Our goal is to produce fully biodegradable products
Mewalii is a pioneering brand dedicated to transforming menstrual care into a sustainable practice with hemp-based sanitary napkins. Driven by a commitment to eco-friendliness and menstrual equity, Mewalii offers a subscription service for its environmentally friendly pads, making sustainable menstruation accessible and convenient for all. In a conversation with Fibre2Fashion, Founder Simone Westergaard discusses hemp based sustainable menstrual products.
In your opinion, what role do education and awareness play in promoting the adoption of sustainable menstrual products?
Education and awareness are crucial in promoting the adoption of sustainable menstrual products. Many people are unaware that sanitary items rank among the top-10 most used single-use plastic products, with 70 per cent of the total waste found in the EU’s gardens and beaches. Therefore, it is vital to educate people about their menstrual products, especially the sustainable options available.
Are there any notable gaps or opportunities within the sustainable menstrual care industry that you believe are yet to be addressed?
Certainly, there are numerous gaps and opportunities within the sustainable menstrual care industry that remain unaddressed, particularly concerning tampons. A significant change is needed in this area as well.
How do you think consumer attitudes towards eco-friendly menstrual products have evolved in recent years?
Customers’ attitudes towards eco-friendly menstrual products have evolved significantly in recent years. We have observed a growing focus on this subject, with many individuals expressing their struggles to find suitable sustainable products.
What inspired you to start Mewalii? Can you tell us about the journey from identifying the need for sustainable sanitary napkins to developing the hemp-based solution?
We founded Mewalii with the goal of simplifying sustainability during menstruation. While reusable and sustainable options are available, the most commonly used product remains single-use sanitary pads. This prompted us to change the materials used in these products. Currently, single-use pads are made from materials like plastic and/or cotton, which are harmful to the environment and climate. We have developed the first single-use sanitary pads made from more than 70 per cent hemp, eliminating the use of cotton.
What challenges did you face in the development and production of the hemp napkins, and how did you overcome them?
Hemp is a very coarse plant, making it challenging to achieve the necessary softness. It took us nearly 5 years to enter the market and to soften the hemp sufficiently. The core is made of 100 per cent hemp, but we had to blend the top sheet with viscose to make it soft enough.
Why did you choose hemp as the primary material for Mewalii’s sanitary napkins, and what are the environmental benefits of using hemp over cotton?
The benefits of using hemp are:
1 Less water: During cultivation hemp uses 1 litre water/kg and compared to cotton which uses up to 29 litres/kg
2 Hemp plants grow quickly: Hemp has a high fibre yield (3x as high as cotton)
3 Hemp is good for the field: Hemp helps stop diseases when used in crop rotation
4 Is cultivated in Europe (Germany) – short transport
5 Needs no extra irrigation like cotton
6 Does not need any pesticides or insecticides to grow well
7 Is not treated with chlorine
8 1 hectare of hemp sequesters 9-15 tons of CO2, equivalent to the amount sequestered by a young forest, but it only takes five months to cultivate
In what ways does the company aim to contribute to breaking down the taboos surrounding menstruation and creating a more open dialogue about it?
We aim to normalise talking about menstruation in a neutral manner, without being extreme. Our approach includes personal branding, building a community, sharing stories about taboo topics and periods, and much more. Our goal is to make menstruation as natural as it truly is.
Can you share any specific initiatives or campaigns that Mewalii has undertaken to promote menstrual health awareness and destigmatisation?
We actively promote menstrual health awareness and destigmatization through our Instagram and Facebook platforms. Additionally, we collaborated with an influencer, Khunderlivet, to discuss these topics, and we plan to undertake more initiatives like this in the future. We have also conducted product tests with a diverse group of individuals, including those with sensitive skin and specific conditions, such as Lichen Simplex Chronicus. One remarkable story involved a person who experienced pain during menstruation for over 15 years. After using Mewalii, she reported that the pain stopped, and she no longer needed to use adrenal cortex hormone cream. Sharing these impactful stories is important to us, and we hope to help others in similar ways.
What considerations are taken into account to ensure that your products are suitable for all menstruating individuals, regardless of their unique needs or preferences?
Recognising that it is impossible to create a perfect product for everyone, given the diversity in menstrual product preferences—ranging from sanitary pads and tampons to menstrual cups and reusable pads—as well as the variance in flow levels, we have strived to design our pads using greener materials without compromising on functionality. To achieve this, we conducted extensive tests with menstruators engaging in a variety of activities, including horse riding, sleeping, working out at the gym, and sitting for long hours. Only when our pads proved satisfactory across these diverse situations did we commence production.
How does the company prioritise both environmental sustainability and self-care in its mission and product development?
Both environmental sustainability and self-care are pivotal to our mission and have been from the start. Convincing people to adopt sustainable practices can be challenging. To encourage a shift towards sustainable products, they must also benefit the menstruator. This has been a key focus for us from the outset, resulting in numerous tests to continually improve our products.
How does Mewalii approach sourcing and manufacturing its products to maintain transparency and ethical standards throughout the supply chain?
The cornerstone principles of Mewalii are trust and transparency. We maintain an open dialogue about our entire process, sharing information from the beginning to the end of the product journey.
Could you elaborate on the importance of using biofilm for the back of the sanitary napkins and its role in ensuring leakage protection?
Yes, our ultimate goal is to produce fully biodegradable products in the future, although it is not currently feasible. We aim to eliminate traditional plastics from our production, which is why we use biofilm. Currently, our products do contain glue with less than 5 per cent traditional plastic, as we have yet to find a suitable plastic-free adhesive that is also allergy-friendly. Our goal is to eventually use a plastic-free glue, achieving 100 per cent traditional plastic-free products.
What are your future goals or aspirations for Mewalii in terms of product innovation, market expansion, or community engagement?
Our journey has just started. We would like to produce liners, dry wipes, wet wipes, tampons, incontinence products and much more.
Can you discuss any emerging trends or innovations within the sustainable menstrual care market?
The menstrual cup is excellent for sustainability, but not everyone can or wants to use it. We discovered that single-use sanitary pads are the most commonly used products, which is why we have developed them using hemp, aiming to create the best possible impact.
How do you envision the future of sustainable menstrual care, particularly in terms of product development and market growth?
I hope we will see a significant focus on sustainable menstrual care soon. I also hope that other companies will start focusing on removing plastic and cotton from the massive production of pads in the future.
