Innovation

"One of the many reasons Monthly Cup AB started their production of menstrual cups was because we wanted to make a difference for women living in poor conditions," said CEO Lisa Perby. "We looked at it in a bigger perspective. If we're helping women and young adults in developing countries by sponsoring them with menstrual cups, it will make them stay in school and get the education that many of the girls are missing out of because they are menstruating. There are 222 million women in the world who don't have a contraceptive and there are even more women who don't have any menstrual protections available," she added. The availability of this product will help young girls make better choices for themselves and help prevent poverty and increase equality, Perby explained.

From an environmental perspective, the menstrual cup is quite innovative. It has been calculated that one woman uses about 12,000 disposable protections during her lifetime, compared to only four menstrual cups. “If every woman in Sweden started using a menstrual cup instead of disposable protection, 600 million menstrual protections will be saved every year," Perby noted. This is a step in the right direction toward making the world more sustainable and eco-friendly.

Monthly Cup AB describes their product as safe, secure and a path toward ensuring that women get their freedom back.

Inspiration

Perby started the company with her husband Martin Perby. She tried the product, after being told so by a friend, and felt so inspired that she had to share it with the world. She saw no reason for not starting this company and was willing to fight for women getting their freedom back. She wants to inspire people to not be narrow minded and sees a bright future in this product changing the world.

“There is always a first time for everything. People should remember that and be willing to try," Percy said. "I don’t think anyone was comfortable trying a tampon for the first time and now it is part of our everyday life. The same could be for the cup!"

She is also determined to educate women about the environmental problems from disposable protections. “I find it very strange that there are so many women who are willing to put tampons into their bodies without knowing what they contain or where they are coming from," she noted. No woman should feel ashamed of being a woman and Percy thinks that the cup will help change this perspective in a lot of countries that still have a long way to go.

Overall impact

Since starting their production in 2015, the company has reduced waste from over six million disposable protections. The emissions from producing one menstrual cup does not correspond to that from producing 10 tampons. Also, the quantity being produced is far less since the product is reusable for five years.

In most of the developng countries that the company is involved in, it is still very shameful for women to have their period. This contributes to them having to stay home from school every time they are having their period. This is one week per month, making it one fourth of their education that they are missing because they are women. Sponsoring these women with menstrual cups so that they could go to school without being ashamed of not having any protection will contribute to them getting a much better education and encouraging gender equality.

Business benefit

• The only Swedish menstrual cup in silicone.
• Swedish production.
• Equal working conditions.
• Transparency.
• Able to grant their customers with a product that does not contain any dangerous materials or harm the environment.
• Economical choice since the cup lasts five years.

Social and environmental benefit

• Environmentally sustainable and reusable.
• Reduces waste from disposable protections.
• Saves a large amount of water being used to grow cotton for disposable protections.
• Reduces emissions.
• Does not contain bleach.
• Is the most eco-friendly choice out of all menstrual protections.

• Makes women aware of choice.
• The product is comfortable and smooth to use.
• Can be left in for up to 12 hours.
• You don't have to bring any other sanitary products.
• You can perform any kind of physical activity.
• Is the most hygienic choice.
• Does not cause infections.

Interview

Lisa Perby, CEO