Menstrual Hygiene Makers Like Aakar Innovations, Saral Designs Signal Emergence of Local Brands
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Aakar Innovations, makers of affordable, 100% compostable sanitary napkins for women in low income segments, is testing a new variant of its product that will be made from indigenously available raw materials.
At present, the company makes napkins from pine pulp that it buys for its brand ‘Anandi’. The product is capable of disintegrating in natural conditions leaving no toxicity in the soil and compost can be used as manure. “We are still testing, using raw materials from differentregions and will commercialise this soon,” said Aakar’s cofounder, Jaydeep Mandal.
Companies like Aakar signal a wave of local brands emerging to create a niche for themselves in the sanitary napkin market that is currently dominated by multinational players. The market, currently valued at Rs 4500 crore, is expected to touch Rs 21,000 crore in the next 7-10 years, as per industry estimates.
In India, 80% of 355 million women come under house arrest for an occurrence as common as menstruation, because brands in the market are at price points affordable only to remaining 12% of the menstruating women.
Source: The Economic Times (link opens in a new window)
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