Kiwi women doing the business with Shewee
A simple idea that is revolutionising women’s lives in Britain and Europe has now been introduced to New Zealand.
Shewee is a specially shaped plastic funnel that allows women to hygienically and easily urinate while standing up and
without removing any clothes.
“All women have been in situations where there’s no toilet available or the public loo is too filthy to sit on. Shewee
puts an end to squatting bare-bottomed behind a bush or the need to hover over a dirty seat,” says New Zealand
distributor Judy-Anne Dentice. Just the thing for the Big Day Out and summer outdoor concerts!
Shewee is a 17cm long, lightweight plastic device that directs urine away from the body and clothes. It costs $19.90 and
comes in a hygienic re-sealable pouch so it’s easy to carry in a handbag, backpack, bum bag or pocket.
“Shewee is coated with a special surface that repels liquids, so a simple shake when finished ensures no mess – just
like when men do their business,” Ms Dentice says.
“There’s nothing like it available for New Zealand women. The nearest equivalents are all flimsy cardboard and thrown
away after a single use. Shewee can be easily washed or sterilised and is re-usable. The ergonomic design means no
splashes or spillage and the liquid-repellent coating ensures maximum hygiene,” she says.
Shewee was first seen in New Zealand when British inventor Samantha Fountain presented it on the BBC show Dragons’ Den.
Shewee was patented in 1999 and has won design and business awards for Ms Fountain.
Ms Dentice says that while men can discreetly do the business then zip up and be on their way in a few seconds, there’s
far more involved for women.
“Until now, women needed to find somewhere private so they could re-arrange or remove clothing, bare their bottom and
squat – all the time worrying about germs, keeping their dignity and keeping warm. Shewee does away with all that fuss.
It lets women stand up and take control,” she says.
“For a long distance runner or triathlete, the time saved for a comfort stop could literally be a race-winning
difference,” Ms Dentice says.
“Women can avoid queuing for the small number of blocked and filthy toilets provided at many big events such as outdoor
concerts. Women out water skiing, fishing, sailing or any other sort of boating won’t need to worry any more about
balancing their butt over the rail. All that indignity can easily be avoided by dealing with the problem the same way
men do,” she says.
Shewee is ideal for travel, skiers, hikers, cyclists, climbers, divers, campers, boaties, runners, women in the armed
forces, police and any woman who’s sick of “holding on” just because there’s no clean loo available.
Ms Dentice says that nurses, midwives and carers for people with limited mobility have all been very interested in
Shewee. Not only is it useful for urination, it also makes it very easy to collect urine samples for these
professionals.
“The fact that its washable and re-usable means hospitals and clinics don’t end up paying big dollars to help women
spend a penny,” she says.
ends