New sustainable biopolymer and production process development for a novel period care product

卡拉利是一家总部位于英国的开发商和制造商的高度创新的月经期护理产品，发明了由妇科医生，这是一个“混合”尿布和内裤衬垫。这款名为“Tampliner”的创新产品结合了两种产品的最佳功能，特别是依靠一种获得专利的创新不渗透护套，使避孕套能够在不接触经血的情况下安全插入。卡拉利于2019年底在英国建立了Tampliner生产，并创造了一种新颖的直接面向消费者的销售和邮政分销模式。妇女可以管理和定制自己的个人需求，从一套卡拉利产品（包括坦普尔和传统的时期产品）。该产品和业务已被证明是受欢迎的，目前该团队拥有超过5，000个订阅用户/消费者基础，每月提供超过50，000种产品。卡拉利的商业精神受到生态原则的强烈影响，该团队渴望开发新颖和创新的Tampliner，以达到最高的可持续性标准。除了一个项目外，所有的Tampliner部件都是可生物降解的。这个项目是创新的Tampliner的心脏：一个圆柱形的鞘组件膜，固定在Tampliner的内裤护垫组件。该护套由非可持续聚合物制成。在产品开发的早期阶段，有人建议卡拉利必须专门为填塞器开发生物聚合物替代品。新型冠状病毒疫情的破坏和消费者对可持续发展的敏感度的提高，现在强调了卡拉利应对业务发展挑战的必要性。卡拉利正在寻求英国创新投资基金，以研究一些可能的可生物降解聚合物，最重要的是测试它们，看看它们是否可以取代现有的传统塑料部件。封闭的项目使卡拉利能够与可持续塑料专家合作-帝国理工学院伦敦和Aquapak（可生物降解塑料的工业生产商）。

Callaly is a UK based developer and manufacturer of a highly innovative menstrual period care product, invented by a gynaecologist, that is a "hybrid" tampon and pantyliner. The innovative product, called a Tampliner, combines the best features of both products and specifically relies on a patented innovative impermeable sheath that enables the tampon to be hygienically inserted without contact with menstrual blood.Callaly established UK based Tampliner production in late-2019 and created a novel direct-to-consumer sales and postal distribution model. Women can manage and customise their personal requirements from a suite of Callaly products (comprising Tampliners and conventional period products). The product and business has proven to be popular and at present the team has a growing subscriber/consumer base of over 5,000 subscribers providing over 50,000 products a month.Callaly has a commercial ethos that is strongly influenced by ecological principles, and the team aspires to develop the novel & innovative Tampliner to the highest sustainability standards. All of the Tampliner parts with the exception of one item are biodegradable. This item is the heart of the innovative Tampliner: a cylindrical sheath component membrane that secures the tampon to the pantyliner component of the Tampliner. This sheath is made from a non sustainable polymer. During the early stages of product development, Callaly was advised that a biopolymer alternative would have to be specially developed for the Tampliner. The disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic and the increased consumer sensitivity to sustainability has now emphasised the need for Callaly to address this development challenge to the business.Callaly is seeking Innovate UK investment funding to investigate a number of possible biodegradable polymers and most importantly to test them to see if they can be used in place of the existing conventional plastic part. The enclosed project enables Callaly to collaborate with experts in sustainable plastics---Imperial College London and Aquapak (industrial producer of biodegradable plastic).