary pH Proactive system that helps optimize pH levels in the pad and help defend against odor and irritants. Available in Regular, Heavy and Night Defense™ Ultra Thin pads.
- Bamboo Ultra Thin Pads – Features an ultra-soft, viscose top layer made from organically grown bamboo that delivers gentle comfort while maintaining powerful protection. Kotex Bamboo is dermatologist tested, made without fragrance and free of synthetic pesticides. Available in Regular, Heavy, and Night Defense™ Ultra Thin pads.
- Ultra Thin Pads – Featuring new Gravity™ Core technology and designed for women who want powerful protection that helps them feel fresh, dry and protected. Available in Regular, Heavy, Extra Heavy and Night Defense™ Ultra Thin pads.
- Teen Ultra Thin Pads – Designed and sized specifically for teens to help create a secure fit by eliminating gaps to prevent leaks Available in Heavy and Night Defense™ Ultra Thin pads.
- Night Defense™ – New Kotex Extra Heavy Overnight pads are now designed with revolutionary side guards and a raised back bumper to help prevent back and side leaks. Available in Ultra Thin Pads.
- Liners: Kotex is expanding to new varieties including BioCare and Bamboo.
“This new portfolio is a powerful statement of what leadership in period care looks like. We’re not just raising the bar for the category; we’re redefining it,” says Katie Moran, President of Kotex in North America. “Kotex exists to help women own their flow by providing period care solutions designed for their unique needs, so they can move confidently through every part of their lives.”
Built on Consumer Insight
The relaunch was driven by consumer research that found:
- One in ten women are unsatisfied with the options available for today’s period products
- The top frustrations women have with their current period products are leaks (36%), shifting or bunching up (29%), discomfort (25%), odor (23%) and ineffectiveness for heavy flows (19%)
- Two in five women sleep with a towel under them as extra protection during their period and one in four women have set an alarm to change their period product during the night because of a fear of leaking
“There’s been a real shift in how we talk about intimate wellness, and pH balance is front and center in that conversation,” said Dr. Hailey Puckett (DNP, WHNP-BC). “When period products are designed to meet women’s needs, it shows we’re moving toward smarter, more wellness-conscious innovation that reflects a more modern, science-informed approach to menstrual care.”
In addition to the new products, Kotex is introducing a bold new brand identity. The brand redesign brings Kotex to the forefront as a nod to the brand’s heritage and leverages its iconic U as a telegraphic beacon of product benefits. The bold, modern, and unapologetic design was inspired by the beauty aisle, with confident visuals that make period care look as powerful as it should feel.
The new Kotex pads and liners are now available beginning at Target.com, Walmart.com and Amazon.com, and on shelf at retailers nationwide in the Spring. For more information, please visit Kotex.com or follow Kotex on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
*Talker Research surveyed 1,000 women 18-49 who menstruate who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Kotex and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Feb. 17 and Feb. 19, 2026.
CONTACT: kotex@abmc-us.com
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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark
