Invent Medic expands product portfolio with period panties
With the acquisition of FlowCup, Invent Medic took a clear position in the women’s health market. Now, the company is strengthening that position with the launch of the period panty Flow Undies. BioStock contacted FlowCup’s founder Diana Lidforsen to find out more about what this means for the company.
Lund-based Invent Medic specialises in selling products that promote women’s health. They are best known for their proprietary product, Efemia, a continence support aimed at women suffering from stress urinary incontinence. The company has long had the stated goal of building a portfolio of products that all put women’s health first. At the beginning of the year, Invent Medic took an important step towards that goal, announcing the acquisition of the Malmö-based company FlowCup.
At the same time, it was announced that the portfolio was not only broadened with FlowCup’s menstrual cup, but that they also had plans to launch a period panty. Invent Medic has now announced that the launch of the period panty Flow Undies has started.
New product in the segment
Period panties are a relatively new product in the female hygiene segment. They have been made possible thanks to advances in textile technology and are designed to provide a safe, comfortable and reusable alternative to disposable feminine care products. By replacing pads and tampons with a pair of Flow Undies, the user can save up to 200 disposable pads.
A period panty is designed with several layers of different specialised textiles where each layer of the panty has a specific function. Invent Medic points out that unlike some other period panties, Flow Undies does not contain any antimicrobial chemicals such as metal ions. It has been a conscious choice from the company to produce a product that is gentle on both the environment and the user.
Over 700 customers have had their say
Before the launch of Flow Undies, Invent Medic conducted a customer survey where over 700 FlowCup customers were asked to give their opinion on what properties the new product should have. According to the company, the results of the survey have played an important role in product development. Flow Undies is described as a comfortable, safe and durable product. It is sold through the company’s e-commerce channel and is offered in single-pack, multi-pack and together with FlowCup menstrual cups.
The official launch of Flow Undies took place on June 21 and is fronted by influencer Gabriellakilleens. The product will also be highlighted through campaigns in various digital media. “In the survey conducted with FlowCup’s customers, it was clear that the customer group wants a comfortable period panty in organic cotton with high quality at a good price, and that is exactly what we have managed to develop”, writes Elisabeth Sthengel, Chief Research & Development Officer at Invent Medic, in a comment on the news.
CEO comments
BioStock contacted Diana Lidforsen, who is responsible for FlowCup at Invent Medic, to find out more.
Given your accumulated customer base of approximately 80,000 customers, what are your expectations for this launch?
– We are very excited and are launching the Flow Undies already in Q2. The work to develop a good, sustainable and affordable panty has progressed quickly and it has been a huge help to have our customers involved in developing the Flow Undies through their feedback. Our customer base is also proof that there is a great interest among customers to test new, innovative, and not least sustainable alternative menstrual protection.
Period panties is a relatively new product in the segment. What awareness is there among customers and what kind of demand have you seen that made you develop your own period panty?
– Interest in menstrual panties has increased in recent years. On the one hand, we see that menstrual panties have received increasing attention in the media, on the other hand, major clothing chains have included period panties in their assortments and we also see that demand has risen with us.
– Therefore, it feels really fun to finally be able to offer our customers menstrual panties! One customer group we see great potential in is the younger teenagers who want a sustainable alternative or complement to menstrual cups. Here we also see an exciting interest among mothers who are surprisingly curious about menstrual panties for their daughters.
What distinguishes your period panties from others on the market?
– Flow Undies is a great period panty for everyone with periods! The slogan for FlowCup is “Sustainable Periods, For Everyone”, a value that is always safe to go back to when we develop new products for our customers. Flow Undies is consequently a period panty that is soft and comfortable on all bodies. Not surprisingly, we chose to manufacture Flow Undies in organic and comfortable cotton, completely without antimicrobial chemicals.
– Quite simply, a comfortable and affordable panty to use all day, so that the woman can manage her period in an easy and sustainable way.
You do not use antimicrobial chemicals. Why is that important?
– Unfortunately, there are many beliefs that bacteria are dangerous, but as humans we depend on all the good bacteria in our body, including in the vagina. Many women experience irritation in the genital area, which can be caused by an imbalance in the vaginal bacterial flora. Therefore, it is important not to disturb the balance through bactericidal chemicals. Instead, you should choose cotton panties that are comfortable for the body and thus provide less chafing and irritation.
– In addition, silver ions, which are one of the most common antimicrobial chemicals in clothes and menstrual panties, are quickly washed out of the material. The water treatment plants cannot absorb these, so the silver ions enter our lakes, streams and seas and are very toxic to aquatic organisms. So, producing period panties without antimicrobial chemicals is an obvious thing for us. Our products should be safe for women and sustainable for the environment.
The content of BioStock’s news and analyses is independent but the work of BioStock is to a certain degree financed by life science companies. The above article concerns a company from which BioStock has received financing.
