After noticing a gap in the marketplace for comfortable and durable water-proof mattress protectors for bed-wetters, mother of two, Diane Hurford, developed a solution – Brolly Sheets.
All too familiar with the stresses of cleaning-up after her children who were bed-wetters when they were young, mother of two, Diane Hurford, decided it was time to come up with a solution that would not only make cleaning-up easier, but would help take away some of the stigma around bed-wetting.
Keeping in mind what was missing from other products in the market, Hurford set her heart on creating the ultimate water-proof mattress protector. Brolly Sheets feature a unique 100 percent cotton top for comfort and breathability, two-litre capacity absorbent pads, tuck-in-wings for easy stripping, and they come in five different colours which make them look like typical bed-sheets.
“Most of the products out there are quite horrible, they’re very sterile, hostile looking and uncomfortable to sleep on. Brolly Sheets are made with good quality cotton, so they’re comfortable, and come in colours that look nice. So it’s not only about being functional, but also about good design which, in its own way, takes away some of the stigma [around incontinence],” said Hurford.
Although urinary incontinence is a common problem in Australia with 8-12 percent of seven-year old children and 4.2 million adults wetting the bed regularly, there is still a lot of stigma around it and people would rather keep the problem hidden under the covers.
“Incontinence is not something that is talked about very much … You won’t find celebrities admitting to using products like adult nappies. Even as a business person, when people ask ‘what is it that you do’ and I say ‘I’m a manufacturer and exporter of water-proof bed linen’, it’s not something that people want to talk more about, it’s just not a glamorous industry. But it really is fulfilling a need. It makes people’s lives a lot easier, especially carers of people with special needs,” said Hurford.
Hurford went on to explain that Brolly Sheets are not only designed for children who are undergoing toilet-training, but also for seniors and people with disabilities for whom incontinence is a long-term problem.
“When you look at the special needs market, they need all the help they can get. A lot of people are incontinent their whole lives and there just aren’t that many options out there for them,” she said.
A firm believer that ‘necessity is the mother of all inventions’, Hurford explained that if someone comes up with an idea for a product that truly helps people function better in their day-to-day lives, then the business will undoubtedly grow. After all, if it works, people will buy it.
“The best type of business to have is one that provides a solution to a problem. If you’re providing a solution and making people’s lives easier, then whatever the business is, it will grow.”
For further information and to buy Brolly Sheets online visit www.brollysheets.com.au.
For information on incontinence call The National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 or visit www.continence.org.au.
