The Story so far…

On a trip to West Bengal, India, in September 2018, Jo Langston, JoPad co-founder, met Molly and the young women who work and train in her sewing unit.

Jo learned that they, and other women and girls in their communities, can't afford to buy commercially produced sanitary towels and they often miss work and school because they're concerned about leaving the house without adequate protection. Or, they find themselves having to improvise and risk infections which can lead to serious health conditions and infertility. Jo returned to Molly’s Sewing Unit in January 2019 with a suitcase full of technical fabrics so that the women in the unit could each make her own set of washable sanitary towels and never have to miss work again. Their reaction to the product was overwhelming and they realised a commercial opportunity: to make and sell them locally.

Molly made a prototype, tested it with water, and went on to develop the design of 4 styles: Light, Medium, Heavy and Nightcare, designed to be worn when asleep. She used feedback from the women in the unit and from friends who agreed to trial the washable sanitary towel to perfect each design. Molly chose ‘JoPad’ as the product’s name and a graphic designer, Krystyna Hewitt designed the beautiful logo and branding for free.

A successful crowdfunding campaign in March 2019 generated enough funds to place a wholesale order of fabric. The first commercial batch of washable sanitary towels was made in Molly’s Sewing Unit and sold to women in rural villages in West Bengal, and to fellow commuters on the local train.

Fundraising continues, and all donations are put towards the cost of raw materials. By subsidising the cost of production, the JoPads can be sold for an affordable price. If you would like to make a donation to this project, please click here.