1.1 Contact Information Alyssa Bushhouse alyssa5@vt.edu 804.836.4868 Virginia Tech USA

1.2 Submitting Category Student Entry Used Autodesk Fusion 360™ Used Aluminum

2.1 Product title and DescriptionA comfortable, reusable, and sustainable menstrual pad system for young women comprised of highly renewable materials. FLOW’s ergonomic profile increases comfort while the design of its elastic bandconnection allows for simple and clean changing, washing, and transporting. By targeting girls first starting their periods, FLOW pads cut off the continuous stream of waste at its source and foster long term sustainable habits for users as they mature. This product not only eliminates waste but also overcomes social barriers to sustainability by empowering women to embrace their bodies. By reducing waste and creating awareness FLOW pads not only reduce bad but actually create good by pushing for greater social change.

FLOW

profile view with callouts of features

2.1: Product Title and Description Menstrual waste currently contributes over 220,000 tons to U.S. landfills each year consisting of foam, viscose, and petrochemical additives. Although periods are natural, normal, and for over half of the world’s population unavoidable, there is a lack of convenient, responsible, and sustainable options for women to use. One pack of disposable pads currently contains an equivalent amount of plastic as 4 grocery bags. The dioxins and pesticides found in pads not only put the user at risk but also leak into the environment once discarded. With a growing population, and an ever lowering age of girls starting their period, these staggering numbers will only continue to worsen without an adequate solution. Presently nothing on the market resolves these problems: current reusable options fail to consider the full life-cycle of the product - ending up back in the land fill themselves - and lack empathy for the user’s experience causing a hesitancy to embrace more sustainable practices. Current products are too bulky and fail to dry quickly leading to great discomfort. They also lack sanitation and convenience in changing, transporting, and washing for users on the go leading to a sense of shame and embarrassment. To address these pain points I have designed a discrete reusable pad that is comfortable, convenient, and biodegradable in municipal compost centers. This two part system consists of a base and inter-changeable top pad allowing users to easily change, carry, and wash their pads while feeling comfortable and confident all day long.

1 Flow pad keeps 1,000 disposable pads out of the landfill

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MATERIAL TESTINGUSER RESEARCH FORM DEVELOPMENT

Through primary and secondary research I was able to identify pain points and design opportunities. Rapid prototyping and iteration allowed me to refine the ergonomic form and simplify the functionality while testing increased my understanding of material’s capabilities and limitations.

Fusion 360 aided me in my design process both in iteration/exploration and final modeling/rendering.

5.0 FUSION 360™ MODELING

Sculpt Mode:

Patch Mode:

Canvases:

Cloud Rendering: A360:

Patterning:Though 3 dimensional modeling of fabric and soft goods often leads to unfortunate aesthetic sacrifices to the design, Fusion’s Sculpt Mode allowed me to easily and quickly iterate flexible, organic forms.

After my initial iterative stage, parametric modeling allowed me to create a finalized, precise model. The patch tool allowed me to work through surfacing to create a curving and twisting pad

Tools such as adding canvases allowed me to efficiently drop in pictures of paper prototypes and immediately begin iterating on 3 dimensional forms.

Cloud rendering allowed me to render numerous shots all at once without interrupting my work flow. The high defi-nition, compelling renders were helpful visuals to communicate with others.

Utilizing A360 I was able to easily share my models and receive feedback from other designers remotely. This sharing ability enabled me to learn from the skills of other designers.

When narrowing in on specific features, tools such as pattern on line and allowed me to create realistic textures for the stitching and wicking material.

VARYING THICKNESSES

DISCRETE COLORS

STITCHING

ELASTIC BANDCLASP

LARGER BACK PROFILE

Allows user to change depending on flow

Reduces staining and indicates blood flow through change in hue

Compresses pad to thinnest form and acts as self containing channels to prevent leaks and spills

Easily secures top pad around base and acts as handle preventing users from touching blood

Uses lateral force to allow users to easily take off pad without touching blood and alleviates shame of loud noise in bathroom stall

Offers strategic, additional coverage for peace of mind

SECURE BASE WASH HANG DRYFOLD FOR TRANSPORTCHANGE TOP AS NEEDEDADD TOP

The aluminum clasp easily secures the base pad to user’s underwear. The base can be worn alone as a pantyliner on a light day or paired with a top pad.

The two elastic bands easily slide over the base to secure the top pad.

Every 4-6 hours, the user changes only the top layer - greatly reducing the size of the pad being transported. By using the elastic band, the pad folds easily and silently.

The elastic bands easily slip over the folded pad to create a sealed close - containing all waste for clean transportation. Pads can be carried in a leak proof case.

The elastic bands act as a handle to open the pad without touching waste. Users can hold one band in each hand to wash pad under water.

The elastic bands easily hang for quick drying.

2.1: Product Title and Description

After detaching aluminum clasps, users can easily recycle the aluminum. The remainder of

the pad, including the TPU, can biodegrade in municipal compost.

TPUBAMBOO HEMP ALUMINUM

START: MATERIAL EXTRACTION START: MATERIAL EXTRACTION

MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING

DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION

USE USE

END OF LIFE END OF LIFE

Bamboo and hemp are grown, harvested, undergoa cleaning process and are converted into textiles, thread, and elastic.

TPU is extracted and converted into textiles.Aluminum is recycle from soda cans.

Bamboo and hemp textiles are cut, layered, and sewn to pattern.

TPU layer is cut and sewn to pattern. Aluminum clasps are molded and attached.

Material extraction and manufacturing occurs withinthe US. Pads are sold online and delivered directly to user to reduce unneeded transportation energy.

Material extraction and manufacturing occurs within

the US. Pads are sold online and delivered directly to user to reduce

unneeded transportation energy.

The reusable pad lasts between 3-5 years.

The reusable pad lasts between 3-5 years.

At the end of the pad’s life, users can easily cut off the clasp’s tab to separate the aluminum from the cloth pad. Users can simply dispose of the fully biodegradable pad in municipalcomposting.

Biological Cycle Technical Cycle

2.3 Illustration of Product’s System 3.0 Reutilization Cycle and Business Model

FLOW

Material Selection4.1 Overview:FLOW pads are made of 4 homogeneous materials:Bamboo: Comprises the wicking top layer and elastic bands. Wicking top layer naturally pulls moisture away from the skin sinking deep into absorbent core. In addition to being naturally anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic, and odor neutralizing bamboo is highly renewable, easily harvested, and fully compostable.Hemp: Comprises the absorbent core and thread. The extremely absorbent bilayer core absorbs blood and discharge. As opposed to cotton, Hemp drastically reduces the amount of water and pesticides used, is highly renewable with natural, can be extracted using a chemical free converting process, and is fully com-postable.Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): The soft and flexible waterproof base layer prevents spills and leaks. Environmentally manufactured eliminating harmful converting bi-products and is fully biodegradable at municipal compost within 3-5 years.Recycled Aluminum: Lightweight but durable clasp fastener. Highly recyclable.

4.2. Material Reutilization:

4.3. Material Health - NFPA RatingsTPU: 1Bamboo: 1Hemp: 1Aluminum: 0

PLATINUM LEVEL

(1.0 x 2.0) + (0.80 x 1.0)

3x 100 = 93%

TPUBAMBOO HEMP ALUMINUM

Total Score: 3

Material MSDS Sources:www.southlandpolymers.com/pdf/wanthane/msds/msds-1185.pdf

1 2 3 4

3

2

1

SECTION

FRONT FRONTBACK BACK

Material Breakdown:

22 2

2

111

3

33

4

1

TOP PAD

BASE PAD