As the government promotes and supports MSMEs, which are considered one of the backbones of the national economy, Green Banana Myanmar from Hlegu Township in Yangon Region is planning to begin producing sanitary products for women using banana fibre.
To manufacture the sanitary products, the company plans to invite an expert from India. With a small-scale machine, it will be able to produce between 5,000 and more than 10,000 sanitary products per day. Since such production has not yet emerged within the ASEAN region, the project is expected to become a pioneering innovation from Myanmar, creating eco-friendly and health-supportive products for women without harmful side effects.
“ We have aimed to produce women’s sanitary pads from banana fibre. We have been waiting for investors, and only now has the opportunity become possible. If supported by the government, it could develop further as a commercial entity. During the recent Union-level MSME exhibition, the Head of State encouraged us by saying bananas could become value-added products beyond traditional uses such as snacks, pig feed, and cattle feed. That guidance gave us the motivation to move forward with production. Machinery is very important for entrepreneurial businesses in addition to handicrafts, so we are currently working on importing the machines and obtaining business permits. India has already been producing these products for many years. In ASEAN, Myanmar would be the first country to pioneer this innovation. It will also contribute to women’s health,” said U Myint Thein, founder of Green Banana Myanmar.
After bananas are harvested for consumption, the remaining banana stems and fibres are reused to manufacture consumer goods. This contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supports eco-friendly entrepreneurship without harmful side effects, benefiting both the country and its people. A machine costs about US$60,000. A single machine can process about 10,000 banana plants per day and produce banana yarn, enabling the manufacture of between 5,000 and over 10,000 women’s sanitary pads daily.
The sanitary pads made from banana fibre are believed to help reduce the risk of cervical cancer to a certain extent. Current sanitary products are mostly imported and may contain plastics and chemical substances that can negatively affect health. Therefore, banana fibre is a 100 per cent natural material free from chemicals and has strong absorbent qualities, which may help reduce the risk of cervical cancer and other diseases.
Green Banana Myanmar, which produces value-added consumer products from banana fibre, has already won three international awards and two domestic awards for its innovations. If the work proceeds smoothly, it is expected to begin producing sanitary products within six months.
Thitsa (MNA)/KTZH
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