Dignified disposal of menstrual products; Circulate Capital’s fundraise

Hello,

Not everyone is hooked on social media. 

In the United Kingdom, adults are reportedly becoming less active on social media platforms. According to Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom, only 49% of adult users now post, share or comment on social media compared with 61% in 2024. 

Reasons for the drop include a rise in passive social media consumption and concerns about mental health and excessive screen time. Some people are also worried that what they are posting online could affect them later in life. 

ICYMI: Meanwhile, in Australia, there’s concern of a different kind. Rising injuries from e-bikes in Sydney is threatening to nullify the benefits they bring to the environment. The e-bike boom is turning public spaces into a free-for-all, leaving authorities grappling with the reality of reckless riding and the dangers it poses to pedestrians. 

Lastly, here’s a look at the hits and misses from Apple, which turned 50 recently. What are the areas in which Apple simply nailed it, and where did it miss the mark? Tech analysts and experts weigh in. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Dignified disposal of menstrual products 
• Circulate Capital’s fundraise

Here’s your trivia for today: What tunnel connects France and Italy?

Sustainability

Dignified disposal of menstrual products 

Ranu Khade has spent over two decades thinking about a problem most people don’t talk about: dignified disposal of menstrual hygiene products. 

Today, that thought has taken shape as Flawsome, a menstrual hygiene brand preparing to launch a fully flushable, biodegradable sanitary pad. The journey has taken her from Sangli, a small town in Maharashtra, to a newly opened office in Noida, from lived experience to category creation.

Flawsome’s features: 

• Flawsome has built a pad that can be flushed in any plumbing setup in a rural squat toilet or an urban Western flush. It can also auto-disintegrate within 28 days even if simply thrown away. 
• The latter point matters because behavioural change cannot be forced. If a woman is not ready to flush, the pad would still disappear on its own.
• Set to launch in the coming months, the product brings Khade back to a simple philosophy her mother taught her early on: if there is a problem, work around it.

ICYMI

Circulate Capital’s fundraise

Circulate Capital, a Singapore-based circular economy investment firm, has raised $220 million as the first close of the Circulate Capital Asia II fund. This accounts for more than 70% of the fund’s overall target of $300 million.

The fund will be deployed as growth capital to scale circular supply chains and recycling businesses across South and Southeast Asia, with a focus on plastic solutions and packaging, as well as electronics and apparel.

Key takeaways: 

• Circulate Capital has a significant presence in India. It got a full exit from Recykal, a digital waste management platform. It has also partially exited Lucro, a recycler specialising in difficult-to-manage flexible plastic packaging, and Srichakra Polyplast, a food-grade plastic recycler.
• The firm had raised $188 million from Fund I. Fund II will aim to finance nearly 2 million tonnes of collection and recycling capacity.
• The participants in the second fund are a diverse group of global investors, including corporate firms, development finance institutions, and institutional and family offices. The corporate firms include The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Dow, and Procter & Gamble.

News & updates

• Quarterly results: Taiwan’s ​Foxconn has reported a 29.7% year-on-year rise in first-quarter revenue, driven by strong demand for AI products. However, it remains cautious about “volatile” global politics.
• Energy supply: South Korea has asked the Gulf nations for steady energy supply and safety of Korean vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. 

What you should watch out for

• The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), led by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, is scheduled to meet from April 6 to 8. This is the first MPC meet for fiscal year 2026-27, and it comes amid increasing global uncertainty due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. 
• TCS will announce its fourth quarter and annual financial results on April 9. The company’s board will also consider a final dividend payout for the financial year 2025-26.

What tunnel connects France and Italy?

Answer: Mont Blanc Tunnel

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