OH CIRCLE
What is your idea about?
Every month, around 250 million tampons are used and discarded in Germany alone. For the environment, this means microplastic pollution in water and CO2 emissions from incinerating tampon waste.
Our washable and reusable tampon addresses the growing societal interest in reducing single-use products and protecting the environment. We aim to create a sustainable menstrual product that serves as an attractive alternative to traditional tampons.
How did you get together as a team?
We actually haven’t known each other for very long. Anna is the cornerstone of OH CIRCLE and came up with the idea for a washable tampon back in 2022. Over time, the team went through changes and experienced its share of ups and downs.
We met in a completely unromantic way when Anna slid into Judith’s DMs on LinkedIn. One thing led to another, and we got along really well right from the start. In no time, we became a well-coordinated team, passionate about creating sustainable change in the menstrual market.
How did you come up with your idea?
Once we knew we wanted our own start-up to have a positive impact on people and the environment, we started thinking about where we could make a difference and see a real need for action.
It didn’t take long for us to land on the topic of menstruation, something that directly affects us, many of our friends, and the environment—where there’s still plenty of room for improvement. While there are already innovations aimed at replacing single-use products, none of them truly mimic the functionality of traditional tampons.
That’s where we wanted to step in. Despite the existing alternatives, 86% of menstruators still use tampons, which shows that many people aren’t convinced by the current reusable options. This motivated us to develop a tampon that’s just as functional as a traditional one but washable and reusable.
What are you studying/working or what have you studied?
Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Textile and Clothing Technology (Judith)
Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Product Design (Anna)
Funfact
Even though we hadn’t known each other for long, we decided after just two months to move into a shared apartment. Since then, we not only work together every day but also live together. Yes, we spend 24/7 together...
Detailed description of your start-up
Reducing single-use products for environmental protection is a key topic in our society, and we tackle it with our product: a sustainable, reusable tampon that doesn’t get thrown away after use but instead can be washed. Our tampon is designed to closely replicate the functionality of conventional tampons. We prioritize toxin-free, fairly produced materials and eco-friendly ingredients.
After use, the tampons can be rinsed with cold water, dried, and washed together at the end of the period in a 90-degree laundry cycle. Matching accessories make the product easy to integrate into everyday life, even during long days or while on the go.
As founders and menstruators ourselves, it is particularly important to us that “OH CIRCLE” stands for destigmatization and acceptance in dealing with menstruation. We want our brand to contribute to societal education, promote openness, and foster female empowerment.
What has Gateway ESC helped you with?
Luckily, we joined Gateway fairly early in our journey. Thanks to the start-up coaches, our idea gained structure and turned into a proper concept. Without the advice, workshops, and numerous contacts, we wouldn’t have had any idea where to start or how to turn a start-up idea into reality.