In the world of medical devices, design is often driven by functionality, safety, and clinical performance. While these remain crucial – especially in stoma care, where skin health, leakage prevention, and fit are top priorities – it is becoming increasingly clear that product design can and should address emotional, psychosocial, and environmental needs as well. The NovaLife TRE Black Pouch is a powerful response to this shift, blending trusted clinical performance with personal expression, dignity, and responsibility.

At the heart of the NovaLife TRE Black Pouch is its TRE skin barrier technology, which directly addresses the top concerns of clinicians and users. The barrier contains a super absorber – a unique ingredient that absorbs moisture significantly faster than conventional hydrocolloids. Instead of dissolving when exposed to fluid, the barrier swells, maintaining a strong seal even in high-moisture areas. This intelligent design helps prevent leakage, keeps peristomal skin healthy, and offers consistent, comfortable wear. With the TRE skin barrier technology, users can rely on both security and skin protection, every day.

But functionality alone isn’t enough. People living with a stoma seek more than clinical reliability – they want to feel normal, stylish, and confident. Many express a desire for their pouch to blend into their lives, not stand out as a constant reminder of their condition. The NovaLife TRE Black Pouch was developed in direct response to this need.

With its elegant and discreet colour, it helps normalise the experience of wearing an ostomy pouch – making it feel more like putting on underwear or glasses.

This small shift has a powerful emotional impact. Users have shared how a black pouch allows them to feel more themselves, and more in control. It’s a simple but meaningful option that enhances confidence and restores a sense of self – without compromising on performance.

And the innovation doesn’t stop there. The NovaLife TRE Black Pouch also introduces a new, more sustainable fabric, reflecting the growing global concern for environmental responsibility in healthcare. Unlike traditional pouches that use woven PET fabrics, the NovaLife TRE Black Pouch is made from non-woven polypropylene material, offering several environmental advantages. It is made from recyclable plastic, requires significantly less water and energy to produce, generates less overall waste due to its lighter weight, and has a lower carbon footprint compared to woven alternatives.

While sustainability practices vary across regions, the need to reduce environmental impact is universal – and increasingly important to both users and clinicians. By choosing smarter materials, the NovaLife TRE Black Pouch shows that medical innovation can also be planet-conscious, without compromising quality or user experience.

Ultimately, the Black Pouch is more than a product. It’s a thoughtful response to real human needs – clinical, emotional, and environmental. It proves that great design in healthcare doesn’t ask users to choose between function and feeling – it delivers both.

Recognising the NovaLife TRE Black Pouch with this award would honour not only its innovative technology and design but also the evolving values of modern healthcare: security, simplicity, sustainability – and self-confidence.

Category:MedicalAward Year:2025Designers:Shane O'Malley, Russell Todd, Hollister, Inc., Libertyville, Illinois, USAManufacturer:Hollister, Inc., Libertyville, Illinois, USA