FDA approves innovative, new ‘spiral’ tampon shape

Published

2 years ago

August 18, 2023

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It’s not your mom’s tampon.

That’s the promise made by San Francisco-based startup Sequel, whose spiral tampon design was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration this month.

Since the tampon was invented to absorb menstrual flow in 1931, its design has remained largely the same.

That is until four years ago when Stanford classmates and Sequel co-founders Greta Meyer and Amanda Calabrese presented their new spiral tampon featuring diagonal grooves as a class project.

After receiving $5 million in funding and FDA approval, Meyer and Calabrese are ready to market Sequel as an “elevated product experience” for all who menstruate.

“The intent behind our design, which has this helical spiral indentation around the outside, is that those grooves are designed to make that flow path longer and therefore make [the tampon] absorb more easily,” Meyer told NBC News on Friday.

The FDA deeming Sequel safe for consumers has been a “great milestone for the company,” Meyer continued, but there’s still a long way to go.

The menstrual product industry has historically resisted disruption. Though a handful of startups have focused on sustainable alternatives in recent years, Sequel instead seeks to differentiate itself through product design.

As Calabrese told the Wall Street Journal, “[Investors] see that you have players that have dominated this industry since the beginning of this product coming to market … and them not being challenged on the actual product level.”

Sequel’s co-founders hope to partner with boutique fitness studios in the coming months, before selling spiral tampons online in late 2023.

In 2022, Tampax manufacturer Proctor & Gamble accounted for almost 40% of domestic tampon sales.

In order to shake up the industry, Sequel’s co-founders have focused on building a social media presence and visibility at festivals like South by Southwest, where they hosted a panel called “Periods on TikTok?! Using Content to Crush Stigmas.”

Science

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Lifts Off Successfully From Vandenberg Space Force Base

Published

45 mins ago

September 29, 2025

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SpaceX has successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket, which carried 11-20 Starlink Satellites into space. The lift-off was done from the Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, wherein the rocket entered space within a few minutes of the launch.

Politics

US government poised to shut down: Will it affect crypto market structure bill?

Published

3 hours ago

September 29, 2025

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US government poised to shut down: Will it affect crypto market structure bill?

A US government shutdown lasting days or weeks could further delay the Senate’s moves on a crypto market structure bill passed by the House in July.

Environment

The Jeep Recon Moab EV goes full beast mode in black as it drops camo [Images]

Published

4 hours ago

September 29, 2025

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The Jeep Recon Moab EV goes full beast mode in black as it drops camo [Images]

Jeep’s new electric SUV looks pretty sweet in a blacked-out Moab edition. The Jeep Recon Moab EV was spotted with hardly any camo, sporting black paint, wheels, tint, and some serious off-road upgrades.

Check out the Jeep Recon Moab EV in black

The Recon is expected to make its official debut later this year, but we are already getting a look at the new Moab trim.

Although it won’t replace the Wrangler, Jeep said the Recon takes inspiration from the legendary off-roader and will even pull a few fan favorites, like optional doors and windows.

The Recon is Jeep’s third electric SUV, following the Avenger and Wagoneer S, promising to be the brand’s first true off-road EV.

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We have a good idea of what the Recon will look like when it arrives, after several prototypes have been caught in public testing. The closer it gets to production form, the more and more it looks like a Ford Bronco, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

A new sighting, from the folks at Jeep Recon Forum, offers a closer look at the Recon Moab trim, all blacked out.

It looks about the same, maybe a little refined, compared to the first Moab model we saw, which leaked out of a dealer event in Las Vegas way back in March 2023.

You can also see a good size comparison to the Chevy Equinox sitting next to it. Jeep’s SUV is clearly taller with a more upright stance.

Jeep already took a shot at Ford during the Super Bowl earlier this year, recruiting Harrison Ford for a commercial where the Recon races past the Bronco on an off-road trail. Harrison joked at the end, “This Jeep makes me happy, even though my name is Ford.”

Jeep-Recon-EV-Ford-Bronco — Jeep Recon Moab 4xe (source: JeepReconForum)

The Recon is set to make an official debut later this year and will go on sale as a 2026 model year. Jeep has kept most details secret, but promised it will be able to tackle the Rubicon Trail with enough charge to get back to town and recharge.

Like the Wagoneer S, the Recon will be based on the STLA Large platform, which should provide at least 300 miles of driving range.

The Moab will be one of several trim options, which will likely include at least a Willys and Overland version as well.

We will learn prices closer to launch, but the Jeep Recon EV is expected to start at around $60,000. The Moab and other trims could cost upwards of $80,000 or more, similar to the Wrangler.

Source: JeepReconForum