Former Bristol University students have raised £1 million for their women’s urinal business.
Bristol University graduates and Peequal founders Hazel McShane and Amber Probyn saw an opportunity to improve female toilet experiences, reinventing traditional male portaloos to be suitable for women’s use.
Image via Jack Pitts
The pair informed the BBC in a recent article that they plan to use the funding to manufacture more urinals, of which they hope to send to major events and music festivals across Europe, the United States and Australia.
In an interview with the BBC, Hazel noted event organisers worldwide have expressed interest, saying: ‘‘like us, they want women spending less time in queues and more time enjoying the events they love.’’
The urinals are produced in Somerset, where they are made from sugar cane and plastics rescued from the ocean. The sustainable loos also projected to be up to three times quicker to use than portable toilets, reducing both waste and queues.
Amber expressed her delight to the BBC: “What we didn’t expect was how much love the urinals would receive, and we’ve been blown away by the support women give us at events.”
Image via Jack Pitts
Current designs of the urinal system allow for them to be flat-packed and stacked, allowing for up to 35 more Peequals to be transported per lorry than with portable toilets.
Users are to squat, whilst holding built-in handles. The urinals are also designed specifically to maximise privacy, whilst minimising splashback and wait times.
The urinals have been used at big events, with Greenman festival, Brighton Pride and the London Marathon being three out of the 25 total events Peequals have been hosted at. The duo are now looking to expand their reach, with a third round of funding bringing their total investment to £1.4 million.
Julia Davies, an investor at We Have The Power was first introduced to the urinals whilst participating in the London Marathon. She told the BBC that: ‘‘It’s always satisfying to invest in a service you’ve used and desired’’, adding that ‘‘what I really love is its potential for a huge sustainability impact by reducing toxic waste generation at events.’’
If you haven’t tried the Peequals yet, you might just spot them at your next festival.
Featured image via Jack Pitts
