News / Engineering
Award-winning menstrual cup startup launches ‘revolutionary’ steriliser
Could sustainable period products be user-friendly? That was the question University of Bristol alumni Monica Wai and Kira Goode attempted to ask and answer with the launch of Eleria, a sustainable menstrual cup start up.
The founders have now launched compact cleaning and sterilising case, designed to make cleaning the menstrual cup in public spaces is easier and more discreet.
Along with the sterilisation case, the duo has also launched a series of menstrual cups in five colours.
According to the founders, Eleria was born from research into the barriers that stop people from switching to more eco-friendly period products.
University of Bristol alumni Kira Goode and Monica Wai are the co-founders of Eleria
While menstrual cups have long been championed as a greener, more economical alternative to disposable tampons and pads, they come with their own set of challenges—namely, cleaning in public toilets and sterilising in shared living spaces.
“We heard the same issues again and again,” said Goode. “People didn’t want to rinse their cup at a public sink or boil it on the hob in a student flat. So we asked, “How can we fix this?”
The result is Eleria’s Portable Cleaning & Sterilising Case, designed in the UK using medical-grade silicone and recycled plastic. Small enough to slip into the corner of a handbag, the case offers a discreet, simple way to clean and sterilise a period cup, whether in a public toilet or a shared kitchen.
Sterilisation, previously a 15-minute pot-boiling affair, is now as easy as adding water and popping it in the microwave.
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Alongside the case, Eleria offers five variations of menstrual cups tailored to different needs, including a user-friendly option for first-timers.
All cups are made with high-quality silicone and come with a cotton drawstring bag for storage.
It is estimated that In the UK alone, over 4.3 billion disposable products are thrown away each year, with up to 2 billion flushed down the toilet. These products, often containing plastic and synthetic chemicals, can take centuries to decompose and are a significant contributor to marine and landfill pollution.
The founders believe that switching to a reusable cup, which can last up to 10 years, could reduce that waste by over 99 per cent.
But Wai points out that sustainability only works when it’s convenient. She said: “Our design is about meeting people where they are. You shouldn’t have to choose between what’s good for you and what’s good for the planet.”
Early users of the Eleria case echo this sentiment. “It definitely improved my experience of using a cup,” one participant said. “It gave me reassurance it was clean between uses.”
Originally founded as Cup Squared, the brand rebranded to Eleria in October 2023 and has since leaned into its growing momentum, driven by a wave of users eager for practical, planet-conscious options.
Eleria has launched a compact cleaning and sterilising case, designed to make cleaning the menstrual cup in public spaces is easier and more discreet
Since the inception of their business idea the duo won a funding £17,000 boost from University of Bristol’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to kickstart the business.
The young founders went on to win a nationwide engineering contest of “Everyday Engineering” for their menstrual cup back in 2023 which brought them a mentorship with the Dragons Den star Deborah Meaden and mentoring from Royal Academy of Engineering.
Their efforts in sustainability did not go unnoticed as they bagged the Green Start-up of the Year at the South West UK StartUp Awards in 2023.
All photos: Eleria
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