Darner Design for women and the planet

For Jenny Lazebnik, researcher at Wageningen Environmental Research, sustainable impact starts with everyday choices. Frustrated by the waste and toxins found in many disposable products, she set out to create an alternative, one that would be safe for people and the planet.

Combining her scientific background with a passion for sewing, Jenny founded Darner Design, a social enterprise that produces high-quality, reusable period pads. Made in the Netherlands from organic cotton and carefully selected materials, the pads are free from PFAS, heavy metals, and glyphosate, harmful substances often found in single-use products. Designed for comfort, safety, and durability, the pads can be washed and reused, dramatically reducing waste over time.

Creating impact together

Change is made in collaborations. Darner Design partnered up with several institutions including Zero Waste Nederland, Zero Waste Apeldoorn and municipalities like Groningen. With the help of donations and subsidies, Darner Design products are donated to places like shelters in the Netherlands and a women’s shelter in India. To create more impact, Jenny contacted Starthub Wageningen for advice regarding her options. StartHub enrolled Darner Design in an external programme that assisted her in taking the next step. She collaborated with three other companies. They received a subsidy and developed a new product chain together. This has opened many doors for Darner Design. One of the partners, Fraenck, was chosen for local production. The partner company FRAENCK has received many accolades including “onderneming van het jaar in Arnhem” for their social and inclusive impact driven mission. With the subsidy, the whole production chain could be established in the Netherlands and it was possible to purchase needed materials in bulk. This enables Darner Design to produce more pads, thereby reaching more people and companies and reducing even more waste.

Scaling without compromising

Darner Design isn’t just a product, it’s part of a larger movement. Jenny is scaling impact without compromising on sustainability or quality. Her mission: to challenge the culture of disposability and promote conscious, empowering choices. “Impact is about creating a cultural change,” she says. “And everyone can make little choices every day that together make a big difference.”