Saathi

Saathi Eco Innovations is providing women with safe and environment friendly hygiene options. It uses bamboo and banana fibre to develop sanitary pads Read more. This is both safe to the body and easily decomposable. Its products address the issue of plastic contained in sanitary products ending up polluting the environment, The hygiene products developed by Eco Innovations degrade within six months from their time of disposal. Since banana and bamboo cultivation is present in large volumes and consume less water for growing up, the use of fibres from these crops lead to conservation of water and better absorption properties than conventional cotton. The raw material is bought from farmer co-operatives and once fibre is removed the remaining pulp can be returned to the earth in the form of organic fertilizer. It conducts workshops to introduce good hygiene practices in women. The main focus of the workshop or event is to create awareness about menstrual hygiene & sustainable menstruation. It provides a platform for an open discussion about these topics which are thought to be offensive. It helps women to gain income and independence by employing them exclusively in their manufacturing units. Farmers are benefitted by gaining additional income from selling otherwise scrap agri-waste. Its unique model allows rural and underprivileged women get sanitary pads at a lower price which is offset by urban women purchasing them for a premium. It also takes up distribution of pads to the poor women from the contributions it receives from the general public and maintains an online website where people can donate and displays all Its products for consumers to view and buy. It has been awarded and recognised with various awards for its innovative concept and products like: • Hello Tomorrow Grand Prize Winner, 2017 • St Andrews Prize for the Environment, 2019 • Katapult Ocean, 2021 • Pipeline Angels, 2021 • Grand Challenges Canada, 2017 • New Venture Competition Winner, 2014 • Cartier Women’s Initiative Award Finalist , 2018 • MIT DLab Scale Ups Fellow, 2015 • Asia Society Action Lab Grant, 2016 • KKR Small Business Grant, 2021 • Sustainable Ocean Alliance, 2021 • Oliver Wyman, 2021 • TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions List, 2019, India • Fast Company's Annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2019, USA • SXSW Accelerator Pitch Finalist in Healthcare 2017, Austin • 3M Young Innovators Challenge Winner 2016, India • XTC Healthcare Category Winner and one of the Top 7 World Changing Startups at the Extreme Tech Challenge 2020. • Not Impossible Award, 2019, USA • Toilet Board Coalition 2019, Switzerland • Expo 2020 Live Grantee 2018, Dubai • Asia Social Innovation Award 2017, Hong Kong • Winner in Ocean Impact Organization's Pitchfest, 2021 • TSS Sustainability Global Award , 2021 • UNDP Growth Stage Impact Ventures (GSIV) Finalist in Reducing & Recovering Waste Category • UNESCO Green Citizen Award, 2021 • Meaningful Business 100, 2020 • Earth Impact Hero Finalist, 2020 • Labeled as Most Efficient Solution by Solar Impulse Foundation, 2019 USA • Global Cleantech Innovation Program Global Winner 2018, USA • Edie Sustainability Awards Finalist 2017, UK