SaraWong: made a pg first draft

2026-01-23T13:04:58Z

made a pg first draft

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{{Short description|Indian public toilet model}}
{{Infobox company
| name = LooCafe - Ixora Corporate Services
| logo = LooCafe Logo.png
| industry = Sanitation
| founder = [[Abhishek Nath]] ([[CEO]])
| hq_location_city = [[Hyderabad]]
| hq_location_country = India
| key_people = Vedanth Nath (Head of Innovation)
| parent = Ixora Group
| website = {{URL|https://loocafe.com/}}
}}
'''LooCafe''' is an Indian [[public toilet]] model, built out of [[shipping container]]s with a [[point of sale]] attached with additional features.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhaskar |first=Anisha Bhatia, Sonia |date=2018-07-26 |title=Hyderabad To Go Swachh With 130 Loo Cafes, Equipped With Smart Toilets, Cafes And ATM Services |url=https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/hyderabad-go-swachh-130-loo-cafes-equipped-smart-toilets-cafes-atm-services-23313/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=NDTV-Dettol Banega Swasth Swachh India |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nitnaware |first=Himanshu |date=2020-12-07 |title=Hyderabad Man Turns Shipping Containers Into Solar 'Loocafes' With Stink Sensors |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/244124/hyderabad-startup-loocafe-ixora-fm-abhishek-nath-ghmc-public-toilet-innovation-him16/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref> The company, legally incorporated as Ixora Corporate Services, works in the [[WASH]] industry.

LooCafe is designed to end [[open defecation]] and [[public urination]] onto buildings, sidewalks, or streets,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Jaggard |first=David |date=27 March 2012 |title=The Flow of History: The Mercifully Dwindling Presence of the Parisian Pissoir |url=http://www.paris-update.com/fr/hot-topics/cest-ironique/21580-the-flow-of-history-the-mercifully-dwindling-presence-of-the-parisian-pissoir |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720151833/http://www.paris-update.com/fr/hot-topics/cest-ironique/21580-the-flow-of-history-the-mercifully-dwindling-presence-of-the-parisian-pissoir |archive-date=20 July 2016 |access-date=18 July 2016 |website=Paris Update}}</ref> and create access to public toilets under the [[Swachh Bharat Mission]].

== History ==
Founded in 2018 by [[Abhishek Nath]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leader |first=The Weekend |title=Unfazed by failures, he built a toilet-cum-cafe chain that became a Rs 18 crore turnover business in just two years |url=https://www.theweekendleader.com/Success/2942/eat-and-ease.html |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=www.theweekendleader.com |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhattacharya |first=Ahana |date=2022-10-05 |title=Loocafé Founder Abhishek Nath shares how they are changing India's public toilet scene |url=https://thecsrjournal.in/loocafe-founder-abhishek-nath-shares-how-they-are-changing-indias-public-toilet-scene/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=The CSR Journal |language=en-GB}}</ref> LooCafe started from [[Hyderabad]] and now are currently operational in multiple Indian states and districts,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-23 |title=MC to open 'loo cafés' soon |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/mc-to-open-loo-cafs-soon/articleshow/92398003.cms |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> including [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Paitandy |first=Priyadarshini |date=2021-05-05 |title=Comfort stop: Hyderabad-based Loo Café makes its way to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/the-relief-factory/article34487431.ece |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-09-28 |title=Hyderabad's Loo Cafes now all set to dot scenic Dal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/hyderabads-loo-cafes-now-all-set-to-dot-scenic-dal-lake-in-jammu-and-kashmir/articleshow/78356264.cms |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> [[Tamil Nadu]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bureau |first=ABP News |date=2021-09-05 |title=Two 'Loo Cafe' To Come Up In Chennai's Landmark Places By Month End |url=https://news.abplive.com/tamil-nadu/two-loo-cafe-to-come-up-in-chennai-s-landmark-places-by-month-end-1480375 |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=news.abplive.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kandavel |first=Sangeetha |date=2022-05-12 |title=Chennai's first free luxury toilet with a cafe attached opened at Indira Nagar MRTS |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/chennais-first-free-luxury-toilet-with-a-cafe-attached-opened-at-indira-nagar-mrts/article65408393.ece |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> and [[Telangana]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Hyderabad: Now, loo cafes in Hi-tech city |publisher=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/230518/hyderabad-now-loo-cafes-in-hi-tech-city.html }}</ref>

