“I am very against sanitary pads. Tampons as well,” she says confidently. “I believe women deserve better.” Without using these products every cycle, Avisha Jhunjhnuwala saves about 120 pads a year, and most importantly, she learned to love a period.

When her Parisian friend introduced the ultimate period underwear during her 30s, Avisha turned a new leaf, claiming she “switched overnight”. She developed an awareness about her cycle that is often not talked about while growing up in Hong Kong. There is a prevalent taboo in discussing it even during school. “This is an absolute game changer. It felt like a much more natural way to deal with my period. It felt like a more holistic way. I felt like a lot of taboos that I had built up in my own head, just melted away,” she explains.

In Watsons or Mannings, she found herself adopting a habit of checking out the sanitary pad aisle. Packaged like dental care, those products lacked character. They do not speak to a woman. She has also come to realise the negative effects a tampon may have on a woman’s uterus. When she started reading the back label of an old tampon box, the reality kicked in. “There was a huge sticker that says tampons are associated with toxic shock syndrome, and it says a little bit about it. What that reminded me of are cigarette packets,” she says about the warning note.

After that, she decided to build a brand around it a few years back—one that normalises period talks and speaks to women. She first launched Nushu in India, then in October 2024, the brand landed in Hong Kong. As a retired fashionista, she is glad to do product design but this alone comes with challenges. One of the greatest concerns is the hygiene of period underwear.

“There’s no fear for infection,” she reassures. The Nushu underwear is stitched with four layers. The top part made with lenzing modal keeps the underwear dry, whereas the microfiber in the middle absorbs the blood, locking in the residue. The waterproof coating prevents leakage and underneath, the anti-bacteria bamboo fabric is silky to the touch.

Even during the humid months in Hong Kong, Avisha believes Nushu remains breathable. Like regular underwear, Avisha hopes the piece will cater to women’s most sensitive parts and change their perceptions on having a period.

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