Ellenor McIntosh is no stranger to this. Having started her company Twipes developing a flushable and biodegradable material in 2015, Ellenor struggled to obtain R&D funds and traction in the early stages. It was only during the pandemic that Twipes officially launched, and since then Ellenor has gone on to be a runner-up at the Everywoman Entrepreneur Awards in 2022 and has now launched her brand in the USA in 2023!

How did you come up with the idea for Twipes?

The idea for Twipes came about during a brunch conversation that took a turn for the worse as a friend complained to myself and my cofounder (Alborz Bozorgi ), that he kept clogging his toilet with supposedly ‘flushable’ wet wipes.

We realised there was a need for better, more sustainable hygiene products. I used my passion for the environment and my skill as a scientist to create a solution.

What was it like to create a product from scratch?

Hard! Being the lone scientist in a lab was tough, the days were long and sometimes lonely. When creating a product – especially alone – you have to be self-motivated, extremely focused and determined to make a change. Luckily, I’m a little crazy when it comes to the environment, so I was ready to take on the challenge.

In the end I spent many years, on minimal pay, creating and testing the product, making sure it was safe for use on everyone and ensuring the wipes broke down adequately.

What were your biggest challenges and learnings?

My biggest lesson was to ask for help. No man (or woman) is an island, it’s important to utilise the network around you and ask for help especially during the hard times.

Starting a business, I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘don’t share your idea, someone may steal it!’ As someone who had that mindset in the beginning, I realised that people can’t help if they don’t know what you need help with. Without talking about your ideas, challenges and fears, progression cannot be made.

The best statement I heard was from a mentor “Elle, no one cares about your business like you do, no one cares enough to steal your idea!” That being said, be mindful of the information you share with others. It’s important to talk, but don’t give away the secret sauce!

How do you feel being a finalist for the Everywoman Awards?

Being a finalist was insane. I couldn’t help the imposter syndrome that crept in when I first entered the room. This was a room full of women doing the most incredible things, and I was just a scientist with a wet wipe!

However, in meeting these ladies and learning about their stories, all of that soon faded away. It was amazing to meet such driven and talented women, and to be surrounded with love and support for what I was doing. The whole award ceremony was full of laughter and tears, we were all very emotional; and despite not winning this time around, every single one of those who won deserved it and more for the truly remarkable things they are doing.

Do you have any future plans for Twipes?

Twipes have just launched in the USA! We have gone across the pond and setup new headquarters in New York State, thanks for the support of an organisation called 43North.

Our US launch is direct-to-consumer, available on our website twipes.com and we’re hoping to also have a huge impact to the environment and individuals on this side of the Atlantic. I am excited to see how the US responds to our product and the introduction of new innovations going forward!