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By Fathima Riznaz Hafi
Using public restrooms, especially those in Sri Lanka, can be a cringe-worthy experience when the facilities are not kept in a hygienic condition and most people would rather wait until they get home rather than subject themselves to the smell and sight of a facility that is shared by a variety of people who may or may not value sanitary hygiene and have not heard of bathroom etiquette.
Those who aren’t left with much choice due to urgency are faced with exposure to bacteria and foul smells; however the lucky few who have disposable toilet seat covers in their possession will find them to be life-savers! Placing them on top of the toilet seat before use prevents contact with harmful bacteria and unsightly deposits on the seat. This is nothing new – they have been used around the world for quite a while now but not so much in Sri Lanka.
Noting the need for such a product to be utilised in Sri Lanka, a startup business called ‘Chairman Wettasinghe’ has introduced its line of toilet seat covers branded ‘SatisFactory’. Run by sole proprietor Dileepa Wettasinghe, it has been designed with much thought being put into quality, durability and comfort.
“My product is designed to enhance comfort – the main concept is comfort for the user. The material is strong and made out of grease and water proof material imported from Indonesia. If there is water or impurities on the seat it will not pass through the material – you can stay clean; and those who care about personal sanitation can appreciate my product. It is easy to carry, light, and comes in a small packet,” says Dileepa.
“It is especially useful for ladies and pregnant women; public rest rooms are not so clean in Sri Lanka; it is difficult for them when there are impurities on the toilet seat. When using my disposable toilet seat cover, all you have to do is unfold it, place it on the seat and sit on it. It is also very useful when you are travelling abroad; the day-to-day traveller can use it too. Also, since it is made out of paper, it is not hazardous to the environment,” he added.
“SatisFactory was launched last year but couldn’t capture a huge market. This is a problem and is because Sri Lankan people are not aware of such products and the benefits. It is very common in foreign countries but in Sri Lanka there are only two other companies in the market. However, they import theirs whereas mine is locally manufactured – I import the material from Indonesia but manufacture the product locally,” he said.
Dileepa hopes that the introduction of SatisFactory toilet seat covers will be a solution to the public restroom dilemma. Not only is comfort and sanitary hygiene made possible for the public restroom user, the environment is not harmed and it is proudly a locally-manufactured product.
Dileepa can be reached via: Tel: 0112539766, mobile: 0712177512/0773176317, email: [email protected], [email protected] and Facebook: www.facebook.com/SatisFactoryLevelOne.