The duo went on to form "Bliss Natural" which now manufactures plastic-free pads.
Two fashion technology graduates from Coimbatore claim their plastic-free sanitary pads will fully decompose in eight months against the conventional plastic-mixed pads which could take upto 800 years.
The two graduates, Gowtham S and Niveda R, who were classmates while doing B Tech in Fashion Technology and Apparel Technology, discovered Kanaf fabric has good absorption and natural anti-microbial properties while doing a project as part of their course.
"We saw an opportunity in this to make sanitary pads without plastic and solve a major problem. When Bureau of Indian Standards certified it just happened," said Gowtham.
They went on to form "Bliss Natural" which now manufactures plastic-free pads.
"Plastic in sanitary pads alone accounts for 1.13 lakh tonnes in India every year. We want to give a solution for this. Also, we found sixty percent women aren't happy with conventional pads with plastic feel, itching and odour," said Niveda.
The pad has seven layers including a layer of Kanef which acts as a good absorbent. Kanef, they say, is available in plenty.
After getting their product patented, the two outsourced manufacturing of the pads to another company. In the last one year they claim to have sold around two lakh pads online and over the counter.
"Our next plan is to make plastic-free diapers and offer similar sustainable solutions at an affordable price," says Gowtham.
The duo, who gave up their cushy jobs, has received the "Chinnikrishnan Innovation Award".
Niveda said: "It's challenging, working for ourselves. I love risk-taking and this makes entrepreneurship is very nice".