What is "tampax"

Tampax (a portmanteau of tampon and pack) is a brand of tampon currently owned by parent company Procter & Gamble and sold in over 100 countries. Both the brand and the product was invented by Dr. Earle Haas, who filed a patent in 1931. Tampax was originally an independent company for over 50 years, based in Palmer, Massachusetts (with headquarters in New York). Renamed Tambrands, Inc. in 1984, P&G purchased the company in 1997. It was noted for decades as having the dominant share of the tampon market, challenged in the USA mostly by Playtex, J&J (brands Carefree and Meds) and Kimberly-Clark. P&G also competed against Tampax with the failed product from the 1970s called " Rely".

During World War II, Tampax produced large quantities of wound dressings for the military. It was noted for having a mostly, almost exclusively, female workforce for much of its history. Financially, while still independent, it carried no debt for most of its corporate lifetime and ranked ~#4 on the Fortune 500 list for return on equity. The original product was designed from the start as flushable and biodegradeable.

Marketing for the product includes the company's BeingGirl website.