Saathi Pads - Plastic free sanitary pads from banana fibre

100% Plastic Free, Biodegradable Sanitary Pads Care for Two- & Time Magazine's "100 Best Inventions of 2019".

Saathi is a purpose driven manufacturing company that makes eco-friendly hygiene products. Founded by graduates from MIT (US) and Nirma, they are innovators in the use of alternative materials and zero-waste production. Their mission is to create hygiene products that are good for the body, environment, and community.

Women in India produce more than 100,000 tons of waste from sanitary pads every year. Sanitary products are often made from plastic, which takes 600 years to decompose; or is burned, generating CO2 emissions and toxic fumes. Using a patented technology to process natural fibre into a highly absorbent pulp, Saathi has developed alternatives that decompose in just 3-6 months. Their first 100% biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads are made from banana fibre, an absorbent natural fibre readily available in India. Saathi pads are good for the body, community and environment. 

Saathi works on the principle of circular economy. The impacts are built into their supply chain. They buy banana fiber which is agri-waste from farmers to provide them extra income, employ women from underserved communities in the factory to support their autonomy, and the pads are sold in urban areas at a premium price and in rural areas at a subsidized price, thanks to NGO partners, to address the issue of accessibility as well as plastic waste. 

Saathi joined forces with various NGO partners which work with 80,000+ villages in India to help educate women in rural Jharkhand about menstrual hygiene, as well as provide banana and bamboo-fibre sanitary pads.