Struck by the shocking statistics related to diarrhoeal diseases in developing nations social entrepreneurs Bill Glaab and Courtney Apple began a three year brainstorming session to launch a socially giving business the couples the traditional business approach to money making with the philanthropic desire to do good.
The duo understood immediately that to achieve success in the vein of Tom’s and other successful socially focused businesses they needed a product with mass market appeal that fulfilled an essential role in daily life. Soap, whether used in the shower to wake up or wind down, is one such product. And so began Hand in Hand Soap.
Novices to the process of soap making, Glaab and Apple found themselves faced not only with the challenges of creating a high-quality, disease preventing product but the opportunity to also minimize some of the debilitating effects of more traditionally produced soaps. By deciding to make their product biodegradable, vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil free, sustainably packaged and shipped, the company claims to have created the “most environmentally friendly and ethically conscious soaps on the market today.”
Because they are also certified by Fair Trade USA, Hand in Hand Soap helps to improve working conditions among farmers who harvest the soap’s ingredients. And as some of the profits are dedicated to saving rainforests devastated by traditional soap production, lathering up with one of these bars is likely the most responsible decision you can make in a tub.
Hand in Hand Soaps are currently made by Twincraft of Winooski, Vermont who boasts an impressive client list which includes Aveda, Origins, Bliss, and Avon. Because of its components, the soap is not cheap. Two bars will run you $16—buying in bulk is the best bargain—but Glaab and Apple aren’t deterred. Environmentally conscious consumers are already accustomed to the higher price points and since green products are trendy their soaps may very well find themselves on the ledges of high-end tubs, as hostess gifts and in swag bags.
While it’s nearly impossible to get your hand on a bar—the soap is backordered through October 15—early reviews from friends and family have been positive. The Shea butter is said to eliminate the need for moisturizers for women of a certain age and the bar has been dubbed as a suitable full-body cleanser.
Glaab and Apple await the first shipments of their soap with a mix of quiet confidence and bemusement. Since the first orders have yet to reach the bathrooms of consumers, it’s difficult to discuss the future of the brand—though they did confess to working on two new scents. Both partners see potential in hotels and boutiques and in further developing the giving aspects of the business.
The first batch of donated soaps is expected to be dropped this January in Haiti where earthquake-displaced people are now suffering from lack of stable housing and proper sanitation. Hand in Hand look forward to serving the people of Haiti and beyond and to implementing educational programs on hygiene.
