On July 24, it was reported that the “Cotton Code” sanitary pads had been found to contain carcinogenic substances, leading to over 30 people developing thyroid cancer after use. The brand claimed to have over 10 million users, with a sales revenue of 3.33 billion yuan over 8 years.
The “Cotton Code” sanitary pads were created by the well-known Chinese e-commerce influencer “Simba” (Xin Youzhi). With millions of users claiming to use the “Cotton Code” branded sanitary pads, the total sales exceeded 3.33 billion yuan. However, recent customer complaints have raised concerns about the brand. Several of their products have been found to have significantly high levels of “thiourea” during testing, a substance classified as a Group 3 carcinogen. Allegedly, 30 users have reported developing thyroid cancer after using the products.
Created by Simba in 2017, “Cotton Code” is a self-owned brand under the “Simba Selection Group,” boasting millions of users. It set a record for single live broadcast sales exceeding 100 million yuan and accumulated sales of 3.33 billion yuan since September 2019.
According to Xin Jing Bao, consumer testing reports revealed that multiple batches of “Cotton Code” sanitary pads produced between September 2019 and January 2025, including the Cotton Code Tea Oxygen night-use pads and day-use pads, detected high levels of thiourea. For example, the “Cherry Soothing” sanitary pad had a thiourea content as high as 16653.4679 μg/g.
Thiourea is a sulfur-containing organic compound widely used in various fields such as industry, agriculture, and medicine. It is listed in the “List of Hazardous Chemicals (2015 Edition),” recognized as a Group 3 carcinogen due to the potential increased health risks associated with long-term exposure.
Experts have noted that thiourea is a moderately toxic chemical with low acute toxicity, but prolonged exposure could pose higher biological health risks. Studies have found that thiourea can induce thyroid dysfunction, liver toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and immune toxicity in cell and animal experiments.
More than 30 users claim to have developed thyroid cancer after using “Cotton Code” sanitary pads. Hundreds of consumers have reported symptoms such as redness, itching, gynecological inflammation, rashes, abnormal thyroid function, and even cases of pregnant women developing thyroid cancer, experiencing fetal arrest, hydatidiform mole, neonatal hyperthyroidism, among other issues.
Following the exposure of thiourea exceeding limits in “Cotton Code” products, the official statement from Cotton Code on Weibo claimed that all products strictly comply with national laws and regulations and industry standards. They stated that after receiving feedback from netizens, they promptly sent their products for testing by third-party institutions. The conclusion was that under normal, reasonable, and foreseeable conditions of use, thiourea residues in sanitary pads do not pose potential health risks.
Additionally, the company conducted random inspections of Cotton Code products in Chenghai District, Shantou City, where the manufacturing factory is located. The test results affirmed the legality, compliance, and quality of the products, asserting that there are no “carcinogenic” issues, reassuring consumers to use them with confidence.
Can the testing results from Cotton Code convince consumers? Previously, Simba had records of inferior products and misleading consumers.
As early as November 2020, queries were raised about the bird’s nest products endorsed by Simba being sugar water. Subsequently, Simba admitted to the exaggeration in the promotion of bird’s nest products. Moreover, Simba compensated affected users with over 60 million yuan. In December of the same year, the Guangzhou Market Supervision Administration fined Hexinyi Company (Simba’s side) 900,000 yuan for “misleading commercial advertising practices,” and Rongyu Company (the brand owner) 2 million yuan. Simba’s personal account was suspended for 60 days. In September 2024, due to controversy over the pricing of Mrs. Crab’s large mud crabs, Simba’s live broadcast room was banned again.
Public information reveals that Xin Youzhi was born in 1990 in Tonghe County, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. He is a post-90s internet celebrity, singer, chairman of Guangzhou Hexiang Trading Co.,Ltd., co-founder of Xin Xuan brand, and founder of Cotton Code brand.
Some netizens expressed disbelief that a product women rely on during their monthly discomfort could turn out to be toxic, finding it speechless that such dangerous goods exist in today’s world.
Others pointed out the increased cancer risk for women using these sanitary pads long term, noting that during menstruation, the body’s resistance is already weakened, further raising the risk of infection.
Some netizens remarked on Simba’s repeated controversies and live selling despite past incidents, marveling at the trust still placed in him.