Helping Women Avoid the Squat

The StandNP in use. (Courtesy photo)

A Manchester entrepreneur is helping women stand up for themselves…to pee. From dirty public bathrooms to answering the call of nature while hiking, many women know how squatting and balancing while relieving themselves can be challenging.

Jane Liu-Jones, owner of StandNP, is among those who dread public restrooms. She and her husband, David Jones were intrigued to invent a device that helps women urinate standing up. The original design was for a silicon funnel with a spout that would allow urine to arch away from the body.

Some women weren’t enamored with carrying a reusable device. So, the couple met with a designer who helped them develop a similar device made from paperboard that can be disposed of after use, Liu-Jones says.

She says they tested many types of paperboard before finding one that could stand up to the acidity and flow of urine. She explains the disposable device has a wide opening with a smooth edge so it can fit close to the body and handle a large volume of liquid, and a  spout to keep urine away from the body. “It has a beautiful arch,” she says. “It’s better than a man’s.”

Liu-Jones then had several girlfriends and acquaintances test it out. “A 5-year-old girl said, ‘this lets me pee like my brothers’,” she says, laughing.

She did not set out to be an entrepreneur. Originally from China, she came to the United States at 21 to earn a master’s in administration and met David, a professor. Initially, they went their separate ways, she back to China to work as a sourcing manager and he to Poland.

They eventually married and in 2020, they moved to NH, where David grew up. They began looking at how to transform their invention into a business.

The couple says the product appeals to many women, particularly those who enjoy the outdoors but not having to squat behind bushes, and older women with joint issues.

“Some people giggle,” she says of potential customers. But once they listen, she says they are intrigued.

The company launched in early 2021, and the couple has invested $100,000 into it. They hold two patents and sell StandNP in two sizes in packs of 10 for $11.99. The product can also be purchased on the company’s website, Amazon, Shopify and Etsy. The couple is also starting to sell them at outdoor retailers, fairs and expos.

For more information, visit standnp.com.