This Black Woman Is Revolutionizing The Feminine Product Industry With Her First-Of-Its-Kind Hygiene Machine

The founder of Femly, Arion Long, is changing the multibillion-dollar feminine product industry with her plant-based menstrual care products.

Long, who sometimes refers to herself as the “Chief Estrogen Officer,” told Afrotech she launched the brand following a health scare shortly after finishing college, which led to weight gain, mood changes, and pain in her ovaries. After several visits, doctors informed Long she had a cervical tumor. Long’s doctors told her it was likely caused by chemicals found in popular feminine care products.

“We assume because some of these pads are white, that they’re clean. That is so far from the truth. Historically, many of the popular pad brands were made with synthetic materials like nylon, which is known for harboring heat and bacteria. The other side of that is many of these pads included ingredients like Bisphenol A bleach dioxins, which are linked to reproductive illnesses and cancer.”

Long began looking for alternative products to use but quickly discovered a gap in the market for women experiencing similar symptoms.

So I did something scary…I invented a first-of-it’s-kind hygiene machine that leverages data and dispenses our certified organic products for free in restrooms around the country! A 91 year old told me “bad bitches have patents”- elders never lie! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/g8POQV6rYs

— arionklong (@arionklong) December 29, 2021

That led Long to start Femly and create a free, contactless, organic feminine products dispenser for women in need, including homeless women and those escaping domestic situations.

Long wants to expand the contactless dispenser across the nation and the world to help organizations, schools, and colleges. In addition to menstrual pads of all sizes, Femly sells tampons, pantyliners, and menstrual cups. The Femly site also allows users to recommend organizations that Femly can work with to stock public restrooms with its hygiene machine.

Femly is also working to educate women. Each of Femly’s products contains a QR code that will link to Femly’s website and a blog where women’s menstrual and pregnancy issues are discussed.

The feminine hygiene market hit $37.4 billion in 2018 and is expected to hit above $40 billion this year. Other Black women have also gotten in on the feminine hygiene industry.