Hoopsy are the creators of the Hoopsy eco-friendly pregnancy test. A sustainable alternative to plastic pregnancy tests. The Hoopsy eco pregnancy test is easy to use, made from 99% paper, and is 99% plastic-free, making them far more environmentally friendly than your average plastic pregnancy test.

In this article, we hear from Lara Solomon, Hoopsy’s founder, as she tells us her story, shares the inspiration behind Hoopsy, and why the Hoopsy eco pregnancy test is the future of pregnancy tests.

The Hoopsy Story

Hoopsy came about following my own fertility journey and two failed embryo transfers. I always thought I would have a family, but time just got away from me. So, at 45, I began my IVF fertility journey. When harvesting my eggs failed, I decided to try a donor embryo transfer in Spain. 

I underwent two transfers back to back, the second resulted in a pregnancy, but I suffered a miscarriage. I really understand the struggle of trying to conceive. It comes with many challenges and emotional ups and downs, as we hope the next pregnancy test will be positive month after month. 

This cycle of hope is how the business got its name - Hoopsy. Hoop is the old Dutch word for hope, and for me, my fertility journey was full of moments of hope and wanting to have a baby. Every woman who takes a pregnancy test is hoping they are or sometimes hoping they are not pregnant. Next, the word hoops feel like a great way to describe life. Sometimes it’s like we are all jumping through hoops to get what we want or need. So, the name Hoopsy just feels appropriate for any fertility journey!

I quickly became aware of the number of pregnancy tests I was using and started thinking about how many of these end up in landfills every year, the volume is crazy.

During my journey, I opened up one of the pregnancy tests plastic casings and saw it was just a little piece of paper inside. I thought, why can’t this be all made of paper? Why does it need to be in a plastic case just because that’s how it has always been?

In the UK alone, there are 12.5 million tests taken and discarded every year. Most of them are the hard plastic mid-stream tests we are familiar with that take up to 30 years to break down in a landfill. I just believed there had to be a better way. A way to make this every day, throw-away product more sustainable. 

I searched the market and realised there was pretty much nothing available. So, I started my Hoopsy journey, created the Hoopsy eco-pregnancy test, and set my goal: To create sustainable healthcare products that help women, their partners and the planet.

Introducing the Hoopsy eco pregnancy test

The Hoopsy eco pregnancy test works like every other midstream pregnancy test, and results can be read in as little as five minutes. It’s made of 99% paper and up to 99% accurate. 

Because it’s made of 99% paper, it takes just six weeks to break down in a landfill and takes up less space. Even though the test is made of paper, it remains firm after use and is easy to write on. The results are easy to read, and you can even recycle half of the test by popping it in with your household recycling. 

Because the Hoopsy pregnancy test is just as accurate, easy to read and strong as plastic tests. It’s easy to swap to our sustainable alternative when trying for a baby, and you can feel good that you are doing something positive for the environment.

Hoopsy: The Sustainable Alternative

We touched on the environmental impact of pregnancy tests earlier. When you think about it, most women who take a pregnancy test don’t take just one, even when it’s positive. They take two, three and sometimes more to confirm those two wonderful lines are still there and that the pregnancy is indeed real!

For ladies who get negative results, they are using plastic tests month in and month out until they get the result they are hoping for. So many tests are being taken daily and discarded without a second thought. Plastic pregnancy tests take up to 30 years to break down in landfill, and they can also leave behind microplastics which are hugely damaging to the environment. 

The Hoopsy eco-pregnancy test offers every woman trying to conceive a more sustainable alternative to traditional pregnancy tests without compromising test quality or accuracy. We believe the Hoopsy eco-friendly pregnancy test is the future as society becomes more aware of the damaging effects of single-use plastic products on our environment. We believe our product is also kind to your purse and is available at a comparable price to other pregnancy tests on the market.

The future of Hoopsy

Our Hoopsy team, is passionate about supporting women through their fertility journey. Every member of the team knows first-hand how hard fertility journeys can be. We’ve recently set up a free Hoopsy fertility community which anyone trying to conceive can join and participate in. 

We wanted to create a safe space where women could share their experiences and chat with other women going through similar experiences. Our community is more than just a space to talk, it’s also a place to seek expert advice, and we’ve got some exciting events lined up too. For example, a fertility masterclass and advice on staying positive on your fertility journey are coming up soon. 

Product-wise, we have got big plans that go way beyond our Hoopsy eco pregnancy tests. Later this year, we will be launching sustainable ovulation kits. We are also testing some new 100% organic pregnancy tests, which we hope to launch soon. We are excited. The midstream eco pregnancy test is just the first of many sustainable products for women from Hoopsy.