According to the United Nations (UN) reports, only 43% of girls in the developing world proceed to secondary schools. There are many reasons leading to this, one of which being the lack of access to feminine hygiene products necessary to give girls easy time while during their ‘week of shame’ that coincides with school or work-week.
Globally, women are still uncomfortable talking about their periods openly. Despite the fact that women have made great progress in terms of gender balance at the workplace, academic qualifications, bedroom affairs and freedom of choice in birth control and abortions. However, the topic of menstrual period, makes most women squirm like it is an embracing topic.
“Women in our culture don’t want to talk about their periods; most still think about it as crass and disgusting. I want to change the culture around women’s most normal time of month – and not while wearing grandma panties or pads that feel like a diaper,” said Miki Agrawal, the CEO and co-Founder of THINX.
THINX is maker of revolutionary women’s panties that serves both as an underwear and a feminine hygiene pads. Looking at the industrialized nations, millions of women spends thousands of dollars in their lifetime on tampons and feminine hygiene products for their periods. The net effect is landfill-packed with plastic applicators; as most women are afraid to touch themselves, fearing getting blood under their fingernails or something odd like that. Most (if not all) women will agree that wearing pads is never comfortable and doesn’t seem like something you will get used to with time. They are also unreliable since they tend to leak.
In the developing countries, the subject of menstruation period is almost a taboo that can never be openly discussed. Thus, most women and girls find themselves alienated (either by themselves or by the system) during the lapse of their period; this has a dent on their school or work life.
THINX seeks to address these challenges facing women, with regards to cost, shame in openly speaking about it, reliable and reusable pads, reducing landfill packed with plastic applicators and helping girls and women in developing world get pads.
In December 2014, THINX got a round of funding; which although the CEO refuses to reveal the exact figure, but it is said it is in multiple millions. The THINX panties come in three pretty design (including thongs) with an intricate lace designs. Each of the designs has a pantented antimicrobial, leak-resistant fibers at the crotch that is promised to absorb the same amount of menstrual blood as two tampons or pads. THINX promises the wearer will not feel the flow of the menstrual period and will remain dry and comfortable.
According to the National Women’s Health Network, every year there are about 12 billion pads and 7 million tampons being dumped in U.S. landfills and is creating an ecological hazard. With THINX panties, all that could be done away with, and the women will benefit from reduced spending and more comfort. THINX with its tagline; For Women With Periods, will be selling directly to customers online.
Agrawal says, “That way we can control the messaging. Will a sales clerk at Nordstrom be able to tell THINX’s story the way we tell it? No. She’s going to say: ‘There are panties made for girls in Africa.’ That won’t work.”