We are excited to announce the launch of our new research project – The Comfort Loop: A systems approach for sustainable absorbent hygiene products.
As part of the UCL Plastic Waste Innovation Hub, this new 3-year UKRI funded project takes a multidisciplinary approach with industry, policymakers, and the public, to designing sustainable systems for absorbent hygiene products – nappies, incontinence pads, and period products. The project spans materials and design, behaviour change, chemistry and biochemistry, and life cycle assessment, and explores removing existing barriers to use-reduction, re-use, recycling, and composting.
Led by Mark Miodownik (Materials), the core UCL team also includes Prof. Paola Lettieri and Dr Andrea Paulillo (LCA), Prof. Susan Michie and Dr Fabiana Lorencatto (Behaviour Change), Prof. Helen Hailes (Chemistry), Dr Jack Jeffries (Biochemical Engineering), Danielle Purkiss (Design), and four multidisciplinary researchers.
AHPs contain a fascinating range of materials and technologies for providing absorbency and comfort. Over the course of the project we will be sharing further insights about these materials and their properties from our wondrous Materials Library collection.
Find out more about the UCL Plastic Waste Innovation Hub and our other related research on circular economies for materials here.