In 2025, Abhishek Nath launched ReFlow Toilets, a sanitation infrastructure initiative focused on district-level deployments that promotes Bio-Circular Resource Technology (B-CRT).<ref>{{Cite web |title=ReFlow Toilets |url=https://reflowtoilets.com/ |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=ReFlow Toilets |language=en}}</ref>

== Model ==
Most [[public toilet]]s in India fail because of [[maintenance]] issues and a variety of government challenges.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-03-18 |title=India's toilets: Report questions claims that rural areas are free from open defecation |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-46400678 |access-date=2023-12-09}}</ref>

LooCafes are designed to be [[sustainable]] models because of their business model. Revenue from the [[cafe|café]] or [[point of sale]] helps them sustain the public toilets that are built towards the back out of the shipping container. The usage of [[IoT]] devices and [[facility management]] technology have also helped them expand their footprint to 350 units across India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hussain |first=Mohammed |date=2020-05-29 |title=Loocafe 2.0 will soon feature across India |url=https://archive.siasat.com/news/loocafe-2-0-will-soon-feature-across-india-1895629/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=The Siasat Daily – Archive |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2019, they won [[Confederation of Indian Industry]] awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CII Awards - Home |url=https://www.innovationawards.ciiinnovation.in/Winners-2019.php |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=www.innovationawards.ciiinnovation.in}}</ref>

== Institutions ==
LooCafes have worked with the [[British Council]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Loo Café x Water Loop Video {{!}} Blog {{!}} ADF {{!}} British Council |url=https://design.britishcouncil.org/blog/2021/apr/08/water-loop/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=design.britishcouncil.org}}</ref> [[Hyderabad]] Design Week,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-08 |title=Hyderabad Design Week will showcase the city's entrepreneurial skills in offering global solutions |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/hyderabad-design-week-jane-withers-studio-6058162/ |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> and the [[Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation]] (GHMC).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/with-paltry-rent-loo-cafes-minting-profits/articleshow/68857911.cms|title='With paltry rent, Loo cafes minting profits'|newspaper=The Times of India |date=April 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/240119/loo-cafe-in-ghmc-maud-tussle.html|title=Loo Cafe in GHMC-Maud tussle|date=23 January 2019|website=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref>

For their social work<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Liffy |date=2023-11-21 |title=World Toilet Day: changing the narrative |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/world-toilet-day-changing-the-narrative/article67557113.ece |access-date=2023-12-14 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> a book was also launched titled ''Toilet Tales''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kosuru |first=Amrutha |date=2022-05-07 |title=28 Toilet Tales highlight entrepreneurial dedication to transform public toilets |url=https://newsmeter.in/hyderabad/28-toilet-tales-highlight-entrepreneurial-dedication-to-transform-public-toilets-695170 |access-date=2023-12-09 |website=newsmeter.in |language=en}}</ref>

The toilets have operated during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in India]] with respect to disinfection work for public facilities.<ref>{{Cite news |last=ANI |title=Telangana sets up 'Loo Cafe' with options of disinfection, sanitization amid coronavirus pandemic |work=[[Asian News International]] |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/telangana-sets-up-loo-cafe-with-options-of-disinfection-sanitization-amid-coronavirus-pandemic20200903165145/ }}</ref>

== LooCafe models ==
<gallery mode="packed">File:LooCafe Tank Bund, Hyderabad.jpg|LooCafe installed at [[Tank Bund Road]]
File:Loocafe mini.jpg|LooCafe Mini Model</gallery>==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Human waste elimination}}
[[Category:Toilets]]
[[Category:Water supply and sanitation in India]]
[[Category:2018 establishments in India]]

LooCafe - Revision history

SaraWong: made a pg first draft