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Feminine hygiene startup <keyword id="7326219" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sirona" source="Orion">Sirona</keyword> on Tuesday said it has raised ₹100 crore in funding from <keyword id="12352571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="good-glamm" source="Orion">Good Glamm</keyword> Group. The round also saw secondary buyout with early investors including seed and angel investors taking an exit, a statement said. Sirona - which makes products like PeeBuddy and menstrual cups - said it aims to hit the ₹500 crore revenue mark in three years. In April, Sirona had raised USD 3 million in series A funding round, co-led by NB Ventures and IAN Fund. The company said almost one million women use Sirona Menstrual Cups, and over 3 million units of PeeBuddy and over 4 lakh Sirona Feminine Pain Relief Patches have been sold. “We had multiple term sheets from VCs and other strategic investors but the combination of money and immediate value which the Good Glam Group offered was unparalleled. We have been profitable for the last 3 years and are growing steadily," <keyword id="9138019" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sirona-hygiene" source="Orion">Sirona Hygiene</keyword> founder and CEO Deep Bajaj said. He added that the partnership with The Good Glamm group, given their edge in terms of content and offline access will help the company scale faster while staying profitable. "We hope to soon hit the ₹100 crore revenue mark. Aspirations are to see Sirona at leading stores, solving more feminine hygiene problems faced by Indian women from puberty to menopause and become the first start-up in our category to hit ₹500 crore revenue, hopefully within 3 years," he added. The Good Glamm Group comprises a portfolio of beauty and personal care brands that are powered by a proprietary digital ecosystem of content, community and creator assets. Brands that come under the Good Glamm Group umbrella include <keyword id="3030142" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="myglamm" source="Orion">MyGlamm</keyword>, POPxo, BabyChakra, The Moms Co, ScoopWhoop and St Botanica. “Feminine hygiene segment, especially given the taboo around the category, is a tough one to pull off but needs far more intervention to make life simpler for Indian women. And we believe our ecosystem of content and creators will greatly increase the education of and adoption of Sirona's innovative hygiene products," Good Glamm Group founder and CEO Darpan Sanghvi said. He added that Sirona has made its mark by creating a new category of modern intimate and menstrual hygiene solutions, something the company valued and decided to come in as a strategic investor at this stage. This digital reach, combined with 30,000-plus offline retail points of sale of the Group's flagship beauty brand, MyGlamm, offers Sirona an unprecedented opportunity to scale both online and offline, the statement said. Good Glamm Group had recently raised USD 150 million in a funding round led by Prosus (formerly Naspers) to enter the unicorn club (companies with valuation of USD 1 billion). It counts Warburg Pincus, L'Occitane, Bessemer Venture Partners, Accel, Amazon, and Ascent Capital among its investors. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/snapdeal-ipo-paper-reveals-that-it-is-going-offline/articleshow/88408081.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Snapdeal IPO papers reveal the e-tailer’s offline aspirations for budget fashion</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/mapmyindia-ipo-makes-a-positive-stock-market-debut/articleshow/88403594.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">MapmyIndia debuts below expectation but IPO investors still make a sweet 53% return on listing</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/zepto-raised-100-million-at-570-valuation-to-deliver-product-in-10-minutes/articleshow/88394937.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Two teenage Stanford dropouts have made their startup worth half a billion in 7 months</a>

Feminine hygiene startup Sirona raises ₹100 crore from ScoopWhoop's parent Good Glamm Group

