A technical innovation
The sanitary pad Spacerpad was developed within the framework of a multidisciplinary innovation project at the University of Borås, starting in 2017. The pad is easy to clean, quick-drying, and durable over time, which reduces costs and creates conditions for dignified menstrual hygiene. The process was based on the menstrual cup as a model, since it is ingenious in its design – but not always accepted or sufficient. There was room for a sanitary pad with similar properties: functional, reusable, easy to care for, and cost-effective over time.
A menstrual cup seals through its vacuum, but a similar possibility does not exist for a pad. The solution became a unique liquid-retaining yet quick-drying textile construction made of hydrophobic polyester filaments. In such a structure, particles find it difficult to adhere – which explains why it is easy to clean. The fact that liquid is held in small cavities rather than through traditional fiber absorption makes the product quick-drying. Altogether, this guarantees good hygiene in connection with reuse – even without access to a washing machine!