Defining a Good Menstrual Pad: A User-Centered R&D Process in Nepal

This initiative is part of the Sparśa Solution, a Nepali non-profit company that locally produces and distributes compostable menstrual pads with an absorbent core made from banana fibre. The solution focuses on defining what makes a good menstrual pad, combining research, prototyping, quality assurance, and continuous user feedback.

The process began with a nationwide study of 820 women and girls, whose insights shaped the pad prototypes. Pads were then developed in two phases: manually and later with machines, testing different material combinations to balance absorbency, comfort, and compostability. Internal testing protocols and certified laboratory analysis ensured hygiene and compliance with national and international standards.

Feedback from users, collected through simplified surveys in Nepali and English, provides the basis for ongoing refinement of both pad design and packaging. By linking social research with technical innovation, the solution delivers pads that are safe, eco-friendly, and culturally acceptable.

Visit page

Related content

Sparśa Ambassador Program: Youth-Led Menstrual Health Education and Stigma Reduction in Nepal

This initiative is part of the Sparsa Solution, a Nepali non-profit organization that locally produces and distributes compostable menstrual pads with an absorbent core made from banana fiber. The Sparśa Ambassador Program trains young community members to deliver culturally sensitive menstrual health education in Chitwan, Nawalpur East, and Nawalpur West. Ambassadors—both male and female—are selected from their own communities and trained in MHM, SRHR, facilitation, and leadership. They design age-appropriate sessions for schools, using interactive activities, product demonstrations, and environmental messaging, and run dialogue-based discussions for adults to address myths, stigma, and sustainable product choices. Strong partnerships with schools, NGOs, and local authorities ensure legitimacy and reach. By combining youth leadership, tailored education, and local engagement, the programme improves knowledge, reduces stigma, promotes gender equality, and supports a shift toward eco-friendly menstrual products.

Smart Conservation Platform-Driven Sustainable Development: A Case Study of the Bogda Component, Xinjiang Tianshan World Natural

The Bogda Component of Xinjiang Tianshan World Natural Heritage Site exemplifies representative geomorphological features and ecosystems of Xinjiang Tianshan. As a quintessential arid landscape in Eurasia’s hinterland, it showcases remarkably distinct and complete vertical zonation of mountain natural landscapes within minimal distances. This includes: snow-capped peaks and glaciers, pristine forests and meadows, crystal-clear rivers and lakes, expansive deserts. It achieves a remarkable convergence of stark contrasts: heat and cold, aridity and humidity, desolation and beauty, grandeur and delicacy. To realize win-win protection and development, the site is steadily advancing its smart conservation management platform, providing foundational support for sustainable development.

Case study of collective forest management in Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve, Gansu Province — a case study of collective

Liziba Village has abundant natural resources and a good ecological environment, but excessive logging, illegal medicinal plant collection, and poaching have caused losses to villagers’ lives. In 2003, with the support of the Gansu Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve Administration and the local village committee, villagers spontaneously formed a forest protection team to expel illegal loggers and poachers and to educate and supervise fellow villagers. After the introduction of conservation agreements in 2007, illegal activities decreased and the ecological environment improved. The promotion of tea industry technologies and mechanized management increased tea farmers’ income. Villagers shifted from traditional forest-dependent livelihoods to diversified development, becoming protectors and managers of forest resources. This transformation boosted the community economy and living standards, and promoted harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

From Plants to Power: Integrating and Strengthening Community Voices in the Value Chain

In Côte d’Ivoire, most local communities are barely involved in the valorisation of genetic resources like medicinal plants – beyond providing them as raw or minimally processed material. They are unaware of what happens to these resources beyond local markets.

This is compounded by deep-rooted mistrust, which can lead to community representatives not attending meetings. Thus, their resources are often used without their participation or them benefitting.

Improving the inclusion of local communities in valorisation has been a key pillar of the ABS Capacity Development Initiative. New approaches have led to promising results. In northeastern Côte d’Ivoire, the ABS Initiative piloted a model and successful integrated communities into the value chain for traditional medicine. The approach included engaging traditional and administrative authorities at every level, actively involving village residents, and using tools like picture cards and role-playing games, all while supporting the organisation of traditional healers.

Demystifying Mainstreaming of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)

The situation is not new: a ministry is assigned responsibility for a socio-political issue but lacks the assertiveness, resources, or political backing to advance it effectively. More powerful ministries – such as those for economics, finance, or trade – often perceive the topic as marginal and economically insignificant, leading to disengagement. The responsible ministry frequently fails to recognise the broader socio-political relevance or how to engage more influential stakeholders to mainstream the topic and its implementation.

The approach to mainstreaming Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) taken by the ABS Capacity Development Initiative (ABS Initiative) highlights solutions to overcome these challenges but also reveals their limitations. Mainstreaming can be seen as a process whereby ABS is systematically integrated into existing or future structures, laws, strategies, plans, policies and programmes of other ministries and stakeholders. However, the methods used to implement mainstreaming are of crucial importance.

From Fields to Forests: Integrating Nature into Kharagpur’s Agriscapes

The Sustainable Agriscapes for Future (SAF) project, led by IUCN and ITC, addresses ecosystem degradation in the Kharagpur Agriscape of Bihar, India through nature-based solutions. The Agriscape, reliant on forests and a lake, faces challenges such as deforestation, soil erosion, spread of invasive species, and unsustainable farming practices. Through spatial planning, the project delineated the Kharagpur Agriscape and developed Kharagpur Agriscape Plan aimed at conserving and enhancing natural ecosystems vital for supporting agriculture within the cluster. This included interventions such as women-led eco-nurseries, vermicomposting using using invasive water hyacinth, and community pastureland for fodder. These nature-based, community-centered solutions enhance soil health, reduce pressure on forests, and empower women and farmers. Capacity-building, alternative livelihoods, and improved ecosystem services underpin this replicable approach for sustainable rural development.