<ul><li>Here are the <keyword id="6362513" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups">startups</keyword> that are fighting for menstrual hygiene awareness in India. </li><li>In India, while <keyword id="555572" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menstruation">menstruation</keyword> is still taboo in several regions, a wave of change has been seen through Indian films and startups.</li></ul>In India, menstruation is still a taboo and women still fight many stigmas. From superstitions that keep them away from the kitchen or holy places, to traditions that restrict them to the household, <keyword id="45804" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="period">period</keyword> is still a tough subject in India. But a wave of change is coming in. Companies now allow ‘period days’ where women can take the day off if they suffer from pain while menstruating. The otherwise stereotypical movie business which stays away from relevant topics, welcomed movies on menstruation like Padman. The movie ‘Period. End of Sentence’, won an Oscar for the best documentary short film. The movie shows Indian women who come together to build accessible menstrual hygiene products. The Indian startup industry is not too far either with apps that help track periods to building products for women’s hygiene. On <keyword id="4584427" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-menstrual-hygiene-day">World Menstrual Hygiene Day</keyword>, here’s a look at Indian startups that are working on this topic. <keyword id="4606906" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="nyra">Nyra</keyword> App Vivant is a B2B data driven healthcare startup based out of Singapore. On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, the startup launched Nyra an app that can be used by women to track their period, fertility, ovulation, mood, lifestyle and physical activity. “In India it is estimated that around 23 million girls have dropped out of school due to menstruation and lack of awareness of women’s health issues. Nyra aims to help address this by giving women everywhere access to feminine health information and advice, and control over their feminine health journey. We have initially launched the app to include Hindi, but are actively looking to make the app available in other vernacular languages,” said Adrit Raha, CEO, Vivant. <keyword id="7326219" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sirona">Sirona</keyword> Gurugram-based PeeBuddy which has been working on women’s hygiene with its disposable, portable urination device for women has also launched Sirona, a range of products for menstrual hygiene. The products introduced by Sirona include herbal feminine pain relief patches, oxo-degradable disposal bags, tampons, reusable menstrual cups, panty liners etc. Sirona is already present in 150 outlets across Delhi-NCR through retailers. It plans to amplify its presence to 5 cities by FY21. FLOH FLOH is a feminine health and hygiene brand by Visionaari, a Delhi-based personal care startup. It has its own line of tampons, and recently also launched Crampfree – herbal period pain relief patches. “Since its inception, making sure women forget that they are on their period has been the core of FLOH’s ideology. As menstrual cramps affect most of the women out there, it was our natural progression to address this problem. Just like FLOH tampons, Crampfree will change the way women perceive their periods, helping them have a bloody good period,” said Gauri Singhal, Founder and CEO, Visionaari. Azah The organic wellness startup Azah produces and sells cotton sanitary pads. According to the company, these sanitary pads are fabricated with the finest organic cotton and do not contain harmful chemicals such as chlorine, dioxins, or artificial fragrances. The startup, which was founded by engineering graduates, Shashwat Diesh and Aqib Mohammed, in November 2018 had recently raised an angel investment of $200,000. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international-womens-day-indian-women-still-a-long-way-off-from-empowerment/articleshow/68313107.cms">Women’s day in numbers: 9 grim reminders that Indian women are still a long way off from empowerment</a>

In a country where menstruation is still a taboo, Indian startups are breaking stereotypes

