Why These Friends Decided To Launch An Eco-friendly And Affordable Menstrual Hygiene Startup?

The Kolkata-based brand FabPad launched in 2020 August. founded by Shripriya Khaitan Dhelia and Upasana Todi Prakash, is a perfect example of an eco-friendly and affordable menstrual hygiene brand. 

"Seventy percent of girls leave school at the beginning of menstruation. About 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste is thrown away in India every year, and about 113,000 tonnes of this waste consists of disposable plastic sanitary napkins. It’s not just statistics. This is a reality that requires more than one answer.

Fashion designer Shripriya, a London College graduate is the one who brings the beauty of design. Upasana Todi Prakash holds a BBA from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, and an MBA from India Business School, Hyderabad, and brings business meaning to their partnership.

In August last year, the two friends became business partners when they met together in their vision of creating a sustainable menstrual cycle brand in India.

FabPad produces environmentally friendly, cheap, healthy, and reusable alternatives for feminine hygiene products. Commenting on the statistics, Shripriya says that while climate change is a viable topic that is widely publicized today, there are very few people who care about waste in the world.

"FabPad, we strive to influence the environment and the women around us. We work to empower women in low-income communities."

"We are also working with non-governmental organizations that share similar ideas for organizing menstrual health workshops to encourage open communication about menstruation through awareness and education. Through the Padma Project, FabPad has so far distributed 5,000 sanitary pads and empowered more than women. 5,000, " said Shripriya.

She says that replacing reusable hygiene equipment is an option for many women. Some women may not enjoy using the product as a menstrual cup, but others may not have chosen it because of a lack of information about it.

Available products include reusable clothing tampons, reusable trousers, menstrual cups, menstrual pants, reusable baby diapers, and reusable cotton cleaning towels (recently released ). The brand intends to expand its offer by continuing to add sustainable products to its range.

"Because our brand offers something for everyone and has received inspiration as a unique solution to sustainable personal hygiene and menstrual management, our target is very diverse!" Says Shripriya.

FabPad currently operates as a D2C brand, focusing on online trading platforms. The products are available on its website, as well as on other online trading platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Meesho, Jio Mart, and Big Basket. Product prices start at Rs 199 per reusable tampon and go up to Rs 599 for a package of four reusable diapers, baby diapers, and period pants.

Their main team has seven members and a total of 70 members, including production staff. The brand name is Shripriya idea and means "love material pads".

Their marketing team strategy focuses on a variety of media channels, campaigns, and channels, such as paid advertising, native advertising, social media marketing, video marketing, SEO, and search engine sales, among others.

Growth & Development

According to alliedmarketresearch.com, the women's care market is expected to grow to $ 42.7 billion by 2022, with a CAGR of 6.1% between 2016 and 2022. The report states that one of the main factors influencing this market is the growing demand for products based on organic and biodegradable raw materials.

FabPad started with an initial investment of 25 lei from co-founders Shripriya and Upasana, respectively, at a ratio of 90:10. In just over a year, the brand has added a range of organic products to its offering and posted revenue growth of 10-15 percent per month.

When asked about the competition, Sripriya responds: "At FabPad we strictly follow the mantra" Who does it better? "The room can be crowded, but there is room for everyone. Our competitors include independent menstrual stability brands such as Ecofemme.

“We are different because our two main objectives are environmental and social impact. We want to offer women a comfortable and eco-friendly alternative to sustainable menstruation with our products, and we want to empower the women around us with our business. That's why the FabPad brand is for women, for women, ”she says.

“Our great women named the Padma (named after her Padma project) are an integral part of our organization. They help us create FabPad products, sell and distribute products, spread the word about safe menstrual methods, and reduce taboos around the subject. "

Since all of their products are produced in-house, great emphasis is placed on quality. Products remain available by removing all intermediaries from the process. "From the choice of fabric to the way our products are made, FabPad sets itself apart from its competitors in many ways," says Shripriya.

FabPad, a leader in feminine hygiene and personal care, is committed to strengthening its presence across the country.