Sanitary napkins are essential products for women’s health and hygiene, but they also pose a serious environmental problem. Most of the commercially available sanitary napkins are made of synthetic materials that are non-biodegradable and end up in landfills or oceans, causing pollution and health hazards. According to a report by AC Nielsen, only 12% of India’s female population uses sanitary napkins, while the remaining 88% resort to unhygienic alternatives like cloth, ash, or husk sand . This increases the risk of reproductive tract infections and other complications among women.
To address this issue, scientists have been exploring natural and sustainable raw materials for making sanitary napkins that are eco-friendly, biodegradable, and affordable. One such promising material is sisal, a xerophytic plant that produces fibrous leaves that can be used for various purposes. Sisal is well adapted to arid and semi-arid regions in India, where it can grow with minimal water and fertilizer inputs . Sisal leaves contain cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, and other polymers that make them suitable for absorbing and retaining fluids .
A team of researchers from Stanford University has developed an environmentally sustainable absorbent material from sisal leaves that can replace cotton in sanitary napkins . The process involves extracting the cellulose fibers from the leaves, treating them with sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide to remove lignin and hemicellulose, and then spinning them into a non-woven fabric. The fabric has a high surface area, porosity, and capillarity that enable it to absorb blood efficiently and prevent leakage. The fabric is also biodegradable and compostable, which means it can be disposed of without harming the environment.
The researchers have tested the sisal-based absorbent material in laboratory conditions and found that it performs comparably or better than commercial cotton-based sanitary napkins in terms of absorption capacity, retention capacity, rewet value, and breathability . They have also conducted field trials with women in rural India and received positive feedback on the comfort, fit, and performance of the sisal-based sanitary napkins. The researchers estimate that the cost of producing one sisal-based sanitary napkin is about Rs. 2.5, which is much lower than the average cost of Rs. 10 for a commercial sanitary napkin .
The sisal-based absorbent material has the potential to revolutionize the sanitary napkin industry in India and other developing countries, where access to affordable and hygienic menstrual products is a major challenge for women. By using sisal leaves as a raw material, the production of sanitary napkins can also create employment opportunities for rural communities and farmers who grow sisal as a cash crop. Moreover, by reducing the dependence on synthetic materials and promoting biodegradable alternatives, the sisal-based sanitary napkins can contribute to environmental sustainability and reduce menstrual waste.