<ul><li>Non-organic <keyword id="9265976" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="period-care" source="Orion">period care</keyword> products rack up a huge bill, both to the pocket and the environment.</li><li>GenZ and millennials are turning to <keyword id="2986064" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="menstrual-cups" source="Orion">menstrual cups</keyword>, period discs, reusable pads and <keyword id="7379021" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="period-panties" source="Orion">period panties</keyword> to save plastic pollution caused by sanitary napkins.</li><li>Business Insider India speaks to new-age hygiene brands about the future of <keyword id="49089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> in the period care industry.</li></ul>Every year, around 12.3 billion used sanitary pads are dumped in landfills in India, said a <a href="https://toxicslink.org/Media/press-release/menstrual-waste-creating-plastic-mounts-">report </a>by the environmental group Toxics Link. Each of these non-organic sanitary pads is equivalent to four plastic bags, and it takes <a href="http://toxicslink.org/docs/Press%20release%20on%20sanitary%20waste.pdf">250-800 years</a> to decompose. And, some may never decompose at all. To reduce their carbon footprint on Earth, young millennials and GenZs are switching to greener options like menstrual cups, reusable pads, period discs, tampons, period panties, etc. Not only are these alternatives greener but some of them are also cheaper. <div type="image" title="pro (7)" msid="93758578" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lemme Be&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “There are more than 35 crore menstruating women in India. If all of them use 20 pads in a month, just imagine the mammoth amount of plastic waste we can generate. Fast forward to 50 years, all countries will be drowned in pads if they remain in our system for 500-800 years,” says Devidutta Dash, founder of new-age menstrual care startup Lemme Be. This pushed Dash to launch Lemme Be, a sustainable period care brand two years ago. “Today, we are growing at 30-40% month-on-month and we expect to make about ₹30 crore of revenue this financial year,” Dash told Business Insider India. <div type="image" title="oana-cristina-mZel4xJrMUM-unsplash" msid="93758659" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Unsplash&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Period care brand Sirona Hygiene says it’s bringing in 20,000-30,000 new consumers for its menstrual cups, every month. “About a million women have moved to our cups and this is without any advertising. Indian women are being far more open to trying products which are helping her get through her period better than what the pad does,” said Deep Bajaj, founder and CEO of Sirona Hygiene. Pee Safe too says that cups have picked up in the last 18 months. “Unlike the US, where people started moving from pads to tampons, in India we see that they are moving from pads directly to cups,” said Vikas Bagaria, founder and CEO of Pee Safe. Bagaria said that the overall menstrual hygiene market is pegged around ₹6,000-7,000 crore, which he says is a duopoly between the giants Whispers and Stayfree occupying 90% of the market. Within that, the sustainable category is picking up pace and is growing at the rate of 100% year-on-year, said Bajaj. While there is no specific data available on this nascent market, he said, it could be worth around ₹100 crore overall already. As per Toxics Link’s report, 80% of women and girls in urban India use inorganic disposable sanitary pads. A study by them says that 88% of respondents were willing to switch to environment-friendly alternatives. Hygiene brands have also started manufacturing locally, which has slashed prices. “Previously, we were selling it for ₹499 when we were importing from China and now the price is ₹349, almost ₹100 reduction,” Bagaria told Business Insider India. Tier II, III city consumers make the green shift too Kerala and Goa saw many early adopters of these options. Sirona, Lemme Be and Pee Safe say they have many users from Tier II and III cities too. For the sustainable category, Bajaj says, psychographics are more important than demographics. “I have users who are let's say earning ₹20,000 a month and users who make ₹5,00,000 a month. I have users who are earning lakhs and lakhs and don't move to a new product and I have users who are not really earning that well and are still using it. So we talk to a mindset,” said Bajaj. Pee Safe conducted a study among its consumers in the late 40s to find out what stops them from using a cup or a tampon. “They said because their parents didn't allow us to insert anything inside the vagina. Their children, millennials and Gen Zs, are giving them confidence to try it out,” Bagaria said. As consumer brands spend more on marketing dollars to raise awareness and address the taboos around menstruation, sustainable menstrual hygiene is expected to grow at a faster pace. “It's definitely ₹1,000 crore category in-the-making, where women will make greener choices for themselves not only for their period product, but other female hygiene needs,” Bajaj told Business Insider India.

