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added basic entry more to come

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{{Short description|Indian social enterprise }}
'''Eco Femme''' is a women-led social enterprise in [[Tamil Nadu]], India, that produces organic washable cloth pads.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dutt|first=Bahar|title=Three grassroots projects that Modi's Clean India campaign can learn from|url=https://qz.com/india/277245/three-grassroots-projects-that-modis-clean-india-campaign-can-learn-from/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Quartz|date=9 October 2014 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-05-28|title=8 Low Cost And Eco Friendly Ideas Which Have Revolutionized Women's Sanitary Hygiene In India|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/10917/india-women-menstruation-lowcost-ecofriendly-sanitary-pads/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=The Better India|language=en}}</ref> Eco Femme was founded in 2009 in [[Auroville]] (a [[UNESCO]]-backed evolving city)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Statements of Support - UNESCO {{!}} Auroville|url=https://auroville.org/contents/538|access-date=2022-01-13|website=auroville.org}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news|last=Sreedharan|first=Divya|date=2012-10-13|title=The Changemakers|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/The-Changemakers/article12557586.ece|access-date=2022-01-13|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> by Kathy Walkling and Jessamijn Miedema who started by producing, applying and selling these washable menstrual pads in Auroville.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|title=How Eco Femme began making cloth pads cool again from a village near Pondicherry|url=https://www.edexlive.com/beinspired/2019/may/29/how-eco-femme-begun-making-cloth-pads-cool-again-from-a-village-near-pondicherry-6334.html|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Edex Live|date=30 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref> The aim was to produce pads that are both affordable and free of plastic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-30 |title=The Goan Village Women Helping Mitigate Plastic Pollution by Making Eco-friendly Sanitary Pads |url=https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/06/the-goan-village-women-helping-mitigate-plastic-pollution-by-making-eco-friendly-sanitary-pads/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=Inter Press Service}}</ref> They were also interested in designing a sustainable alternative to [[disposable pads]] for the women of India as well as setting up self-sustaining initiatives in cloth pad production for women from the neighbouring villages.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/> All commercially sold pads are organically certified under GOTS<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.twinkl.co.in/blog/menstrual-hygiene-day-period-charities-making-a-difference-in-india |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=www.twinkl.co.in}}</ref> and Eco Femme is the first in this space to have achieved this certification.<ref name=":2"/> The cloth pads are mostly made out of organic cotton<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-05 |title=The best eco-friendly sanitary brands worth trying now {{!}} Vogue Singapore {{!}} Beauty, Body, Wellness |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/best-eco-friendly-sustainable-sanitary-brands-products |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=Vogue Singapore |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-23 |title=Our Favourite Eco-Friendly Menstrual Products |url=https://goodonyou.eco/our-favourite-eco-friendly-menstrual-products/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=Good On You |language=en}}</ref> and can last up to 75 washes<ref name=":2"/> or for three to five years from the time of purchasing.<ref name="globalinnovationpath.com">{{Cite web |date=2020-01-20 |title=Eco Femme: Impacting Health, Sustainability and Women Empowerment with a Simple Product |url=https://globalinnovationpath.com/ecofemme/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=Global Innovation Path |language=en-GB }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> These pads are sold in more than 20 countries across the world.<ref name=":0" /> By 2022, Eco Femme has distributed over 1 million cloth pads which consequently saved more than 75 million single use disposable pads from reaching landfills.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Chaudhry">{{Cite web |last=Chaudhry |first=Avani |date=2022-09-15 |title=Sustainable Menstruation: A Personal, Step-By-Step Guide To Making DIY Cloth Pads |url=https://feminisminindia.com/2022/09/16/sustainable-menstruation-a-personal-step-by-step-guide-to-making-diy-cloth-pads/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Feminism in India |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":2"/>

