In an exclusive interview with Dhaka Tribune's Saddam Hossain, the founder of Ella Pad Mamunur Rahman shared his experience of working on sanitary pads from RMG wastes for workers of the RMG sector.
He established Ella Pad and formed the Ella Alliance to empower and support women in rural Bangladesh after completing his post-graduation in gender and development at Sussex University.
What does Ella Pad do?
Through this innovative social initiative, which we are implementing in collaboration with more than 100 garment factories and small businesses, women are given the opportunity to start their own businesses and produce washable sanitary towels using waste materials.
Ella Pad is focusing on circular fashion in order to lower emissions and protect the environment by advising garment manufacturers on how to reduce pollution and prevent creating waste while designing their products.
Ella works with its alliance partners to produce products that maximize the longevity of materials, especially by reusing, recycling, and upcycling.
During the design process, industry waste serves as the source of all raw materials for Ella products.
Prior to the Ella alliance, our garment factories produced between 15 and 20% of waste during the cutting stage. Currently, Ella alliance members have decreased the waste to around 5%.
They are reusing the scraps to make many by-products including the biodegradable Ella sanitary pads. This is a win-win situation. It is noted that earlier the factories were scared to take on environmental programs.
We also mentor young entrepreneurs in the local community and advise the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority and Small and Medium Enterprise Foundation.
We also assist several global start-up projects and are a country coordinator for students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship and mentor at LaunchX.
Why did you start Ella Pad?
Ella Pad was founded by us as a way to give back to society. After receiving an international education, I learned the importance of assisting the country's local community groups.
We recognized a chance to turn waste into a resource, generate employment, and raise the well-being and output of female workers. Then, in order to improve mobility and quality of life, I wanted to make sanitary towels accessible.
What services or products do you provide?
We overcame the cultural taboo of female hygiene products by showing how he was solving a community problem.
The business case identified the value of repurposing billions of bales of waste textiles every year that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
We outlined the sustainable, environmental impact and the potential to reduce absenteeism for more than four million women working in factories where sanitation is inadequate.
We also targeted school girls who dropped out of school because of no access to sanitary towels.
So far, Ella Pad has improved the health, hygiene and employment opportunities for one million women. Hundreds of community volunteers promote the product.
The ambition is to reach four million women working in the garment industry and ten million girls in education.
What challenges did you face in your initiatives?
Knowledge and skills gaps were among the major challenges. Bridging knowledge and skills gaps become more critical as time goes on and we need to learn continuously.
When we started, we did not have the breadth of knowledge about the best materials to use, supplier connections and copyright protection.
We served a purpose but did not have a mix of practical experience and expert input.
Gradually we grew the business and developed capacities.
How did you raise your fund?
Creating a solid business case is central to securing funds. New start-ups need a steady flow of funds to turn a business concept into a reality. You have to convince others that your idea is a solid investment:
You need to identify business benefits and show how you can transform a challenge into an opportunity. Then present a realistic financial forecast with specific milestones, outline risks and how you will track budgets and projects.
Incorporating Sustainable Development Goals adds value to funding applications. Ella Pad touches all 17 goals, with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and promote economic growth while tackling climate change.
The initiative addresses Environmental Social Governance indicators as well.
Have you hired the right people for Ella Pad?
Finding talent is always a challenge. Your team must share your passion, focus and drive and build a healthy culture early on in the life of a business if you want to get results.
Partners and employees feel motivated by a shared vision and common goals.
In the early days, I did everything as CEO. I know I need to delegate to avoid burnout and fatigue as the business grows.
How is Ella Pad building itself as a brand?
We prioritize branding from day one by defining what influences the brand, and we also think about our targeted audience and objectively assess the brand.
Then we connect the brand strategy with marketing and differentiate the brand from competitors.
The Ella Pad brand built itself from the inside out – it has a purpose. Women make, manage and use the products.
As a mentor to other enterprises and entrepreneurial start-ups, we stress the importance of beliefs, values and personality in creating an authentic brand.
Advice for budding entrepreneurs?
Great entrepreneurs start with the problem they are trying to solve and only then propose a unique and creative solution. For me, the greatest achievement is making a difference in people's lives.
Business is not a way of cheating others: it is a service to society to innovate products.
By accepting the challenges and being patient and persistent, you will reach amazing heights, but there will always be another mountain to climb.
Plan, bridge the skills gaps, constantly refine your objectives and maintain your energy and passion for achieving those goals.