Sanitary pads take 250-800 years to decompose, which is pushing young Indians to opt for greener alternatives

New Delhi, May 27 (IANSlife) Sanitary pads are made of plastic, contain cellulose gum and have an absorbent material that converts liquid to gel. All these substances make these sanitary napkins highly polluting and harmful for the environment. They have been polluting the environment and also land up in water bodies due to lack of proper disposal systems. These pads are often found washed upon beaches and obstruct sewerage system in cities leading to waterlogging. So, it is important to consider more environment-friendly options -- most of these materials can be classified as either being reusable or disposable, says Dr Diksha S. Chadha Director, Medical &amp; CSR Division, Sirona (PeeBuddy). The disposable options include biodegradable pads and organic tampons or tampons with cardboard applicators. Biodegradable pads are made out of varying proportions of bio-plastics and natural compounds such as cotton, banana fibre, bamboo and similar products. These pads are equally absorbent and can even be put into the composting pit. Depending upon the amount of bio-plastic in them, they will turn to compost in few months to a few years, she points out. Dr Chadha lists down few ways how to go sustainable while maintaining menstrual hygiene: Reusable pads - The reusable options include a reusable cloth pad fashioned with wings and buttons to make them as functional as the usual sanitary pads. These reusable cloth pads are washable and reusable for up to 200-400 washes depending upon the cloth quality. The cloth pad should be dried in sunlight in order to disinfect them and prevent infections. Period panty- Similar to a reusable cloth pad is a period-panty, which has an inbuilt space to add cotton roll or cotton cloth to use as per the flow of the user. Menstrual cup - A menstrual cup is inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual blood. The user may then remove the cup after 6-8 hours and simply empty the contents and re-insert the cup after a simple wash. The cup only needs to be sterilized once in between cycles using steam sterilization (for which devices are now available in the market) or disinfectant cup washes. A menstrual cup is made up of medical grade silicone and can be reused for 3-5 or even up to 10 years depending upon the quality of material of cup and the maintenance by the user. A cup is eco-friendly, economical, and medically safe to use. The user can even choose a size that fits her well based on her built, age and history of vaginal birth. Oxo-biodegradable bags - While the basket of choice is full already, let us not forget the disposal of disposable products. The products should never be flushed and can easily be thrown away using oxo-biodegradable bags available in the market. More important than that is to remember to throw it in the right bin while using public washrooms and segregating waste at the home level as per the corporation instructions in your area or institute. (Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in) --IANS pg/tb/

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Biodegradable pads are safer and more hygienic than regular pads. Being made from natural materials, they are safe for the environment as they reduce plastic wastage. As they are made from plastic and chemical-free ingredients, they tend to decompose quickly. They are not only safe for the environment but are safe for the skin too. We have curated a list of the <keyword id="12197775" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="best-biodegradable-sanitary-pads" source="Orion">best biodegradable sanitary pads</keyword> from Amazon. <bulletContentEmbed name="B07WSNFLKX" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07WSNFLKX_head"> <div type="image" title="Super Absorption" msid="86591020" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07WSNFLKX</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07WSNFLKX_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07WSNFLKX_7012066783181397"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Sirona Natural Biodegradable Super Soft Black Sanitary Pads</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Made from ultra-soft non-woven fibre, these biodegradable pads from Sirona are gentle on the skin. To avoid stains and leakage, it gives you wide coverage. With no harmful chemicals, it keeps your skin soft and rash-free. Its super absorption tendency provides complete protection and prevents leakage. The breathable material makes you feel fresh and stay dry all day long.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07WSNFLKX_6247202139739968"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It prevents leakage with its wide coverage design.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B092S6RJZK" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B092S6RJZK_head"> <div type="image" title="Extra Coverage" msid="86591069" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B092S6RJZK</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B092S6RJZK_body"><bulletContentRow name="B092S6RJZK_4157694063837393"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Erhetus Natural &amp; Organic <keyword id="4059979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="biodegradable-sanitary-pads" source="Orion">Biodegradable Sanitary Pads</keyword> for Women</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">These biodegradable organic pads from Erhetus provide extra coverage for tension-free periods. The pads are said to be decomposed easily due to the natural ingredients. With multi-layer absorption, it prevents leakage and keeps you rash-free. Their odour control system, soft and breathable material, makes you stay fresh.