‘There’s nothing like us’: Italian brand with active bristle tech aims to change perception of oral care in Asia

The concept was conceived by CEO Michele Longato, who identified an opportunity to disrupt the oral care market.

“With Piuma, I wanted to change the view of this category from oral care to oral beauty. The smile is the first thing you notice about a person, and it is part of your beauty.​

“I saw something missing on the market. In beauty, there are premium products that look so well-designed, and so beautiful that you want to buy them. But in oral care, there were mostly mass-market lines run by companies that dominate the market.”​

The brand’s toothbrush bristles are infused with active ingredients which it claims get activated during the teeth brushing process.

The brand said this technology “transforms the toothbrush from a simple mechanical instrument that supports toothpaste”.​

According to the firm, the filaments can release actives for two months.

“While brushing, the filaments come in contact with water and expand, releasing the actives directly to the teeth and gums,”​ explains Longato.

Currently, the company has developed three types of active bristles infused with vitamin C, echinacea, and bamboo carbon.

The company has also developed accompanying toothpaste, as well as a hyaluronic acid serum for the gums.

The brand was exhibiting at Cosmoprof Asia in Hong Kong in November to seek out distributors to help it break into Asia and the Middle East.

“We’re trying to move all over the world. We’re looking for distributors in China, Hong Kong, Singapore – all over Asia,” ​said Longato.

In particular, the company is striving to break into top Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, where consumers are hungry for “something different in oral care”,​ said Longato.

“There’s a lot of opportunities for us because there’s nothing like us. I don’t think anyone has put that much innovation in this space,” ​said Longato.

He added that his products were “affordable luxuries”, with toothbrushes starting at EUR8 (USD8.74) while its toothpastes start at EUR7 (USD).

A new kind of beautiful​

Longato told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that the brand’s aim is to merge science with smart design.

The toothbrushes also feature a base which allows users to place the toothbrush hygienically on any surface.

Additionally, it has a built-in calendar, to remind users when it is time to replace their toothbrushes.

Its range of toothbrushes has been recognised for its avant-garde designs with the Red Dot Design award and the Compasso D’Oro award.

It has also collaborated with Austrian crystal and jewellery company Swarovski to design a limited-edition toothbrush.

In addition, the company has also developed a mouthwash, a teeth whitening kit, as well as oral health supplements.

Moving forward, the company is working on a few projects, including the development of a kid’s product line as well as an electric toothbrush.