Two years of meticulous research later, manufacturers of bamboo sanitary napkins find there are no takers for it in the city; opt to launch their product in bamboo-rich North-Eastern state
Two years of meticulous research later, manufacturers of bamboo sanitary napkins find there are no takers for it in the city; opt to launch their product in bamboo-rich North-Eastern state
It seems Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, has no company willing to push an eco-friendly product bamboo sanitary napkins.
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Manufactured by the Konkan Bamboo and Cane Development Centre (KONBAC), the bamboo sanitary napkins are finally ready to be rolled out in the commercial market.
However, KONBAC has not been able to find private partners ready to push this product in the country's metros, including Mumbai and Delhi.
With no options left to them, KONBAC is launching the product in the bamboo-rich state of Tripura within the year.
Tough task
KONBAC, which is located in Kudal, Sindhudurg, perfected the prototype after two years of research, said KONBAC head, Sanjeev Karpe.
He told MiD DAY, "It was a lengthy procedure. We first handed out the product to doctors in the area who recommended the pads to their female patients.
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There were some initial problems with the material, its shape and density, but now we have ironed out those problems. We are ready to launch the product."
Going green
Bamboo sanitary napkins are much more eco-friendly than regular sanitary napkins, which contain 10 grams of wood pulp each. "Our product is superior because bamboo has natural anti-bacterial qualities.
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It soaks 30 per cent more liquid than regular wood pulp and leaves less of a carbon footprint than a regular pad," he said.
Lacking a brand
Even after readying the product, their struggles did not end. Karpe said no private player was ready to push the product.
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"Big market players want exclusive rights. We can't give them that, since we are backed by government funding and need maximum exposure."
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There is also the question of meeting demand. "A conventional napkin producing machine churns out 60,000 pieces in an hour while our manual labour driven centre in Kudal makes 600 pieces a day.
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We need the infrastructure and branding of a private player if we want to succeed," admitted Karpe.
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Without branding, Tripura was their only choice to launch the pads, as bamboo production in the state is high and Tripura offers a transport subsidy on manufactured goods.
Hygiene first
"I don't know about this bamboo pad. I always tell my patients, whether they are using homemade or store bought napkins, that the key thing to remember is frequent change and the use of a clean napkin on every switch.
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There is no significant difference between homemade and store-bought products; infection will occur when the woman has not taken enough precautions with cleanliness," said Dr Rekha Davar, head of gynaecology at JJ Hospital.
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