About Us
About Us
The Saral Design Story
We aim at impacting women who do not use hygienic menstrual products by solving the problem of awareness, access and affordability.
In developing countries, due to poor infrastructure, either distribution costs make the products 60% more expensive in voluminous products like pads and diapers, or the existing brands not catering to remote locations.
There is an immense potential of local production which not just reduces distribution costs, thereby making sanitary pads affordable but also creates local livelihood opportunities.
Timeline
July 2015
Founded Saral Designs
We started the Company as 4 people and 1 pad prototype.
August 2015
Developed first machine Prototype
Developed a small semi-automatic unit for producing ultra thin sanitary napkins, named it Swachh 1.0.
September 2015
Developed first machine Prototype
Angel investors from Powai Lake Ventures including M.G Parmeswaram (ex-CEO of FCB Ulka), Farooq Adam, Harsh Shah (co-founders of Fynd) and Gagan Goyal (Partner, India Quotient) loved our approach towards for addressing challenges in the feminine hygiene industry.
December 2015
Launched sanitary napkins in Mumbai slums
We started producing sanitary napkins in our Ghatkopar factory and launched the pads in retail stores and via women distributors in Dharavi and Ghatkopar slum pockets.
June 2016
Launched Swacch 2.0
Launched our first fully automatic machine variant in India producing 12 pads per minute.
January 2017
Won the National Entrepreneurship Award
We were awarded the National Entrepreneurship Award by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India for our contribution to women’s health.
March 2017
Sold our 1st million pads
Sold 1 million sanitary pads reaching 25,000 girls and women.
May 2017
Fund Raise
Raised funds from Acumen Fund.
July 2017
Launched Swacch 3.0
Installed our first machine in Bangladesh with a production capacity of 16 pads per minute.
June 2018
Newer Frontiers
Installed our first machine in the African continent.
November 2018
Millenium Alliance Award
Received Millenium Alliance Award to take our sanitary napkin production and increase access to sanitary napkins for 38,000 women in Nepal.
January 2019
Grand Challenges Canada
Launched project Atmavishwas in India with the help of Grand Challenges Canada with a target of impacting 51,000 women in 6 districts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
February 2019
Fund Raise
Raised funds from Acumen Angels program from the likes of Ray Dalio (Founder of BridgeWater Capital).
Saral Approach
Affordability
We have developed world’s first fully automatic machine innovation which is low cost and can be set-up in every district. While decentralization cuts down the distribution costs, the automated production ensures economies of scale and product quality, making sanitary pads high quality and affordable.
Access
To provide last mile access to sanitary napkins, we have established door to door (D2D) distribution network in semi-urban and rural areas in India reaching out to women in their communities for pad distribution.
Awareness
Our local health workers are trained to impart knowledge on menstrual hygiene awareness in these geographies, thus spreading awareness on menstrual hygiene management.
