Are Americans Ready for Open-Air Urinals? The Future of Portable Restrooms and the Culture of Comfort
When you’ve been in the portable restroom industry as long as I have, you learn two things:
- Innovation comes in waves, often from unexpected places.
- Culture determines whether those ideas sink or soar.
Recently, a U.K.-based company called Peequal caught international attention for its female-friendly portable urinals. They are sleek, open-air, eco-friendly alternatives designed to reduce wait times for women at large festivals and events.
I’ve seen these firsthand or something similar though the years, and there’s no denying their innovation. The concept is efficient, sustainable, and solves a long-standing problem in public sanitation and an endless restroom line for women.
But seeing something work over there doesn’t automatically mean it’ll take off over here. The portable female urinal is not necessarily a new concept.
What Peequal Is Doing Differently
To understand what’s happening, it’s worth breaking down what makes Peequal’s design so groundbreaking:
- Speed: The design allows multiple women to use the facility at once, cutting wait times by as much as 70%.
- Sustainability: Made from recycled ocean plastics and sugar-cane biopolymer, the units dramatically reduce environmental impact.
- Accessibility: These units are open-air, ergonomic, and designed for safety and helping women avoid unsafe nighttime bathroom trips.
- Cultural Context: In European festival culture, privacy expectations are different. Guests prioritize speed and hygiene over enclosed comfort.
At festivals like Glastonbury, these urinals have been a hit, not just for convenience, but because they reflect a cultural shift toward sustainability and equality.
As a portable restroom operator who has built one of the largest luxury restroom networks in the U.S., I can appreciate the genius. But I also see where the challenge lies in bringing it stateside.
The American Comfort Standard
Let’s face it, Americans have a different relationship with the bathroom. Especially when it’s a portable toilet.
In the U.S., the standard for comfort is higher, even at outdoor events. Our guests expect privacy, running water, climate control, and clean interiors, not open-air efficiency. In fact, the foundation of Royal Restrooms was built on that very principle: the portable toilet doesn’t have to mean primitive.
We’ve redefined what “portable toilet” means in American society, from plastic boxes in the field to private, climate-controlled suites with flushing toilets and soft lighting. Our clients range from weddings and film sets to disaster response and festivals. And every single one of them shares a common request:
“Everyone wants to go to the bathroom in comfort. They want to do it the way they’re accustomed to, clean, private and familiar. Whether it’s at a wedding, a festival or outdoor event, that basic expectation never changes. Our job at Royal Restrooms has been to meet that need with dignity and design.”
That’s where I think America differs. In Europe, the focus is on function and speed. In the U.S., it’s about comfort and experience. That’s not to say I do not see a need for traditional portable toilets or the female urinal in large scale events and festivals. Feasibility, price and function will always play a major role in determining the best scenario.
Where Innovation and Tradition Can Meet
Still, I’m not dismissing the movement, I’m encouraged by it. What Peequal represents is the next generation of sanitation thinking: a commitment to sustainability and equality.
I believe there’s a way for both worlds to coexist:
- Eco-materials: Royal Restrooms has been evaluating sustainable materials for years, everything from the latest low-water systems to biodegradable tank treatments like Porta Clear.
- Smarter design: Just as Peequal reimagined the urinal, our team constantly improves layouts for accessibility, comfort, and efficiency.
- Gender equity in events: The demand for better restroom access for women isn’t new, it’s just rarely addressed so boldly.
If anything, innovations like Peequal remind us that the conversation about restrooms is evolving, and as leaders, we have a responsibility to participate in that evolution with our customers’ expectations in mind.
What I Saw and What I Think Will Happen
When I first saw Peequal’s design in person, I admired how intuitive it was. It was built by engineers and festival-goers who clearly understood the problem. In that moment, you can’t help but root for it. It is an impressive solution.
But as someone who’s watched Americans react to change in this space, I have to be honest, it’s going to take time and a little more social acceptance.
Our culture still values enclosure and cleanliness over efficiency. Until American consumers associate “open-air” with “safe and sanitary,” adoption will be limited to niche environments like major music festivals, college tailgates, maybe the occasional eco-event.
And that’s okay. Every innovation has to start somewhere.
The first luxury restroom trailer I ever placed on-site 21 years ago turned heads for the same reason Peequal does today, it challenged expectations. People laughed, questioned, and doubted it, but saw the solution to a problem we were trying to solve. But when they stepped inside and experienced comfort in a place they least expected it, everything changed.
That’s what this industry is about: changing expectations one restroom at a time.
My Takeaway
I applaud Peequal, their team and others like them who are reimagining the portable restroom industry. Their work shines a light on important issues, sustainability, inclusivity, and the dignity of a basic human need.
But I also believe that for Americans, innovation has to feel familiar before it becomes mainstream. Comfort, privacy, and service are part of our cultural DNA. Going to the bathroom, even talking about it is still very hush-hush.
That’s why, at Royal Restrooms, we continue to invest in both sides of the equation: sustainable design and superior experience. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about where you “go” it’s about how you feel when you get there.
By David Sauers, Co-Founder, Royal Restrooms
