My Napu: Sanitary napkins get eco

Written by: Rebecca Milner on July 20, 2008 at 11:50 pm | In LIFESTYLE / FASHION, MARKETING IDEAS |

It turns out that sanitary napkins are becoming a talking point. In accordance with the current infatuation with all things natural and ecologically friendly, there is a push to exchange disposable napkins for reusable cloth ones.

Women’s lifestyle brand Belle Maison began a campaign from July promoting washable sanitary napkins made from all-natural washi (Japanese paper) fibers, called (what else?) My Napu.

A starter pack of one holder and two reusable pads goes for a pricey ¥3,900, although a few months of dedicated use would make up the initial cost.

There is also Soboku-ya (soboku means simplicity), an online shop specializing in cloth sanitary napkins, that now represents 12 makers and over 200 designs. The site also includes reasons for making the switch (both environmental, health, and comfort) and practical information for use and care.

Soboku-ya has actually been in the ecology market since 1999, experimenting with sales of organic cosmetics and other natural items before settling on its recent incarnation as cloth napkin specialty shop, explaining that the latest is experiencing measurable growth.

Whether or not this will really catch on remains to be seen; however a trial survey on the Belle Maison website states that 77% (of the 200+ surveyed) were interested in trying cloth napkins and 89% will try My Napu in the future.

Tags: Eco, feminine products, LOHAS
Category: LIFESTYLE / FASHION, MARKETING IDEAS
Other categories: DIGITAL LIFE, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS