Susan Hofgartner, The Pink Bin Lady, 

I did not start out to be inventor, but the idea of being a true entrepreneur, of doing something unique, and creating a significant, profitable enterprise, has always been my dream.

Designing a new method of feminine hygiene waste disposal, has been my route to achieving this. The product is now in "patent applied for" stage in the UK, USA and Europe.

And this is how it all began... 

 My background is in finance, science, small business ownership in the print industry and large business management in food and technology. In 2007 I had been working for a large private company as Financial Controller and on the senior management team for five years, when the owners decided to sell the company. I was part of the company team working on the sale, and then stayed with the new owners for a 6 months hand-over period.

I then had 18 months at home with my family before I started to thinking about what to do next, how to escape from finance and how to do the entrepreneur thing. I was looking for that elusive world beating innovation that would change the world.

Although an unlikely source, there was one particular business service that always made me think “I could do that so much better”. It was very niche, very obscure and a rather taboo subject – the provision of sanitary bins in the ladies loos.

However, it did not take much consideration time to realise that I would have to come up with something fairly radical. To re-create the same business model, efficiently or not, would involve staff, vehicles, premises, cleaning plant and more. At this point I nearly “binned” the idea.

The Eureka moment arrived when I realised that I could create a disposable sanitary bin. It was through using my quirky combination of skills, experience and determination that I was able to envisage, design and produce the breakthrough product. 

So much to learn..

Starting in April 2008 I investigated all sorts of materials, started the physical design with scraps of squared paper, purchased and learned to use the 3D CAD software, made many prototypes, researched the legislation, researched the market, established that the bin could be disposed of within commercial waste, learned how to protect my intellectual property, investigated and chose patent attorneys specialising in packaging, and started the patent application process.

I also set up the company and website, had the bin printed, laminated and cut and creased in Reading, tested all sorts of adhesives, time trialled the construction, finally subcontracted the construction and packing and despatch to a company in Swindon. (Wow, nearly 2 years work in a couple of paragraphs).

The finished product was launched in 2010.

The Brilliant Bin system enables huge numbers of businesses to have low cost, convenient, attractive feminine hygiene waste bins that they can operate themselves, order online, and dispose of in normal commercial waste, in full compliance with waste legislation.

Bingo! I believe I have created a world class product and I have a growing, enthusiastic customer base.

Breaking the taboo!

My disposable bin is pink and glossy and women love it! I can, and do, spend a lot of time talking about this peculiarly feminine subject with humour and discretion to both male and female audiences without offending anyone. Both men and women are hugely interested in the product and fascinated by why I thought of it and how it moved from an idea to a finished product.

Award Winning results:

In October 2010 I won the West Berkshire Council Enterprise Award for innovation.

2011 I was a winner of the Federation of Small Businesses "Vision to Reality" competition, the prize being sponsorship to the Cass Business School's "Enterprise Creation programme.

On 4th October 2011 it was announced that we were finalists in the Chartered Institute of Waste Management's Environmental Excellence Awards in the category "SME Innovative Practice". We'll be finding out whether we are the winner of the CIWM's prestigious award at a presentation dinner in London.

Susan Hofgartner, The Pink Bin Lady

"Passionate about Sanitary Bins"

PS: If ever there were a product with more names! Whether you call it a sanitary bin, feminine hygiene waste bin, a bin for sanitary napkin disposal, our pretty pink bin for the ladies loos does it all, and sanitary bins collections are no longer required.