The Woman’s Company was founded to provide safe and eco-friendly solutions in intimate wellness and hygiene to women. Founder Anika Parashar’s extensive experience in healthcare helps her understand the unique challenges that women face, and her business addresses the gaps through sensitive product creation, conversation with customers and community-building
The Woman’s Company (TWC) provides women of today with tailor-made intimate wellness and hygiene products that embrace the changing phases of their bodies while being mindful of the depleting environment. The founder & CEO of TWC is Anika Parashar, who has worked in the women’s healthcare sector for more than 20 years now. She was the brain behind Mamma Mia – A Mom’s World, a holistic health chain that provides information, fitness and wellness solutions to women who are trying to conceive, are expecting or are new mothers, all under one roof. Additionally, until 2018, Parashar worked as the COO at Fortis La Femme Hospitals, after which she founded RiverRock Ventures, a rm that invests in and mentors young start-ups. TWC is Parashar’s latest venture, born out of her years of working intimately with women and understanding the areas where their health and wellness were being impacted. But what got the ball rolling for the brand was Parashar’s daughter hitting puberty. “It got me thinking about which sanitary products would be good enough for her. Which products would be certifiably biodegradable, organic, soft and rash-free, and enable her to continue her level of normal activity even while menstruating? I did some research and found that there was a strong gap when it came to such products—this is what pushed me to establish TWC,” explains Parashar.
Along the way
At TWC, on offer are sanitary napkins, panty liners, cotton tampons, stand & pee urination devices, medical-grade silicone cups and bamboo razors. All of these are organic, biodegradable and environment-friendly, including the packaging. “At TWC, we are concerned about the planet we are leaving behind for future generations. Each woman contributes about 105 kg of plastic waste to the planet. Imagine the impact that a global population of women can have on global warming, animal and planet health, and resource depletion,” states Parashar. Hence, TWC has positioned itself as a brand that is not just curated for women’s needs but is also responsible enough to leave behind a legacy for the generations that follow.
Additionally, it is the only brand in this category that makes all of its products in India. “This helps us bring in cost efficiencies and lower price points, opening up the market to Indians of all socio-economic and income groups. Rather than launching an ad-hoc range of SKUs [stock-keeping units], we put a lot of thought into our products to create an impact in the lives of women,” adds Parashar. Take, for instance, the brand’s compassionate pad, which is designed for women suffering from pregnancy loss and is larger and more absorbent. The first of its kind in the global market, the compassionate pad comes in a package featuring a QR code, which when scanned, leads to a chatbot with experts including gynaecologists and counsellors, and a support group of other women who have been through pregnancy loss. “Facebook approached us for creating the compassionate pad which went on to win at the Brand Equity and IDMA awards and was nominated at Cannes and the Advertising Week New York,” reveals Parashar.
Looking to the future
Today, TWC is furthering its vision of building a safe community for women to engage and access information about sustainable essential products catering to their health. TWC is now looking to increase its market share in India and establish a significant presence in the US. “Our vision is to create an impact across every household with our quality eco-friendly products and our healthcare platform,” states Parashar.
BROWNIE POINTS
- All TWC products are biodegradable (the packaging too), completely certified and organic (made of medical-grade silicon or bamboo).
- The brand launched its biodegradable pads at the price points of plastic pads in Tier 2 and 3 markets and received an encouraging response for its product.
- TWC is the only brand in its category that makes all of its products in India.
- The brand also partnered with Facebook to launch the Compassionate Pad, the world’s first pad designed for women suffering from pregnancy loss.
- Community is essential for TWC so it works hard on building conversations about issues that matter to women.
