Hong Kong & China Feminine Care Startup LUÜNA Launches Organic Sanitary Product Subscription, Menstrual Cup

Hong Kong & Shanghai-based menstrual care brand LUÜNA announced the launch of their organic cotton sanitary products subscription services and menstrual cup this month. The female-led company aims to empower women in Hong Kong with accessible, natural, toxin-free and sustainable period products suited to each individual’s personal needs. This is a step up for Asia, where eco-friendly and natural menstrual products remain hard to come by, especially homegrown ones. 

Sustainable menstrual or period care products remain a rare sight in Asia. According to the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), most women will go through around 11,000 disposable menstrual products over a lifetime, and sanitary products amount to more than 200,000 tonnes of waste in landfills each year. In addition, many pads, tampons and other feminine hygiene products are loaded with irritants and toxins, which can cause harmful allergic reactions and is associated with potentially lasting adverse health issues. Offering localised synthetic-free products, LUÜNA is emerging as one of the region’s alternatives to the problem.

LUÜNA’s online shop will empower Hong Kong women by delivering female menstrual subscription plans, which can be personalised to cater to each woman’s needs. Customers can choose from a combination of cotton pads, tampons and liners, which are all FDA-approved and certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard. Unlike conventional female hygiene brands, none of their products contain any harmful dyes, fragrances or chlorine bleach, and the material used is produced without pesticides.

In addition, the brand will also be launching the LUÜNA Cup, a reusable menstrual cup made of 100% medical-grade silicone (which happens to be the Green Queen’s personal fave- cups all the way!) “Synthetics like rayon, viscose and polyester have no place inside a woman’s vagina, yet big brand menstrual products are packed with these exact materials,” said LUÜNA co-founder Olivia Cotes James.

In addition to catering to the women’s health by using only natural ingredients, the company is also committed to sustainability and social impact. Each product is biodegradable, and all of their personalised subscription packages are delivered every three months in order to minimise carbon footprint from transportation. In addition, 10% of each purchase goes to local grassroots initiatives in order to encourage and support menstrual education in Hong Kong and Asia more broadly. One particular campaign, in collaboration with Free Periods HK, will involve donating a cup to the charity who will give the product to girls in need for every LUÜNA cup sold.

As the social climate around female personal care continues to evolve, more companies are propping up to fill in the gap in female-specific wellness, especially in Asia. Mumbai-based startup Nua, for instance, caters to women’s needs in India with their toxin-free all-natural sanitary products, which are also available through a monthly subscription basis. The company is also purpose-driven, with a mission to promote overall wellbeing in India’s socio-cultural context by hosting monthly Ask-Me-Anything sessions where women can engage openly with gynaecologists and experts about traditionally taboo topics such as sexual health. 

All images courtesy of LUÜNA.