IIT Delhi Startup Makes Reusable Sanitary Pads Using Banana Fibers

IIT Delhi startup Sanfe specializing in designing and developing women’s health and hygiene products launched the first-ever reusable sanitary pads. These pads were made using composite banana fiber, lasting a maximum of two years or 120 washes.

Sanfe Reusable Pad is a product developed by Harry Sehrawat and Archit Agarwal, two co-founders of Sanfe. These two guys are also 4th-year students at IIT-Delhi.

Using Quadrant True Lock Technology, the reusable pads came out ultra-thin and highly absorbent. Therefore, the pad is leakproof and doesn’t create any rashes. The startup has already filed for a patent. Those who are interested in these pads can pay ₹199 for a pack of two.

Users can use these pads up to 120 times. All they need to do is wash them using cold water and detergents after every use.

By launching the Sanfe Reusable Pad, the company is aiming to deal with the disposable pad waste problem.

MHAI or Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India reported that India has about 360 mil menstruating women. 36% of them choose to use disposable sanitary pads. Every year, India has to deal with 12.3 bil disposable sanitary napkins. And most of them are non-biodegradable.

According to Aggarwal, women's hygiene is rarely talked about due to its taboo. With its reusable sanitary pad, the company hopes to empower women and help their life become simpler. Even the government, woman welfare, and NGOs often provide women from rural as well as semi-urban areas with disposable sanitary napkins, which poses huge harm and cost to the environment. The reusable pads could save the cost of up to 75%.

Speaking about this product, Professor Srinivasan Venkataraman who is an assistant professor at IIT-Delhi’s Department of Design, said: