Latest news with #periodproducts
Entrepreneur
18-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How 2 Stanford Grads Turned an Idea Into a WNBA Partnership
Amanda Calabrese and Greta Meyer turned a college project into Sequel, the first spiral tampon, now backed by a WNBA partnership with the Indiana Fever. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The tampon hasn't changed much since it was invented over 80 years ago by a male doctor named Earle Haas. That might suggest the design was flawless — but ask the people who use them, and you'll hear a different story. "Period products are unreliable in critical moments," says athlete and entrepreneur Amanda Calabrese. "For athletes, that could be sporting moments, but for a mom, it could be dropping your kids off at school, or running through the airport." Instead of accepting the status quo, Calabrese and her Stanford classmate and fellow athlete, Greta Meyer, set out to rethink the product entirely. In 2019, they created Sequel, the world's first spiral tampon, engineered by and for people who actually use it. Related: How This Tampon Company Overcame Investor Knowledge Gaps and Raised $11.2 Million Engineering meets experience The idea for Sequel wasn't born out of a desire to make money — it was about solving a real problem. Calabrese and Meyer met at Stanford, where they both majored in mechanical engineering. But their connection ran deeper than academics. Both were high-level athletes: Meyer played Division I lacrosse for Stanford, while Calabrese is a six-time national champion in lifesaving, which is a whole other story. "I've competed around the world wearing nothing but a star-spangled Team USA bikini, sometimes for 10-hour events on the beach," Calabrese says. "You're running, sweating, constantly going from wet to dry, and then add your period on top of that." Meyer had similar frustrations during her time on the lacrosse team. She and her teammates, often wearing white home skirts, frequently struggled with unreliable period products. "In the locker room, they were always talking about how they could improve the experience," Calabrese recalls. One day in a shared entrepreneurship class, Meyer approached Calabrese with an idea: why not build a better period product? "She pointed out that we were both engineering students and athletes, and that this would be perfect for our Entrepreneurship project," Calabrese says. "I was immediately on board." Calabrese and Meyer were so committed to the idea that they expanded it into their senior capstone. At Stanford, capstones require a working proof of concept. So the duo went above and beyond, raising $50,000 in grant funding to continue the project after graduation and prove its potential beyond the classroom. While most college grads spent that first post-grad summer relaxing or traveling, Calabrese and Meyer traded in pool parties for manufacturing plant tours. "We spent that summer refining our idea and learning through Stanford's accelerator, StartX," Calabrese says. "We knew we'd need funding to kick off R&D, so we focused on crafting our pitch, and not long after COVID, we closed a $1 million pre-seed round to get things off the ground." Related: WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie on Building Legacy Beyond the Game From the lockeroom to the lab Starting with a clear problem gave the co-founders direction, but there were more questions to be answered before they could start developing solutions. "Now we had to ask: Why aren't these products doing their job?" Calabrese asks. "And what exactly is the job they're supposed to do?" After conferring with countless female athletes, they determined that the primary issue was what the industry calls "bypass leakage." Upon deeper reflection, the duo realized this issue was the byproduct of a design flaw. "Tampons have vertical channels that go top to bottom on the outside of the product," Calabrese explains. "This effectively funnels the fluid away from the absorbent core and down the side of the product." Recognizing the mechanical inefficiency of this outdated design, the pair came up with the concept for Sequel's masthead product: the spiral tampon. By introducing a spiral into the tampon's construction, they created a horizontal flow path alongside the existing vertical channels. This design increases surface area, promotes even absorption and helps prevent premature leaks by disrupting the downward flow. "We spent years testing the fluid mechanics behind the design," Calabrese says. "I even have a video from our dorm room where we were illustrating those concepts." Eventually, they started hand-pressing prototypes. "Greta was in a full cleanroom suit, manually applying heat and pressure to create and test each one," Calabrese recalls. The capstone goes courtside Since then, Sequel has flourished, becoming the first tampon partnership in the history of the NCAA by sponsoring Stanford athletics. They've worked with Athletes Unlimited, USL and Unrivaled. Now, the company is taking its next big step, partnering with one of the WNBA's premier teams, the Indiana Fever. The founders reached out to Fever star Lexie Hull, who attended Stanford herself, and left with an NCAA national championship and a bachelor's AND master's in management science and engineering to show for it. "Lexie remembered hearing about us as an example in one of her entrepreneurship classes," Calabrese shares. "We reached out to her to be our first WNBA ambassador, and she was so excited." The partnership offers clear financial upside for Sequel, but for Calabrese, the intangibles matter even more. "These athletes are role models," she says. "Thousands of little girls across the country look up to players on the Fever and see themselves in these athletes." She notes that the first period product someone uses is often the one they stick with for life. "Getting to work with real-life superheroes like Lexie Hull means everything to the young audience we want to reach," Calabrese says. "But beyond that, we're normalizing conversations around tampons and period care, ultimately aiming for them to be seen as essential game day gear, just like soccer cleats." After six years of research, testing, development, and navigating FDA commercial standards, Sequel is beginning to make waves in an industry that hasn't evolved in decades. "We believe Sequel can dramatically improve the experience of athletes and fans everywhere," Calabrese says. "From little girls playing softball to the moms cheering them on, everyone deserves better." With its spiral design and athlete-driven mission, Sequel isn't just redesigning a product. It's redefining the conversation around period care.
