"Do Women Have to Endure Dirty, Long Lines?" Invention of Portable Urinal for Women [Corporate Lab]

Lapee, Maker of Portable Urinals for Women
Installed in 25 Countries Worldwide; Sales Doubled Last Year
Easy to Use Anywhere: Olympics, Festivals, Refugee Camps

Editor's NoteSouth Korean companies ranked second in the world for research and development (R&D) expenditures in 2022, and fourth for the number of patent applications filed in the United States in 2020. However, the annual average productivity growth rate of companies dropped significantly from 6.1% between 2001 and 2010 to 0.5% between 2011 and 2020. This is because the productivity growth of so-called "innovative companies," which are actively engaged in innovation activities, has slowed. Without change, companies will be ignored by the market. To help the industry revive its innovation DNA, we will look at cases of innovation pioneered by well-known global companies. The driving force to revive South Korea's stagnant economic growth rate will be innovative companies.

"I was truly shocked by the situation women face at festival venues. Sometimes, they have to go to the restroom about 20 times a day, but they must deal with dirty toilets and long lines. Because of the wait, they miss concerts or get separated from friends. Sometimes, they are forced to hold it in. Yet, this situation is just accepted as normal. So, we designed a portable urinal for women, just like the men's portable urinals that are widely used around the world."

Gina Perier, CEO and founder of Lapee, a company that makes portable urinals for women, explained the background behind the product's launch in a recent written interview with Asia Economy. She said, "Men's portable urinals are everywhere, but I couldn't understand why there were no products for women."

Perier, who studied architecture in Denmark, was designing and building an installation for the Roskilde Festival, the largest rock festival in Europe. There, she saw women standing in long lines to use the restroom.

In October 2019, a woman is using a Lafi product at a half marathon event held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Lafi homepage

To solve this problem, Perier founded Lapee in 2017 with Alexander Egebjerg, who had worked with her on architecture for the Roskilde Festival. The company name, Lapee, means "piss" in French. After completing its first test in 2018, the product was successfully commercialized in May 2019. It was first introduced at the Distortion Festival, held on the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark. If users had not used Lapee and had chosen regular toilets instead, the waiting time would have been six times longer.

The way to use Lapee is simple. You do not sit fully on the toilet. Instead, you squat as if doing a squat exercise, which hides the lower body and exposes only part of the upper body, mainly the head. With the outer wall standing 165cm high, most of the body is hidden when squatting. Perier explained, "It provides enough privacy for users to relieve themselves quickly."

Lapee products are colored pink. This is to ensure they are easily visible wherever they are installed outdoors. Perier said, "Pink is scientifically the easiest color to identify from a distance," adding, "It was important for women to be able to easily find and recognize Lapee, even in places where access to safe toilets is limited."

The number of uses increases depending on the tank capacity. When connected to a standard 1,100-liter tank, it can be used 3,500 times. If the tank is connected directly to a sewer, it can be used virtually without limit. The product is also made from 100% pure polyethylene, making it recyclable.

Lapee is currently installed in 25 countries around the world. While it is mainly found in European countries, it is also present in Australia, Canada, and Colombia. In Asia, it has been installed in Mongolia, and will soon be introduced in China as well. Lapee has participated in about 350 events, including Eurovision, the Olympics, and the European Championships. It has been used not only at outdoor events but also in public spaces such as refugee camps.

Perier said, "Last year's sales doubled compared to 2023," and added, "This year, we are in the process of raising investment funds and expect the company to grow fivefold."