AWARD YEAR
2023
CATEGORY
Body
GOALS
Good Health & Well-being, Gender Equality, Clean Water & Sanitation, Refugees and Migrants
KEYWORDS
female hygiene, Reusable
COUNTRY
United Kingdom
DESIGNED BY
Cheuk Laam Wong
WEBSITE
https://awrd.com/en/creatives/detail/11785094
Looop Can
Cleaning kit for washing reusable menstruation pad
How does it work?
First, you add the used pad. Then, add the baking soda stored inside the container and add water until the level where the packaging indicates. Screw the cap, immerse the screw container and spin to mix the baking soda and water. Buoyancy Force is used to reduce the water required for washing, and the gyroscope spinning mechanism allows less human effort so that people who have period cramps can wash easily. Wait at least 30 minutes until the period blood disintegrates, then use the container to scrub the bloodstain. Rinse and scrub three times, and one pad can be cleaned with just 500 ml of water.
Looop Can provides baking soda, a natural cleaning detergent, to help remove blood stains. Washing water can be discarded into the natural environment since period blood and baking soda are compostable and harmless to the environment.
Why is it needed?
There are about 26 million people who fled their countries due to conflict, violence, or war. Note that women suffer more vulnerabilities, such as widespread gender-based violence, and almost 60% of female refugees suffer period poverty problems as they instead spend their funding on food or sacrifice pads for baby diapers. Most of them come from strictly religious countries that consider inserting tampons taboo. This inspired to design a product that can protect fundamental human rights to water, sanitation, and health for refugees from 12 to 24 years old who suffer from language and culture barriers and have limited financial ability.
How does it improve life?
The Looop Can will be a stepping stone to promote hygiene awareness campaigns in the refugee camp. Refugees who join the 30 minutes menstrual hygiene management session can get 2 units of Looop Can as it makes sure that they learn how to use it properly. It also reduces gender-based violence as users don’t have to risk going out to travel long distances at night for toilets.