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B092S6RJZK_0266695993181661"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The material used, keeps you rash-free.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B08RJS8JQS" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08RJS8JQS_head"> <div type="image" title="Odour Neutralizer" msid="86591080" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08RJS8JQS</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08RJS8JQS_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08RJS8JQS_7544169619000606"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Women’s Theory Biodegradable Sanitary Pads</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">With the super absorbent core, these biodegradable pads from Women's Theory are suitable to absorb the heavy period flow. Its breathable and soft top sheet provides comfort. Made from 100% cotton ensures you with rash-free periods. They are easy to carry and dispose of. Also, to make you stay fresh it comes with an odour neutralizer.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08RJS8JQS_7202503883613531"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The breathable material provides comfort.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B08TMLNDXL" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08TMLNDXL_head"> <div type="image" title="Breathable Material" msid="86591123" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08TMLNDXL</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08TMLNDXL_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08TMLNDXL_0791287904854557"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Anandi Pads - Certified Organic, Compostable &amp; Biodegradable Sanitary Pads</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">These biodegradable sanitary pads from Anandi ensure multi-layer protection to prevent leakage and stains. To reduce the chance of irritation, rashes and itching, it has a breathable back layer. Made from 100% cotton, the top layer provides a soft and gentle feeling to the skin.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08TMLNDXL_4539522461755799"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">The multi-layer protection prevents stains and leakage.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B08F2G8P5H" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08F2G8P5H_head"><div type="image" title="Anti-Bacterial" msid="86591196" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08F2G8P5H</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08F2G8P5H_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08F2G8P5H_5542731494944578"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Sparkle Natural &amp; Biodegradable Bamboo Fibre Sanitary Pads</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">These biodegradable bamboo fibre sanitary pads from Sparkle prevent leakage. With no chemical and plastic material, these pads keep your skin soft and prevent rashes. The bamboo fibre makes it anti-bacterial, soft, breathable and resistant to odour. To make them easy to dispose of, the disposable bags are made from corn-based bio-plastic.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08F2G8P5H_6186559054868362"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It keeps your skin soft and rash-free.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B083QZ31YW" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B083QZ31YW_head"><div type="image" title="Leak-Proof" msid="86591213" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B083QZ31YW</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B083QZ31YW_body"><bulletContentRow name="B083QZ31YW_6876560057014306"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Pee Safe Organic Cotton, Biodegradable Sanitary Pads</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">With 18 overnight pads and 14 regular pads, these biodegradable sanitary pads from Pee Safe ensure proper absorption. The chemical-free material helps to keep the skin rash-free. Its leak-proof design allows you to sleep comfortably without the tension of leakage.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B083QZ31YW_2501092415270983"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It comes with a leak-proof design to ensure comfortable sleep.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed>

Buy biodegradable sanitary pads for women in India

<ul><li>After the global pandemic, <keyword id="49089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> and health seem to have become important factors for consumers.</li><li>According to Capgemini’s recent report, consumers engage more readily with brands and retailers that they perceive to be sustainable and genuinely committed to green practices.</li><li>The report found that 48% of consumers share an emotional connection with products or organizations that demonstrate eco-friendly qualities.</li><li>As we move forward this year and health concerns and sustainability continue influencing consumer decisions, we speak to brands, research and design agencies about how brands can integrate sustainability into their core values and move beyond mere lip-service.