Transforming Menstrual Hygiene

PadCare Labs creates paper-based products using cellulose derived from used sanitary napkins, processed by its menstrual hygiene management system. (Photograph courtesy PadCare Labs)

The narrative around menstrual hygiene in India has seen significant changes with the increased participation of social enterprises and start-ups in creating greater accessibility to safe period products.

Two such companies, Tendryl Products and PadCare Labs, have contributed to improving women’s menstrual hygiene across India, with support from the American Center New Delhi’s Nexus Startup Hub and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Tendryl Products, a Maharashtra-based start-up and a Nexus alumnus, manufactures sanitary napkin vending and disposal machines and has set up 2,500 machines in 65 cities across India. PadCare Labs, a USAID-funded Yash Entrepreneurs Program alumnus, has created a sanitary pad recycling machine that is part of its larger ecosystem to reduce the volume of sanitary waste. PadCare Labs recently raised Rs. 1 crore in investment through Shark Tank India.

Increasing access

Tendryl Products provides user-friendly napkin vending and disposal machines, a venture Arti Sharma co-founded to enhance menstrual hygiene in India. Sharma says she was inspired by social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a low-cost pad-making machine. She says Tendryl Products’ napkin vending and disposal machines are user-friendly and operationally efficient. Users can access napkins through a variety of payment methods, including traditional cash transactions, tokens, free vending buttons, keypads, prepaid smartcards and QR codes. “Our machines come in both wall-mounted electrical and non-electrical variants to cater to a diverse array of needs and preferences,” explains Sharma.

The machines are placed in educational institutions, corporate offices and public washrooms to ensure greater access. “We provide comprehensive support, including a regular monthly supply of high-quality and cost-effective sanitary pads,” says Sharma.

She notes that these vending machines have played a crucial role in improving menstrual hygiene and access. “Our machines provide easy access to high-quality sanitary napkins, leading to a significant reduction in unhygienic practices and the associated risk of infections,” Sharma says. In this way, “girls in schools and colleges are now more likely to attend classes regularly. In corporate offices and factories, these machines encourage greater workforce participation among female employees,” she adds.

Support from the Nexus Startup Hub introduced Sharma to an entirely new perspective on her business. “My experience with the Nexus Startup Hub was nothing short of transformative,” Sharma says. “Prior to this, I had been deeply immersed in day-to-day operations, leaving me with limited opportunities to take a step back and see the bigger picture,” she explains. “The personalized mentorship I received was a game-changer, providing invaluable guidance and insights that I had never accessed before. What stood out was the feedback; it wasn’t just about addressing weaknesses but also identifying areas of improvement in our strengths, emphasizing that there’s always room for growth.”

Decreasing carbon footprints

PadCare Labs’ menstrual hygiene management system covers the entire cycle, from providing access to sanitary pads to recycling and producing recyclable materials from used pads. An alumnus of the Yash Entrepreneurs Program, a USAID-funded initiative, PadCare Labs has had a large-scale impact on the industry.

“Established in 2018, PadCare Labs offers sanitary bins, a recycling system and products created from recycled residue,” explains Ajinkya Dhariya, founder and chief executive officer. “This innovative approach effectively breaks down hazardous waste from sanitary napkins and repurposes the discarded pads into cellulose, which has applications in the packaging industry, as well as the creation of items such as vases and paver blocks.”

How does it work? The start-up has developed a machine called PadCare X which is “specifically designed to disinfect and shred used sanitary napkins,” says Dhariya. The machine processes the shredded material through a solution to neutralize the superabsorbent polymer and then separates the components into recyclable cellulose.

It works quite quickly, too, processing 50 pads in just 20 minutes. The benefits to the environment are profound, said Dhariya. “PadCare conserves 2.14 kg of CO2e [carbon dioxide equivalent] against per kilogram of pads.”

So far, PadCare has installed 10,000 bins free of charge across 550 clients’ offices in India, processing approximately 1.5 tonnes of sanitary pads daily. The company plans to introduce PadCare units in Bengaluru and New Delhi. “As PadCare continues to expand,” says Dhariya, “its goal is to offer these units using a micro-entrepreneurship model in Tier II and III cities.” With these two companies working within the industry, the positive impacts on menstrual hygiene in India will continue to expand, paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive approach to period product access and responsible disposal practices across the nation.

Natasa Milas is a freelance writer based in New York City.

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