Promoting Satoumi Community Co-Management through Resilience Assessment: A Case Study of Chenglong Wetlands (Nantou, Taiwan)

Located along the western coast of Taiwan, Chenglong Wetlands was originally farmland. Since 1986, multiple typhoons have caused levee breaches and seawater intrusion, leading to farmland abandonment and its gradual transformation into grassy wetlands. Through joint efforts by the government, academia, civil groups, and local communities, the wetlands have been preserved as habitats, for water purification, and for disaster prevention. Environmental education and art have further revitalized community culture, creating a landscape that blends human and natural elements.
The Nantou Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency introduced the concept of Socio-ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS) and organized resilience assessment workshops (RAWs) centered on community residents. These workshops assessed environmental, economic, and social resilience, clarified key local issues, and explored ways for economic activity and ecological conservation to coexist, embodying the spirit of a Satoumi community.

Ecosystem Restoration through Community Engagement, Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve (ITBA) -Saudi Arabia

ITBA spanning 91,500 km², is one of Saudi Arabia’s largest and most ecologically diverse protected areas, encompassing sand dunes, wadis, steppes, plains, plateaus, and floodplains. Declared 2018 after decades of degradation, its vegetation cover was below 4%. The Reserve adopts a community-based approach for ecosystem restoration through developing sustainable rangeland management programs and active reforestation initiatives. ITBA has since shown remarkable recovery. Surveys identified 235 plant species, 10 mammals, 30 reptiles, 184 birds with nine globally threatened species. Restoration efforts include planting over 775,000 native trees, reintroducing of 460 wild animals including Arabian oryx, sand gazelle, ostrich, and houbara. Satellite monitoring shows vegetation density rising from 3.6% in 2020 to 9.4% in 2025, with wadis and depressions most productive. Rangeland condition has shifted toward recovery, benefiting biodiversity and over 12,000 herders who save SAR 17.6 million per season.

Sparsa Business Model: Gender-responsive entrepreneurship and market access

This initiative is part of the Sparsa Solution, a Nepali non-profit organization that locally produces and distributes compostable menstrual pads with an absorbent core made from banana fiber.
The Sparsa business model, rooted in gender responsive entrepreneurship and strategic market access to ensure the sustainable distribution of biodegradable menstrual pads. As a nonprofit social enterprise, Sparsa integrates ongoing market evaluation, seasonal hiring practice, and active user committees at both factory locations to enhance responsiveness and community ownership.

The model emphasizes adaptability across diverse geographic and cultural contexts and explores innovative marketing strategies such as distribution through women’s groups and community leaders. Internal and external feedback sessions are conducted to improve product quality and customer satisfaction. Strategic efforts include building a four-year financial plan, conducting market research and forming strong partnerships with NGOs, municipalities, schools, hostels

The Nature Conservancy’s Nature Lab

The challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change are here now, and they’re impacting people and nature across the globe. Educators, parents and caregivers need ways to not only teach young learners about these challenges, but to show how they can be part of the solution the Earth needs. That’s why The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and its 1000+ scientists created the award-winning online learning platform, Nature Lab, to leverage technology to bring conservation to life in classrooms, home settings and more. Nature Lab has addressed the education challenges of inequality in access and participation, limited or inaccessible resources, and infrastructure and technology development. Nature Lab helps K-12 students experience the wonders of nature, learn about places and people around the world, and see how they can take action for the challenges facing the planet. High-quality videos transport students to diverse landscapes and interviews with renowned scientists offer youth a chance to see themselves as agents of change.

Management and Protection of the Coastal Wetlands in Yancheng, China

The Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland Rare Birds National Nature Reserve has the largest and most intact intertidal ecosystem on the western coast of the Pacific and the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent. It serves as an important stopover for water birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and protects the largest wild red-crowned crane wintering population in China. Over the past 40 years, the reserve has carried out extensive work in coastal wetland and wildlife protection, scientific monitoring and research, publicity and nature education, and the transformation of the value of ecological products. It has continuously improved its construction and management level, made unremitting efforts in the practice and demonstration of protection, development, and support functions, and effectively protected the biological and cultural diversity within the area. It plays an important role in maintaining ecological security and showcasing ecological image.

Engineering the Production of Compostable Menstrual Pads Using Plant-Based Fiber as the Main Absorbent Core

This initiative is part of the Sparsa Solution, a Nepali non-profit organization that locally produces and distributes compostable menstrual pads, which have an absorbent core made from banana fiber.,
Conventional fluff pad production machines are either manual-making them labor-intensive and unhygienic-or fully automated, which requires high upfront investment and is often incompatible with eco-friendly materials. To overcome these challenges, engineers from NIDISI, Sparsa, and Grit Engineering developed a semi-automatic, low-cost system tailored to local Made in Nepal.
Built with limited resources, the system produces 3,500–4,000 pads per day and includes:

A paper shredder for uniform fiber cutting;
A custom mattress-making machine for the fluffy absorbent core;
A modified pad assembly machine that seals different layers using ultrasonic sealing and compostable glue.

This setup enables safe, small-scale production while reducing plastic waste and supporting menstrual health for the benefit of women and the environment.