Many menstrual cups and discs are made without animal-derived ingredients, but that does not mean every product is vegan or cruelty-free. The primary material is only part of the picture. Pigments and additives can contain animal-derived ingredients and a brand may have used an ingredient that has been tested on animals.
If vegan or cruelty-free status matters to you, check the manufacturer's current information for the specific product rather than assuming that all silicone cups or discs are the same.
Vegan and cruelty-free period products at a glance
| Question | What to check |
|---|---|
| Is it vegan? | Look for confirmation that the finished product does not use animal-derived ingredients, materials or relevant processing aids. Certification standards may have additional criteria. |
| Is it cruelty-free? | Check the manufacturer's animal-testing policy and what that policy covers. |
| Does silicone mean vegan? | Not by itself. The finished product may contain pigments, additives or other components that also need to be considered. |
| Does TGA compliance mean animal testing? | No. Australian menstrual cup regulation sets product requirements but does not mean every finished cup must be tested on animals. |
Are menstrual cups and discs vegan?
Many are, but vegan status needs to be checked for the individual product.
Menstrual cups and reusable menstrual discs are commonly made from silicone or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), while some products may use natural rubber latex.
The name of the main material does not tell you everything about the finished product. Depending on the product, other components may include:
- pigments or colourants
- additives
- coatings
- adhesives or bonded components
- processing aids used during manufacture
How can you check if a menstrual cup or disc is vegan?
Start with the manufacturer's current product information and look for an explicit vegan statement.
If the information is unclear, useful questions include:
- Is the finished product vegan?
- Are any animal-derived ingredients or materials used?
- Are animal-derived processing aids used during manufacture?
- Do pigments or colourants contain animal-derived ingredients?
- Are there additional coatings, adhesives or additives?
Coloured cups and discs are not necessarily non-vegan. Pigments are simply another component to check if the manufacturer has not already confirmed the vegan status of the complete product.
Are menstrual cups and discs cruelty-free?
This can be harder to establish because the term “cruelty-free” does not always have the same scope from one manufacturer or certification scheme to another.
A company may state that it does not test its finished products on animals. That statement does not explain whether:
- individual raw materials have been tested on animals
- suppliers conduct animal testing
- testing has previously been carried out on a material
- the company's policy applies only to testing commissioned by the brand itself
At the same time, the fact that animal testing has occurred historically somewhere in the development of a widely used material does not mean that a particular menstrual cup or disc manufacturer currently conducts or commissions their own animal testing.
Look for a clear animal-testing policy and check what the claim actually covers.
What does animal testing have to do with menstrual products?
Products intended for contact with the body need appropriate safety information about their materials and intended use but that doesn't mean every finished menstrual cup or disc undergoes animal testing.
Biological safety assessment can use different forms of evidence, depending on the product and regulatory context. This can include existing information about known materials, chemical characterisation, laboratory methods and other safety data.
International standards for the biological evaluation of medical devices now use a risk-management approach. ISO 10993-1:2025 specifically promotes efficient testing strategies and reducing unnecessary animal testing. ISO 10993-2:2022 also supports the principles of reducing the number of animals used, refining methods to reduce pain or distress and replacing animal tests with scientifically valid alternatives where possible.
How are menstrual cups regulated in Australia?
Menstrual cups are regulated in Australia as other therapeutic goods.
They must comply with the Therapeutic Goods (Standard for Menstrual Cups) (TGO 99) Order 2018, which covers:
- permissible raw ingredients
- design requirements
- packaging
- labelling
- information supplied with the menstrual cup
Menstrual cups are exempt from inclusion in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). This means they do not require individual assessment by the Therapeutic Goods Administration before being supplied in Australia, but manufacturers and suppliers are still responsible for ensuring that applicable regulatory requirements are met.
TGA compliance should not be treated as a vegan or cruelty-free certification. The Australian regulatory framework focuses on matters such as product safety, materials, quality, design and information for users. It does not certify menstrual cups as vegan or cruelty-free.
Vegan and cruelty-free: what is the difference?
The terms overlap, but they do not always mean exactly the same thing.
| Claim | What you are trying to establish |
|---|---|
| Vegan | Whether animal-derived ingredients, materials or processing aids are used. Some vegan certification standards also include animal-testing requirements. |
| Cruelty-free | Whether animal testing is used and which parts of the product, development process or supply chain the claim covers. |
This distinction is important because a brand's cruelty-free policy may not have the same criteria as a third-party vegan certification scheme.
For example, The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark requires products to contain no animal-derived ingredients and also places restrictions on animal testing carried out by the company, on its behalf or by parties over which it has effective control.
If both vegan ingredients and animal-testing policies matter to you, check both aspects rather than relying on a single word or logo without understanding its criteria.
What about vegan or cruelty-free certification?
Some manufacturers use independent vegan or cruelty-free certification, while others make their own product claims.
