Lola

Packaging

Lola has taken meaningful steps to make its packaging more sustainable but still relies on some single-use plastics. On the plus side, the company’s cardboard-applicator tampons eliminate plastic in favor of smooth cardboard (with a paper wrapper that is recyclable and compostable). Lola’s tampon boxes and other paper packaging are likewise recyclable, and the brand even notes its shipping boxes are made from recycled material and are compostable.

However, many Lola items still use plastic components: for instance, the popular compact tampons have BPA-free plastic applicators and likely plastic wrappers, and the pads are individually wrapped in a thin polyethylene film. The pads themselves include a polyethylene backsheet and use conventional polymers (polypropylene dispersal layer and an acrylic-based absorbent gel) which are not biodegradable. Even cleansing wipes, while made of biodegradable bamboo viscose, come individually packaged

Ingredient Sustainability

The brand avoids the worst offenders. You won’t find any non-renewable petroleum fillers, no toxic dyes or heavy metals, no palm oil, no PVC plastics, etc. The use of certified organic cotton and biobased materials (bamboo, corn-derived propanediol, etc.) shows Lola sources with an eye to renewability and lower environmental footprint. A few components (like plastic layers in pads, or the processing of bamboo into viscose) prevent a higher score, as there is still reliance on non-biodegradable or resource-intensive materials in certain products. However, these are relatively limited within Lola’s assortment, and the brand often provides alternative options (for instance, customers concerned about pad plastics can choose Lola’s cup products instead).

Energy Use and Footprint

When it comes to carbon footprint and energy use, Lola has room to improve. The brand does not yet demonstrate robust measures to minimize or offset its emissions. Transparency on emissions is essentially absent: Lola does not publish data on its carbon footprint or energy consumption, and we found no mentions of climate commitments (e.g. carbon neutrality, science-based targets) on their site.

Waste Management

On the product side, many Lola items are single-use by nature (tampons, pads, wipes, condoms), which inherently generate waste. Recognizing this, Lola has expanded into reusable products (offering a menstrual cup and washable underwear) to give consumers waste-free alternatives to disposables.

Business Model

Lola’s business model is built on providing quality essentials on a subscription basis, rather than pushing trendy, short-lived products, a structure that generally encourages sustainable consumption patterns rather than overconsumption. The company offers a relatively focused product range: menstrual products, sexual wellness, and related care items. These are “evergreen” needs that don’t go in and out of fashion. Indeed, Lola rarely introduces new products for the sake of novelty; most expansions (like adding a prenatal vitamin or postpartum pads) are logical extensions addressing genuine customer needs, not whimsical fads. There are no seasonal collections or constantly changing styles.

From a toxicity standpoint, Lola’s wipes are far safer than conventional feminine wipes that might include detergents, perfume, or phenoxyethanol.

Their personal lubricant formula is extremely clean. It has no parabens (which can act as endocrine disruptors for some), no glycerin (which can cause yeast infections), no petrochemical oils, and no propylene glycol (which can irritate mucous membranes). Instead, it uses propanediol (a gentle humectant that is generally recognized as safe and even edible in foods) and gluconolactone, which actually can hydrate skin and has a safety profile so good it’s used in baby products.

For condoms, they use natural latex and purified silicone lubricant, and crucially avoid additives that can cause issues: there’s no spermicide (nonoxynol-9) which can irritate, no benzocaine or other numbing agents, no fragrance or flavor. They also are nitrosamine-free (nitrosamines are potentially carcinogenic compounds that can be a byproduct in latex manufacturing).

Lola’s pads are dermatologically safe; they contain no fragrances, no dyes, and notably no PFAS “forever chemicals” (which have been a scandal in some other pad brands). The materials (cotton, polypropylene, polyethylene) are commonly used in medical or hygiene contexts and are considered biologically inert. The adhesives are stated as “non-toxic hot-melt,” which likely means they are formulated to avoid solvents or harmful residues. Users are therefore not in contact with anything deemed harmful. The skin-touch surface is organic cotton, and everything else is layered away.

By using pure organic cotton with no added chemicals, Lola ensures their tampons are hypoallergenic and free of toxins. They explicitly make tampons without chlorine bleach (so no dioxin residues), without rayon (no risk of microscopic synthetic fibers left behind), and without pesticide residues or fragrances. Organic cotton is about as inert and body-friendly as it gets – it’s even breathable and reduces risk of irritation or infection compared to synthetic blends. Lola also tested their tampons for heavy metals and found none detected, addressing concerns from a recent study that found trace metals in some brands.

Lola has deliberately eliminated known toxic or irritant substances from its formulations and materials. They also adhere to high testing standards for safety (FDA clearance for tampons/condoms, clinical testing on gynecological safety for others). Lola’s ingredient philosophy is essentially “if it’s not safe, we don’t use it,” and that is reflected in their tagline of offering “clean, chemical-free” alternatives. It’s worth noting that some of Lola’s choices not only avoid toxicity but actively improve user health (e.g. organic cotton tampons reduce the risk of micro-abrasions and infections compared to synthetic tampons), and their avoidance of allergens and endocrine disruptors is commendable. There are virtually no red-flag ingredients in Lola’s entire product catalog as far as human health is concerned.

Fair Labor

On the positive side, Lola’s use of certified organic cotton implies some labor and social standards are upheld in that supply chain. Specifically, their tampons are made with GOTS-certified cotton, and GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) includes social criteria for processing facilities. European manufacturing means workers making the tampons and pads are protected by EU labor regulations (covering reasonable work hours, benefits, etc.), which is a reassuring factor for fair labor. For other products, details are scarcer.

Animal Welfare

Lola excels in animal welfare, having made its entire product line cruelty-free and virtually vegan, with a transparent stance against animal testing. The company does not test any of its finished products on animals, and it requires the same of its ingredient suppliers, as evidenced by Lola’s certification under the Leaping Bunny program.

Community Engagement

Community engagement and social impact are woven into Lola’s DNA – the brand goes beyond selling products to actively support and educate its community, with a focus on menstrual equity and women’s health empowerment. From day one, Lola set up a program to give back: they partnered with the nonprofit “I Support the Girls” (which provides bras and menstrual products to women experiencing homelessness and poverty) and through this partnership, Lola has donated over one million period products to low-income women and girls across the U.S.

Beyond donations, Lola has shown leadership in the policy realm through advocacy campaigns. Notably, in 2019, Lola co-launched Tax Free. Period., a nationwide campaign alongside the legal group Period Equity, aimed at abolishing the “tampon tax” (sales tax on menstrual products) in the remaining 35 U.S. states that had it.