Gertrude Tendrich
Two visionary Coloradans helped give modern women more freedom — through the invention and manufacture of the tampon.
Throughout history, women fashioned period products out of anything from moss to paper to fabric. A woman told a Denver doctor she used a sponge to manage her menstrual flow. This inspired him to create a disposable device with a cardboard applicator as an alternative to bulky pads. Convenience, cleanliness, more freedom of movement. But prudish attitudes limited its potential, until Gertrude Tendrich bought the patent in 1933.
The German immigrant launched a new company in Denver: Tampax. First Tendrich sewed tampons together herself, then she hired women to mass produce them. Discreetly at first, through drugstores and mail order, sales grew as women engaged in more physical work and active lifestyles. Tendrich turned tampons into a trusted product and gave women more control over menstrual management.
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