</li></ul>It might be a new year but the world continues to grapple with familiar challenges and threats: we are on the verge of entering the third wave of COVID-19, the country’s capital, New Delhi is currently facing alarmingly high levels of indoor air pollution and Uttarakhand's forest fires emitted nearly 0.2 megatonnes of carbon in the past one month, a record since 2003 (CAMS report). So 2022 will clearly be a busy year for brands as consumers get more serious about climate change and expect brands to increase their focus on living sustainably in harmony with nature. While businesses exist to make money, Manish Chowdhary, Co-CEO, Body Cupid Pvt Limited says that there are two ways to do that. He explained, “One is sustainable, by keeping other living and non-living things in mind. The other one is inspired by greed. So no matter how small a brand’s effort may be, it has to be aligned with sustainability if the brand wants to continue in the long run. Brands exist for consumers and it is important that we listen to what they want.” From driving workforce diversity to taking a stand on climate change, there’s a definite change that has taken place in consumer expectations. In the last few years, sustainability has become one of the biggest decision-making factors for consumers, and more so after the pandemic. They have realised that mother earth has suffered enough. In this digital world, consumers are demanding more transparency and are quick to call out greenwashing. They are expecting to see concrete actions. And as Chowdhary said, it has become imperative for brands to listen to what consumers want because they exist to serve consumers. Today’s consumers are not only pivoting towards more sustainable products but are also willing to pay a premium for them. Gen Z and Millennials lead all other age groups in this respect. When shopping for groceries, 72% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials say they are willing to pay more for organic foods and in fact, did so the last time they were grocery shopping, compared to 56% of Boomers, found Capgemini. Its recent report said that 80% of consumers want to contribute to the fight to save the planet for future generations. And it is not just a phase. 70% of consumers agreed that post-pandemic, they will be more careful in terms of maintaining and protecting their personal health. Covid has only reminded us that there is a long way to go on sustainability. On how the pandemic has altered consumer behaviour, Lulu Raghavan, Managing Director, Landor and Fitch said, “The pandemic has fundamentally shifted consumer behaviour. An IBM study shows that 93% of consumers have changed their views on sustainability after the pandemic. This is totally understandable. The horrid virus which came out of nowhere has ravaged lives, ruined livelihoods. The only silver lining is that it has woken us up to the paramount importance of our own health and wellbeing and that of our Mother Earth. Sustainability is now a definitive transformative force that will upend existing industries and create new ones. If digital transformation was the buzzword in corporate boardrooms, ECG will take centre stage in the coming decade.” But what exactly is a sustainable brand? Ashwini Deshpande, Co-Founder and Director, Elephant Design defines it as, “A brand that values ethical sourcing and supply chains, is inclusive, and follows environment-friendly processes and materials while staying viable for its stakeholders is qualified to be labelled as a sustainable brand.” Kartik Johari, VP, Marketing &amp; Commerce, Nobel Hygiene believes that in the coming months, people will start to question what is sustainable and what is not along with how we can continue to reduce our carbon footprint across all aspects of our lives. He said, “Consumers at the end of it are people and they expect what is good. The ‘brand promise’ is essential to them. Now, alongside they are also making space for the environment due to excellent work by activists and journalists around the world. You will remember, for example, that riveting photo of a straw stuck in a turtle's nose. How many millions of turtles have we lost to this? Yet it took just that one photo to break through the global psyche. Now straws are the Number One environmental enemy. But this does not mean the onus should be entirely on people to choose better! Companies have to improve their offering. And that is correct for consumers to expect. Moreover, important to note, there are some 50 or 60 companies in the world, which are responsible for majority of emissions. Strong regulations on them can solve what collectively 500 million people may have to do. But who’s going to bell the cat? As Mr Musk rightly has been saying that, give the solar industry the same amount of subsidies, for a year, that you give to oil and gas, and see the amount of transformative change it brings! The onus cannot be on that one little end consumer and their war to save their environment.” During the pandemic, brands like WOW Skin Science, Diageo and Dettol launched eco-friendly packaging to test the waters, indicating that more brands in India have started reevaluating their packaging strategy to put the environment first. Big FMCG companies such as Marico, HUL, Nestle India, Future Consumer, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-co, Parle Agro also announced in 2020 that they will move to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 helping towards a sustainable future. Joining the bandwagon, the Indian Government has also started its efforts towards reducing our country’s carbon footprint. Currently, India is the world’s third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after the US and China. According to an Assocham and PwC report, landfills are brimming with so much urban waste that by 2050, India is reportedly going to need a landfill that's the size of its capital, New Delhi. And consumers aren’t ignoring these horrifying