Regular sanitary napkins are not just expensive, but also toxic for the planet. When 18-year-old Ishana from Coimbatore, started facing problems by using regular sanitary napkins, she started manufacturing reusable cotton sanitary napkins made of poplin cloth, a variety of cotton fabric.?
The sanitary napkin is made of layers of cotton cloth which is eco-friendly and a pack of six can last for a year.?
Ishana isn’t a graduate or an entrepreneur, but she is already making headlines for her work. She has taken a step against profit-mongering companies, who sell sanitary napkins at a high cost, which are unaffordable by most people.
She runs her own boutique after doing a short-term course in fashion designing at Avinashilingam University, Coimbatore after her twelfth grade. She said she faced certain menstrual troubles due to the plastic materials used in regular sanitary napkins. The overcome her personal difficulties during periods, she came up with the idea of manufacturing cotton sanitary pads, which she produced herself.
Over the course of time, she found out that her friends were also facing similar issues during periods. Hence, she started making more reusable sanitary napkins and distributed them to her relatives and friends.
The eco-friendly napkins were more comfortable and everyone appreciated her efforts. Soon, with the help of her uncle, she started a small-scale business.
While speaking to The Covai Post, she said, “Many women suffer from various health issues related to periods. This is mainly because of the artificial fabrics used in the disposable sanitary napkins. These napkins are disposable but not biodegradable. The plastic materials used are highly hazardous to personal health as well as the environment. So, I was thinking of an alternative solution to this. The result is reusable napkins. My parents were reluctant initially but now they extend their full support”.
The chemical gel in ordinary sanitary napkins poses health hazards to women while cotton pads do not pose any harm.
The ‘Ana cloth pads’ made by Ishana can be washed and reused to a maximum of 12 times. A pack contains six pads and it can last for one year.
Ishana says, “Washing and reusing will not create any harm to our health if the pads are properly sterilised in sunlight. This pad is very easy to handle and can be washed in normal water itself. It must be soaked in water for 30 minutes before washing. It must be dried in shade first and then once in sunlight. Before using it next time, it must be ironed two days prior.”
She is now supplying these pads to local stores in and around Coimbatore.