Femtech company Daye has secured a patent for its organic tampon, which can be used for both menstrual care and diagnostics.
The patent covers the tampon’s design and manufacturing process. It features plastic-free materials, a protective sleeve to prevent fibre shedding, dual surfaces for absorbing fluid, and a cupped tip that expands evenly to reduce leakage. It can also incorporate therapeutic coatings and be produced at scale.
Founder Valentina Milanova said the product outperforms synthetic tampons.
Milanova said in a LinkedIn post: “This is a major win for performance, sustainability, and patient experience — especially since absorbency is still one of the top reasons people hesitate to switch to organic.
“And in the context of diagnostics, with our Diagnostic Tampon, we’re proud to bring sustainability to a space long dominated by petroleum-derived plastics.”
The announcement comes three months after Daye raised £11,114 through its Bright Friday campaign, which met its target in 10 days.
The funds support research into women’s health, including a non-hormonal, non-surgical treatment for endometriosis pain — a condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows in other places — and using menstrual fluid to investigate causes of heavy bleeding linked to endometriosis.
The company is also conducting ongoing research into gynaecological cancers, including ovarian and endometrial cancer.
Daye has partnered with Wellbeing of Women, a charity focused on improving gynaecological health research and closing the gender health gap.
It supports better care for women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB).
Wellbeing of Women has funded studies into endometriosis, heavy periods and gynaecological cancers that often go underfunded despite affecting millions.
Over the past 40 years, the charity has helped fund research that led to the introduction of ultrasound in pregnancy care, aiding early detection of conditions such as spina bifida — a birth defect where the spine does not form properly — and improving monitoring for high-risk pregnancies.
It also contributed to research that identified the link between HPV (human papillomavirus) and cervical cancer, supporting the development of the UK’s cervical screening programme and the HPV vaccine, which has significantly reduced cervical cancer rates.