Certification can make a claim easier to verify because the certifying organisation publishes criteria that a product or company must meet. However, different schemes can have different requirements, so it is still worth understanding what a particular certification covers.
A product can also meet a manufacturer's stated vegan criteria without carrying a paid third-party certification.
What should you check before buying?
If vegan or cruelty-free status is important to you, use this checklist when comparing products:
- Check the finished product material. Look at what the cup or disc is made from and whether other components are listed.
- Look for a clear vegan statement. Confirmation relating to the finished product is more useful than assumptions based on the main material alone.
- Read the animal-testing policy. Check whether it refers to finished products, ingredients, raw materials, suppliers or testing commissioned by the brand.
- Check pigments and additional components if necessary. This is particularly useful when the manufacturer has not confirmed the finished product's vegan status.
- Look at certification criteria where relevant. A certification logo is most useful when you understand what the certifier requires.
- Ask the manufacturer if the information is unclear. A direct, current answer is preferable to assumptions based on product category.
- Recheck older information. Materials, formulations, suppliers and manufacturing processes can change over time.
What about products sold by Period Shop?
Period Shop stocks menstrual cups and discs from a number of manufacturers, so we do not apply a blanket vegan or cruelty-free claim to the entire range.
Where a manufacturer provides clear information about a particular product's vegan or cruelty-free status, we do our best to incorporate that information in the product description.
If a manufacturer has not provided enough information to support a claim, we would rather leave the status unconfirmed than make an assumption based on the product material alone.
If you're comparing products, use our Menstrual Cup Comparison Chart or Menstrual Disc Comparison Chart to compare materials, dimensions and other product features.
Frequently asked questions
Are silicone menstrual cups vegan?
Silicone itself does not tell you whether the finished menstrual cup meets your definition of vegan. Other components such as pigments, additives or processing aids may also need to be considered, so look for a clear vegan statement from the manufacturer about the finished product.
Does medical-grade silicone mean a menstrual cup is vegan?
No. “Medical-grade” relates to characteristics or specifications associated with the material and does not establish whether animal-derived materials or processing aids were used. Vegan status should be verified separately using information from the manufacturer or an appropriate certification scheme.
Are coloured menstrual cups and discs vegan?
They can be. A coloured cup or disc is not inherently non-vegan, but the pigment is another component of the finished product. If the manufacturer confirms that the finished product is vegan, you generally do not need to assess the colour separately. If no clear statement is available, you can ask about the pigments or colourants used.
Are menstrual cups tested on animals?
You cannot determine this from the words “menstrual cup” or from the cup material alone. A manufacturer may not test its finished cup on animals, but historic testing or testing of raw materials may have occurred elsewhere in the supply chain. In most cases, there will have been some form of animal testing in the supply chain to ensure that material is safe for use in the human body.
Does cruelty-free mean vegan?
Not necessarily. A cruelty-free claim generally relates to animal testing, while vegan claims address the use of animal-derived materials or ingredients and may also include additional criteria depending on the certification or manufacturer. Check the definition being used rather than treating the terms as interchangeable.
Does vegan mean cruelty-free?
It depends on the standard behind the claim. Some vegan certification schemes include animal-testing criteria as part of their requirements, while a manufacturer's own “vegan” statement may focus primarily on ingredients and materials. Check what the particular claim or certification actually covers.
Does TGA compliance mean a menstrual cup has been tested on animals?
No. Menstrual cups supplied in Australia must comply with TGO 99, but the TGA requirements do not mean that every finished menstrual cup must undergo animal testing. Biological safety can be assessed using different forms of evidence, and Australian regulatory compliance is separate from a manufacturer's vegan or cruelty-free status.
Are menstrual discs regulated the same way as menstrual cups in Australia?
The TGA guidance and TGO 99 requirements discussed in this article specifically identify menstrual cups. It is therefore better not to assume that every reusable menstrual disc follows the same Australian regulatory pathway simply because cups and discs are both internal period products.
The bottom line
Many menstrual cups and discs are made without animal-derived ingredients, but vegan and cruelty-free status should be checked for the individual product.
Vegan and cruelty-free claims can have different criteria so look for clear manufacturer information or recognised certification and check exactly what the claim covers.
When the information is not available, asking the manufacturer directly is the most reliable way to clarify the current product.
Related reading
- Menstrual Cup Comparison Chart
- Menstrual Disc Comparison Chart
- Menstrual Cups vs Menstrual Discs
- Are Menstrual Cups Safe? What the Research Says
Product materials, manufacturing processes and brand policies can change. Check the manufacturer's current information if vegan or cruelty-free status is important to your purchasing decision.
Sources
- Therapeutic Goods Administration, Tampons and menstrual cups
- Therapeutic Goods Administration, Meeting regulatory requirements for menstrual cups in Australia
- ISO, ISO 10993-1:2025: Biological evaluation of medical devices
- ISO, ISO 10993-2:2022: Animal welfare requirements
- The Vegan Society, Vegan Trademark Standards