LANCASTER University has fast-tracked the development of an award-winning eco-friendly deodorant innovation.
Laura Meehan, founder of Let’s Rethink This, is behind the design of the 100% sustainable, refillable cork cartridge which acts as an alternative to the metal or plastic element traditionally found on roll-on deodorants.
The product, known as Nada, has already won a design award through the WORTH Partnership Project and secured funding to support product development, as well as an opportunity to demonstrate the innovation at the Salone del Mobile during Milan Design Week.
Mum-of-three Laura came up with the idea in 2021 after she was treated for breast cancer. She said, “I was trying to avoid exposure to certain chemicals so I started to use more natural products. But while I was scrutinising what was available in the market I uncovered a lot of greenwashing with claims certain packaging is recyclable when in reality it isn’t.”
With a talent for design that saw her previously win an award for a children’s product, Laura put pen to paper and set about developing a design for a refillable cartridge made of cork.
“The cork tree is the only tree which can regenerate after each harvest of bark,” she added. “It’s a remarkable thing. So it seems the perfect basis for a product that biodegrades with less impact on the environment.”
Laura needed support to formulate a deodorant core so that it would fit snugly in the dome case. Through the Low Carbon Innovatory (LCEI), a programme which helps small businesses develop low-carbon innovations, she was given fully funded access to chemistry and engineering facilities and researchers from Lancaster University.
“Working with the university has brought many benefits,” Laura added. “The bottom line is that every stage of developing a new product, especially one as different as mine, takes a lot of resources. That is time and money I simply didn’t have. The LCEI programme has overcome that barrier and given me access to very clever people with expertise in turning my idea into something tangible.
“The support has de-risked the development process and accelerated my journey significantly. The experience of working with the university has given me so much confidence and self-belief in this product. It has also opened my eyes to what a valuable research and development resource universities like Lancaster are.”
With a prototype in her hands, Laura is in discussions with manufacturers, exploring fragrance options and looking for investment.
“We should be at the point of civilisation when the presumption is that the products we use are not going to harm us or anyone else,” Laura said. “We need to rethink how we make our products and what we make them with, and stop putting the responsibility on consumers all the time.
“I have been starting from scratch, rethinking the process, being realistic with what technology has to offer so far but putting honesty at the heart of every decision.”
Let’s Rethink This is one of 28 companies that collaborated with Lancaster University as part of LCEI with a variety of aims such as testing a new product, delivering market research, reviewing a business process or analysing the carbon footprint.
Carolyn Hayes, LCEI project manager at Lancaster University, said, “One of the biggest challenges small businesses and charities have is the lack of resources, such as personnel, knowledge and time, to devote to starting their net zero journey. The LCEI programme offered access to the skills and expertise of undergraduates, postgraduates and world-renowned academics, leveraging our plethora of world-class facilities, to identify a bespoke course of action. It helped businesses to rethink their carbon footprint and energy consumption, and encouraged them to be prepared for situations like our current energy crisis.”