numbers anymore. Elysha Young, Trends Manager, Mintel APAC said, "India’s Prime Minister has pledged it will reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, backed by aggressive 2030 targets. By laying the groundwork in the form of policies, India is signaling that it is open and willing to support innovation around sustainability, and indeed that carbon-emitting industries will no longer be tolerated. This presents an opportunity for global companies looking to tap into India's vast population but also issues a challenge to foreign and domestic companies to ensure they are cutting emissions throughout their value chain. It's in India's self-interest to stem global warming, with the nation of 1.3 billion people being one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The nature of the short-term targets means that action will need to be taken immediately, which will see a strong focus on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, as well as the batteries needed to store such energy. Companies would do well to look at the emissions within their own value chains and determine where cuts can be made. Communicating these to consumers will help them to make choices that align with the national strategy; the opportunity exists to ensure consumers feel like they're also doing their bit." In 2022, brands that snooze will definitely lose More and more consumers are becoming aware of their choices and realising that whether it is a worn-out piece of mask they decide to throw or a sanitary napkin or even as simple as a plain t-shirt, never really goes ‘away.’ It all ends up in a landfill. Human activities are clearly harming the global environment and brands have no choice but to migrate to sustainable solutions and work towards building a circular economy. So, in 2022, if brands don’t switch, they lose consumers, investors, and all stakeholders. Chowdhary said, “At the industry level, there is nothing without sustainability. The consumers of today are conscious and aware. They know the choices they are making. So if companies &amp; brands do not opt for sustainable practices, eventually the smart consumers are going to make a switch. We can only expect the awareness to grow and actions to increase, especially with the challenges that our planet is facing today.” Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide sees sustainability as one of the big topics in 2022 – right from fashion, green products, green living to electric vehicles, every category will be touched by sustainability filter. She said, “If the brands have already not made sustainability part of their commitment in any form yet, it’s high time they join the eco-wakening movement. Consumers are already looking for some form of reassurance or the other from brands in terms of conscious behaviour, as consumers are at different stages of adoption – it is a mix of curious, concerned, and advocates. At the very least, they are looking to not feel guilty about consuming the brand. Conscious living, mindful living, Green living, purposeful living are all the buzz words in communications today. For brands it is inevitable to have sustainability as a larger goal.” It is not just the environment and consumers who benefit from eco-friendly practices, businesses with low carbon footprints are more likely to have a better brand image and can easily woo consumers. Deep Bajaj, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Sirona Hygiene said, “Companies are realizing that being conscious of their environmental impact can benefit them in every manner possible. Consumers desire sustainability owing to the ailing earth. Companies that work to become more environmentally responsible, not only contribute to a better future, but also establish a progressive brand image, happier employees, and a loyal client base. Consumers are real people who are affected by real environmental issues on a daily basis. They are aware that it is no longer limited to textbooks and that industrial activities have a direct impact on their daily lives. As a result, what goes into the making of a product and what goes inside it is extremely important to them. Other than environmental consciousness, they expect transparency from brands.” While brands in India have already started taking baby steps towards converting their business into a sustainable choice for consumers, we will get to witness more demonstrable actions in 2022. And those who fail to prioritise mother earth, will have to face consumers’ wrath. Deshpande said, “The emerging consumer base of millennials &amp; Gen Z is not a forgiving lot when it comes to ethics or ecology being compromised by a brand. But others are not quite as aware and may base their decision only on factors like price or convenience above sustainability. There is no choice. It is a survival mandate for a brand to become sustainable. Otherwise, we will see every resource being depleted in the next few decades.” Kantar BrandZ data shows that brands with weak purpose grow 70% but brands with strong purpose grow 175%. At the same time, India is still a price-sensitive country and consumers stick to the convenience of buying what you are used to. So, on how brands can move beyond mere lip-service and greenwashing this year, Raghvan suggested, “Use innovation to develop products developed against that purpose. Embrace design thinking across the board. Embed a new mindset deeply in the culture and transform from within. Communicate and evangelise with consumers." In 2022, experts are confident that brands will embrace sustainability that will benefit people, planet and profit.

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