Eco Femme enables women and girls to make educated decisions about their menstrual health in India and around the world by creating a dialogue around [[menstruation]] and offering education in menstrual literacy.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gerald|first=Olympia Shilpa|date=2014-05-29|title=Breaking myths and taboos|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/breaking-myths-and-taboos/article6059733.ece|access-date=2022-01-13|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Five First Steps To Take To Lead A Sustainable Lifestyle |url=https://www.femina.in/trending/opinion/steps-to-take-to-lead-sustainable-lifestyle-192813.html |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=femina.in |language=en}}</ref> They run two initiatives to enable free or affordable access to cloth pads. These include ‘Pad for Pad’ which provides an Indian adolescent girl with a free cloth pad kit for every pad sold internationally.<ref name="globalinnovationpath.com"/><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=4 Organizations Supporting BIWOC |url=https://moujamoon.com/2020/09/21/4-organizations-supporting-biwoc-sistxrs/ |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=MOUJAMOON |language=en-ZA |archive-date=2022-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130011141/https://moujamoon.com/2020/09/21/4-organizations-supporting-biwoc-sistxrs/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Their "Pads for Sisters" programme provides subsidised pads to economically disadvantaged women<ref name="globalinnovationpath.com"/> Eco Femme has different partners across India, including 80 NGOs and 150 retailers.<ref name="Chaudhry"/>

Eco Femme has been recognised for these efforts by different institutions.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SRM University presented Women Pacesetter Awards|url=http://srm-university.blogspot.com/2013/02/srm-university-presented-women.html|access-date=2022-01-13}}</ref> It aims to encourage ecological and social transformation by revitalising menstrual practices that are empowering, ecologically sustainable, culturally sensitive and healthy for the user.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Interview with Ecofemme, India based women-led social enterprise – Pacific Roots Magazine|url=http://pacificrootsmagazine.com/interview-with-ecofemme-india-based-women-led-social-enterprise/|access-date=2022-01-13|language=en}}</ref> Eco Femme has also conducted training programs on how to stitch cloth pads to support income generation and local livelihood for [[rural women]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://easternmirrornagaland.com/kigwema-women-train-in-making-sanitary-pads-pickle/ |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=easternmirrornagaland.com|title=Kigwema women train in making sanitary pads, pickle - Eastern Mirror |date=2 March 2020 }}</ref><ref name=":1" /> It also creates instructional materials, teaches facilitators, provides consulting services, and uses writing, filmmaking, and public speaking to advocate for non-polluting menstruation practises.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.goodmarket.global/ecofemme |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=www.goodmarket.global |title=Good Market }}</ref>

== Reception ==
[[HuffPost|The Huffington Post]] listed Eco Femme as one of the “15 Indian Businesses That Deserve Your Custom For Promoting Sustainability".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-06-04|title=15 Indian Businesses That Deserve Your Custom For Promoting Sustainability|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/06/05/eco-friendly-indian-brands_n_7500094.html|access-date=2022-01-13|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref> It has also been named as one of the “5 Social Impact Startups Revolutionising Feminine Care Across Asia” by the Green Queen.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-12-09|title=5 Social Impact Startups Revolutionising Feminine Care Across Asia|url=https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/5-social-impact-startups-revolutionising-feminine-care-across-asia/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Green Queen|language=en-US}}</ref> It won crQlr’s Menstruation Sustainability Prize in 2022 for being a ‘pioneer in menstrual [[education in India]]’ <ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Organic Reusable Cloth Pads for Circular Economy and Access to Sustainable Menstruation for All {{!}} Winners {{!}} crQlr 2022 |url=https://crqlr.com/2022/winners/organic-reusable-cloth-pads-for-circular-economy-and-access-to-sustainable-menstruation-for-all/ |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=crqlr.com |language=ja}}</ref> and ‘enabling women and girls to make informed decisions about their menstrual health through their non-profit programs’.<ref name=":2" /> Eco Femme also won the Restore Awards in 2022 for their health products.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Restore Awards 2022 Winners |url=https://rachnarestores.com/winners2022/ |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=RachnaRestores™️ |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Eco Femme in Media ==
Eco Femme has been featured on different podcasts,<ref>{{Citation |title=Cycles, Connection to the Body and the Earth with Kathy Walkling | date=22 February 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdZACVl1yJQ |access-date=2023-04-10 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="open.spotify.com">{{Citation |title=A safe space & a sustainable period w/ EcoFemme |date=2023-03-08 |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/5M5gylZq0yDTe3JqLsGcZP |access-date=2023-04-10 |language=en}}</ref> where they have discussed their mission to provide sustainable menstrual products and education to women in India and beyond.<ref name="open.spotify.com"/>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Organisations based in India]]
[[Category:Sanitation companies]]
[[Category:Feminine hygiene brands]]
[[Category:Personal hygiene products]]

Eco Femme - Revision history

OrvilleBurgos99: added basic entry more to come