Flow International Creates Sustainable, Affordable & Reusable Period Underwear & Pads
Community Spotlight Aug 22, 2020
Dr. Amy K. Patel needed a sensible, sustainable solution to her menstrual needs. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands and created a line of reusable, affordable period underwear and pads with Flow International.
My Business: Flow International
Follow Us: Instagram & Facebook
Email: [email protected]
Launched In: May 2020
Our Mission Statement: “To provide affordable, hygienic, eco-friendly, high quality reusable and sustainable menstrual pads and underwear to all menstruating individuals! We aim to increase awareness and education around women’s health and wellness.”
Our Target Market: All those individuals who menstruate or require protection for incontinence/light bladder leaks.
We We Offer: Reusable menstrual pads and underwear. Long term projection for micro-training business program for females interested in the manufacturing and/or resale of Flow International products, with an Empowerment Entrepreneurship Program. This educational advocacy program is also designed to help end the stigma surrounding menstruation through an online education campaign.
Founder Dr. Amy K. Patel shares her story:
Flow International became my personal passion project at the beginning of 2020. In the past couple of years, I underwent a tumultuous yet transformational healing journey that included increasing my spiritual awareness. I was guided toward my purpose and path in life. You see, after three degrees and landing my dream job — I already had it all. My soul was calling for more — this meant harnessing all of my education, training, talent and experience in a project/organization designed to help and empower others!
After I turned 40, I noticed many changes in my cycle that called for very different methods of ‘handling’ my period on a monthly basis. This became very expensive, very quickly. I invested in the DivaCup but found that it didn’t work with my cervix. I invested in the US brand of reusable, period underwear and the waistband tore off the tops. I invested in the Canadian brand of reusable period underwear and pads and found they had inaccurate sizing, which led to leaks (and a lot of stain remover – yikes!). Why did we ever choose disposables?!
Every year, hundreds of thousands of disposable pads and tampons are discarded into landfills and waterways destroying the environment and polluting water. Now, picture those disposables in lesser developed countries where infrastructure is not equipped for sanitary disposable of these items! The very same waste becomes part of the landscape. It’s an environmental and health disaster.
Hence, the idea was born to create my own custom brand of affordable, reusable period underwear and pads that were high quality and could hold up to 4 pads/tampons worth of fluid. Hundreds of dollars in samples later … Flow International was created! I personally chose reusable underwear and pads for their comfort, practicality, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. I chose to create Flow International to put my education to good use — as an environmental scientist and an educator. The most exciting part is yet to come! Due to COVID-19 isolation and travel bans, educational and micro-training business programs for females set to start in Punjab, India have been postponed until it is safe to travel and congregate. Online campaigns are being created to initiate the registration process. The best is yet to come!
Main Image Photo Credit: Flow International