BEIJING, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- More than 80 years after the tampon was introduced in the United States, China is getting its first domestic brand of the feminine hygiene product.
Ye Deliang, a 51-year-old electrical engineer from central Henan province, plans to launch the Danbishuang tampon this month, using a social media campaign that stresses the health benefits of the product, USA Today reported.
China has experienced a cultural bias against tampons, likely due to a lack of sex education. But with Chinese women able to purchase a domestically manufactured product, Deliang hopes that will change.
"It is important China has its own brand of tampon," he said. "Every industry needs a pioneer, and I want to be this one's."
Until now, Chinese women who wanted to use tampons had to use either OB, which are expensive in the country, or other imported tampons such as Cotton or BeGirl, thenanfang.com reported.
Another Chinese company, Wishu, has sold its tampons online but is looking to get them in to major supermarkets.
China has 670 million women and 377 million of them are between the ages of 15 and 50, a huge market. However, only 2 percent of Chinese women currently use tampons. In contrast, some 140 billion sanitary pads were expected to be used this year.
According to a survey conducted by Cotton Inc. "one in four non-users (in China) said they would likely try tampons if they were educated in how to use them."
