Entrepreneurs create 100% biodegradable pads at an affordable price

the startup EcoCiclo was born in July 2018 through the Pro Leaderleadership program and entrepreneurship of impact. The mission of its co-founder, Hellen Nzinga, was to launch an attitude that would impact at least one million people. That was the path she took until she decided to launch a pad biodegradable, with cellulose and bamboo fiber in the composition.

In the railroad suburb of Salvador, where she was born and raised, Hellen observed a resident counting her money and seeing that she would not be able to afford a pack of tampons. At that moment, she felt like doing something that would help others. women and was sustainable.

“In the end, I bought the pad for her and took this situation to my colleagues, who are now my partners. We talked and together we looked for an alternative that was sustainable, practical and that would not harm women and the environment”, says the publicist.

The friends mentioned by Hellen are Patrícia Zanella, who takes care of the development’s communication, Karla Godoy, financial manager, and the newcomer Adriele Meneses, chemical engineer.

Together, they set up EcoCiclo, which, in addition to democratizing access to pads, also has the mission of employing women in situations of social vulnerability and preserving the environment.

“Our big dream is to set up a factory to employ more women. From 2018 to 2019, we had the idea, but the product was still a project. We did research so that the absorbent had a quality, according to international criteria. Our aim is to reach the world. In this process, we found out how to do it and created a patent”, explains Hellen.

As the idea evolved, the entrepreneurs studied and researched even more what would be ideal for women’s quality of life, including habits during menstruation.

The help of larger companies in the manufacture of biodegradable absorbents also made all the difference in this period. “Ecociclo is a common absorbent. The performance in relation to durability, resistance, absolution is the same as products with plastic in the composition. The difference is that instead of degrading in 500 years like a common sanitary pad, ours only takes six months”, he stresses.

Still during the research period, Hellen saw that many people were aware of the sustainable options for pads, but even so, they preferred the common one for practicality.

“Many of these people work, study and don’t have a place to change the cloth pad or clean the cup. That’s why we keep this common template for easier disposal,” she says.

The publicist also recalls that, in Brazil, access to water is also scarce for people in situations of social vulnerability. “Not everyone who menstruates has access to the resource to do proper hygiene”, she points out.

The absorbent, in 2020, began to be tested and sold, but as there was high demand and the product was handmade, production had to stop for a while. “The machine we designed is being produced. Our product will be sold at 14 reais, in a package with eight pads. The pre-sale has 300 people in the queue”, he celebrates.

In order to reach more people, they look for companies to invest in the idea and thus see the sustainable option surpass sales on the EcoCiclo website (access here) and reach supermarket shelves.

“We were unable to maintain this high scale production due to lack of investors. We understand that the pandemic collaborated a little for this too. We want people to understand our purpose and see menstruation without taboos”, she highlights.

Opinion of those who menstruate

“I always had my thoughts focused on social and environmental causes, so when I was presented with the alternative, I was very happy. I had already tried using the collector, but I did not adapt. I am also afraid of absorbent panties, but I intend to try one day”, shares journalist Fabiana Roomie, 33, who has already used EcoCiclo absorbent pads.

The journalist also tells what she thought about the grip on the panties, the changes and the absorption. “Adheres easily to panties. Compared to the common ones made of plastic, it is softer. My flow is intense and I change at the same frequency as the other, I use two packs of pads”, explains Fabiana, who also points out that leaks are rare. “Only if it takes too long to change or put on the wrong panties,” she says.

Entrepreneurs Marketplace

EcoCiclo has a platform to support women entrepreneurs. Those interested in joining the platform must pre-register and go through a selection process to find out whether they are eligible or not.

Four companies are already part of the platform. Oils from Mi, which sells vegetable oils and butters; Sustainable Solidarity Sewing, formed by a group of black women seamstresses who produce items such as bags and aprons; Acolhe, which offers natural cosmetics, and OiFlor, which sells handcrafted products from the earth, such as vases and basins for plants.

Patrícia Zanella, co-founder of the startup, talks about the main points that a professional needs to have to be selected. “To be part of this project, there must be a connection with what we believe. So, it’s not a platform where people register and enter. There are some steps to be taken, mainly because our intention is to make these businesses prosper and with quality”, she points out.

To participate in the selection process click here. Now, if you want to get to know EcoCiclo more closely and become an investor in the future, just get in touch by email ecociclooficial@gmail.com.