Unfortunately, even in the 21st century, access to clean, safe, affordable menstrual products is a privilege, not a right, for many women. In India, more than 23 million girls drop out of school due to the absence of toilets and lack of awareness about menstruation and menstrual hygiene management. Eco Femme is an Indian company leading the fight for menstrual equality with their “Cloth Pad Revolution.”
Founded in 2010, the company is based in Tamil Nadu, India and promotes eco-friendly and accessible menstrual products for all. We have written about more sustainable personal care products in the past, their cloth pads aim to reduce non-biodegradable menstrual waste and provide a reusable option for women without ready access to menstrual products.
The company is a sort of for-profit and nonprofit hybrid. It sells its products internationally and uses the profits made from these sales to conduct educational activities in menstrual hygiene and women’s well-being.
Other companies such as Silky Cup, Rustic Art, SheCup, and Jaioni are also participating in the mission to improve education and access to sustainable menstrual products. These initiatives serve as not only vital information sources for women and girls, but also help reduce the environmental impact of products used by women around the world.