RNZ News
14-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Former IRD employee loses ERA claim following comments about free period products
A former Inland Revenue employee has lost her bid to claim unjustified disadvantage over free period products in the work bathroom. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller A former Inland Revenue employee has lost her bid to claim unjustified disadvantage and constructive dismissal after making comments other workers found offensive. Christine Massof had worked for the department for 14 years. She was reprimanded after she made a comment on the intranet in response to news that the department would be providing period products in both male and female bathrooms. She posted: "This is awesome but a shame it took so long coming. And interesting, now that men can menstruate, free period products are available in IR bathrooms." Massof's manager, Leah Galbraith, became aware when the comment was reported to her by IR's rainbow network, which said some people were offended and upset. Galbraith met Massof to discuss the comments and set expectations for the future. She said it was not the first discussion of this type she had had with Massof about her need to be aware of the impact her comments could have on her colleagues. Massof denied that and said earlier incidents were different. Galbraith said the meeting went smoothly but Massof said she was not given much opportunity to speak. She was then given a letter headed "expectation of behaviour" which advised her that she should exercise discretion when expressing views, particularly when they could cause offence. When staff were reorganised, Massof began reporting to a different team leader. But she said the meeting with Galbraith had left her upset and anxious. She said after she returned from sick leave she was vulnerable and had been ostracised. She filed a statement of problem with the Employment Relations Authority saying she had been unjustifiably disadvantaged in her employment and Inland Revenue had not acted in good faith. She then resigned. Several months later, she raised a claim of unjustifiable constructive dismissal. She said the letter had disadvantaged her because it was disciplinary in nature, she did not have the opportunity for a support person, it affected her prospects for promotion, it silenced her and that Inland Revenue had imposed a bathroom policy on her without consultation. Authority member Claire English said the letter was not a disciplinary outcome and did not impose disciplinary consequences on Massof. "There is also nothing used in the requirements or expectations themselves to support the submission that this was a disciplinary matter. They may be described as requirements to treat colleagues respectfully in the workplace and to bear in mind that colleagues may have different views to yourself." She said Inland Revenue was entitled to set minimum standards of behaviour. "Insofar as Ms Massof complains that IR's provision of free sanitary products by IR in the bathrooms was an unjustified disadvantage, this claim cannot be made out. The provision of free product to all staff with no requirement for use or engagement by staff cannot be categorised as a disadvantage, much less an unjustified one." She said the submission that the department had a new policy of allowing staff to use bathrooms of their choice amounted to unjustified disadvantage was also not borne out by the evidence. "Ms Massof worked for IR for some 14 years. She was not able to explain when or how this policy was either implemented or changed by IR. "For a claim of constructive dismissal to succeed, the dismissal must occur at the initiative of the employer. Ms Massof's evidence is that she did not want to continue in the workplace, not due to any breach of obligation by her employer, but because she fundamentally disagreed with workplace changes over a period of many years, and no longer wished to work there as a result. This does not amount to a constructive dismissal." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CNET
10-07-2025
- Health
- CNET
I Upgraded My Period Routine With These Toxin-Free Products, and They're On Sale Through Prime Day
