Ten-month-old Carmesi has created a new category in the menstrual hygiene market—a luxurious, all-natural sanitary pad that’s packaged to tackle taboos.
Thanks to the myriad awareness campaigns led by activists and celebrities, periods are not as much a taboo as they used to be. Yet, even as we discuss menstrual hygiene and make sanitary napkins more accessible, we may have ignored ancillary problems that are nowhere close to being solved.
In India alone, about 12 billion sanitary pads are used, and discarded, each year, according to recent data from Menstrual Health Alliance India, a collaborative of organisations working on menstrual hygiene. The environmental stress that plastic-based sanitary pads causes has always been a huge concern. Now, two young entrepreneurs aim to take it on.
Tanvi Johri, 26, and Rikshav Borah, 29, are co-founders of New Delhi-based Carmesi (Spanish for crimson), which makes premium sanitary pads from biodegradable bamboo fibre—an ultra-absorbent with anti-bacterial properties—and cornstarch.
With more than 50,000 customers since its November 2017 launch, Carmesi raised $500,000 (about ₹3.5 crore) in a pre-series A funding round in August, led by Samrath Bedi, managing director of the luxury ayurvedic beauty brand Forest Essentials. “There is a gap in the market in addressing female hygiene through an environmentally conscientious approach; this space has huge potential going forward. Not only should we endeavour to remove the taboo associated with menstrual cycle, we should also do it in a manner that is not detrimental to the planet,” says Bedi.
The purpose of Carmesi is twofold—to make comfortable, safe and absorbent sanitary pads that are biodegradable; and to elevate a woman’s period experience with a luxurious touch.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
