Menstruation is a natural occurrence that occurs in women every month but sanitary health still continues to come at a cost – not just monetary but also environmental. 

Regular sanitary napkins available in the market mostly use plastic and chemicals in their products which are not just toxic to the body but also the environment. So when 18-year-old Ishana started to face issues by using these regular sanitary napkins she decided to manufacture reusable cotton sanitary napkins made of poplin cloth. 

Ishana hails from Coimbatore and runs a boutique of her own. She has done a short term course in fashion designing from Avinashilingam University, Coimbatore. 

The young woman made headlines for her thoughtful initiative of manufacturing eco-friendly sanitary napkins. A pack of 6 of these can last for a year. 

Initially, Ishana only made sanitary napkins for her own use but after she found out that her friends were facing a similar issue with the use of regular sanitary products she started to make more napkins and distributed them to her relatives and friends. 

Soon, with the help of her uncle, she set up her own small-scale business which goes by the name “Ana cloth pads”. 

While speaking to The Covai Post, she said, “Many women suffer from various health issues related to periods. This is mainly because of the artificial fabrics used in the disposable sanitary napkins. These napkins are disposable but not biodegradable. The plastic materials used are highly hazardous to personal health as well as the environment. So, I was thinking of an alternative solution to this. The result is reusable napkins. My parents were reluctant initially but now they extend their full support”.

Ishana says, “Washing and reusing will not create any harm to our health if the pads are properly sterilised in sunlight. This pad is very easy to handle and can be washed in normal water itself. It must be soaked in water for 30 minutes before washing. It must be dried in shade first and then once in sunlight. Before using it next time, it must be ironed two days prior.”

Regular sanitary products in the market contain chemical gel which poses as health hazards to women while cotton pads do not pose any harm.