If you're anything like me, you've used the same mainstream period products for as long as you can remember without thinking twice about what's in them. Once I started researching everyday feminine hygiene products, I found that most contain chemicals like chlorine, PFAs and questionable synthetics. That's when I switched to Viv, a toxin-free, sustainable menstrual care brand whose products actually work. I've tried all of the brand's products, from the organic cotton pads to the tampons with BPA-free applicators to the surprisingly comfortable menstrual cup. Right now, Viv is offering 25% off all menstrual cups and 15% off pads and tampons for Prime Day. If you're curious about a cleaner period routine, this is the chance to start or stock up. Check out our CNET live deals for staff-approved wellness, tech and home picks. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money Why I love Viv Viv's products have completely changed how I feel about my period. The tampons are made with 100% organic cotton and come in certified compostable corn starch-based wrappers instead of plastic. The pads are made from bamboo, corn fibers and wood pulp. They are also naturally antibacterial and a lot better for the environment. The disc, which I find doesn't leak like other menstrual cups, is made from medical-grade silicone and is pretty comfortable. The brand has become my go-to for cleaner, lighter menstrual products. I don't dread buying or using period products anymore. Viv has helped me feel more aligned with how I want to care for my body, with clean and intentional products that are good for me and the planet. Why this deal matters Swapping your period products can feel intimidating, and honestly, really expensive -- especially with reusable cups. That's why this up to 25% off deal is great for making the switch. If you want to go toxin-free or reduce your period waste, Viv makes the transition much easier and more affordable.
Telegraph
31-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Periods aren't only for women, says Britain's biggest toiletries supplier
Periods are ' not inherently feminine ', according to Britain's biggest toiletry supplier. Bunzl, the major distribution company, said 'not all people who menstruate are women' in a campaign designed to stop the stigma of talking about periods. As a result, it has now been accused of denying biological reality and 'pandering to trans activists'. Bunzl's inclusive language guide was released to promote eco-friendly sanitary products by provider Grace and Green. It suggests common terms such as 'sanitary', 'hygiene' and 'feminine products' should be replaced with the term 'period products' to avoid offence. It also advises against only referring women or girls, because 'non-binary people, transgender men and intersex people may also menstruate', and suggests providing period products and disposal bins in gender-neutral locations and all public lavatories. 'Most of all, be respectful of everyone's different experiences of their period,' it adds. 'We can all empathise with the struggles that come with bleeding, even if they are different for each of us.' Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at the Sex Matters charity, called the language 'offensive' and accused the guide authors of 'erasing women and girls from the female-only experience of menstruation'. 'The only way that Grace and Green's products could truly be 'gender-neutral' is if its product designers had considered male anatomy when designing sanitary pads and tampons, which is clearly not the case,' she said. 'Coy phrases like 'feminine products' or 'feminine hygiene' may be a bit old-fashioned, but suppliers like Grace & Green and retailers like Boots and Aldi openly admit that their motivation to replace them with 'period products' isn't a desire to be more frank about women's biological reality – it's about denying that biological reality altogether. 'This type of nonsense is blatant pandering to trans activists, who demand that everyone else plays along with the farcical idea that men who imagine themselves to be female can have periods, and that women who imagine themselves to be male are 'men who menstruate'.' Supermarkets have changed policy A number of high street giants have changed their policy on the products in recent years. In 2022, Aldi followed Asda by replacing its 'feminine hygiene' signage with 'period products'. Richard Shuttleworth, Aldi's then diversity and inclusion director, said at the time: 'We are pleased to have renamed the category both in-store and online to better reflect how shoppers feel about period products.' Earlier the same year, Boots carried out the same rebrand. A spokesman for Grace and Green told The Telegraph they stand by the statement 'Not all women menstruate, and not all people who menstruate are women'. They continued: 'This is a simple recognition of biological and lived realities. Some women don't menstruate – for example due to menopause, contraception, pregnancy or medical conditions – and some people who are not women, including trans men, non-binary, and intersex individuals, do. 'Denying this erases entire communities and contributes to the marginalisation of people who already face significant barriers to healthcare, dignity, and access to essential products. 'Acknowledging this diversity is not about erasing women – it's about expanding understanding.'
