Sustainability
Making the world a better place is one of the main reasons for Soypa's existence. Our mission is to encourage and support a more sustainable way of life, with every small change we make on this shared journey. We have created a range of products that use the power of nature with plant-based ingredients such as essential and plant oils, botanicals, sea salt, and clays.
Since 2021, we have produced almost 10,000 plant-based soaps, preventing large amounts of plastic waste. By using biodegradable ingredients and traditional, low-energy production methods, Soypa contributes to reducing environmental impact and promoting better options for the environment.
Keep reading to find out more about Soypa's impact on the environment and its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. This is an internal assessment based on the collected data and relevant research.
Plus our formulas are assessed, and approved by a certified chemical laboratory according to the EU Cosmetic Regulations (CPSR), and none of our products or ingredients are tested on animals.
Don't forget that everything we use has an impact, but we should strive to consume the products with lower consequences for the environment and the people who make them.
A Life Cycle Assessment Study on the footprints of home-care and personal-hygiene products shows that the life-cycle impacts of bar soap are highly influenced by the consumers' usage (up to 88% of the carbon and environmental footprints).
By lowering the water temperature and using less product, you can significantly reduce the ecological footprint of the used soap. The study demonstrated that hand-washing with bar soap is preferable to liquid soap as it requires less product, resulting in considerably lower impacts throughout the supply chain.
WATER
In comparison with liquid soaps, the production of soap bars requires significantly less water. The water content in the overall soap batch is approximately 20%, with the majority evaporating during the process of soap curing. The primary impact on water is incurred through the washing of equipment following the soap production process.
WASTE and CIRCULARITY
My approach to circularity focuses on biodegradable, plant-based ingredients, plastic-free packaging, and waste reduction. While my products don't currently use waste as input, circularity remains central to my values. Key principles such as minimizing waste, using renewable and biodegradable materials, and reducing single-use plastics guide my practices. I prioritize materials with high recycling rates, such as glass, aluminum, and compostable paper, ensuring my products are long-lasting to minimize overall consumption.
Soap production is nearly zero waste—I sell soap ends as samples and create travel-sized bars from leftovers, ensuring that every bit is used. Additionally, my multipurpose organic coconut oil cleaning soap replaces multiple household cleaners, reducing the need for single-use plastic bottles and toxic chemicals.
I also make a conscious effort to reuse packaging materials whenever possible. You may receive your order with repurposed boxes, protective paper, or plastic—this is intentional! Rather than discarding materials after a single use, I extend their life to reduce waste before responsibly disposing of them. I also order in bulk, and repurpose materials like glass bottles and second-hand equipment. My goal is to help people reduce plastic waste while offering high-quality, sustainable alternatives.
GHG EMISSIONS
We do our best to reduce the greenhouse gases produced by our orders being shipped. We always try to buy ingredients from European suppliers, and we always try to buy ingredients from Europe if we can.
Generally, solid soap bars have a lower carbon footprint as they usually do not contain fossil fuel-derived chemicals, have nonplastic packaging, and are more energy-efficient in terms of transport.
INGREDIENTS
Soypa's formula is based only on plant oils, extracts, and butter that are labeled as vegan and not tested on animals. There is sustainably produced palm oil on the market, but Soypa decided not to use it. Like with essential oils, the main impact of plant-based oils comes from the land use needed for production.
At the moment, we use shea butter, sunflower, castor, olive and coconut oil, and amla powder, that have the EU organic/NL-BIO-01 labels.
PACKAGING
Soypa packaging is plastic-free, made of FSC paper, glass, or aluminum, and can be composted or recycled again. Please make sure you properly dispose of our packaging!
BIODEGRADABLE INGREDIENTS
All plant and essential oils used in our production are biodegradable.
According to the World Health Organization, hand washing is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including the COVID-19 virus. Soaps are important in hand hygiene as they are proven to be superior in killing microbes to alcohol and antiseptic wipes and do not dry the skin.
Soap bars are great at killing and removing bacteria because of the way they clean. The soap's molecules break down oils and dirt, trapping the bacteria, which you then rinse away. With a higher pH level, soap creates an alkaline environment that stops bacteria from growing on the surface. So, despite what you might have heard, soap bars aren't a breeding ground for germs, and stay hygienic every time you use them.
Soypa promotes hand and body hygiene without harmful chemicals for human health.
Soypa encourages customers to use its products in a sustainable way. It does this by putting environmental messages on the packaging, by designing products to be used in more than one way, and by using social media to share knowledge about sustainable development issues.
All Soypa products are designed as unisex, regardless of the color or scent. We do not support meaningless gender stereotypes like clean is for women and smelly is for men. A sustainable lifestyle is genderless. Also, in case you were wondering, Soypa is a woman-owned and woman-led micro-enterprise.
Handmade soap bars are water-efficient, as they contain minimum water compared with liquid soap and shower gel varieties. Using biodegradable ingredients and plastic-free packaging reduces water pollution. Remember to turn off the tap to save water!
Sustainable production and consumption are the main drivers of Soypa's business model. Human consumption exceeds planetary boundaries and available natural resources and it needs to change.
Soypa offers a range of products that can be used for different things. This means you don't need to buy lots of different items for everyday hygiene and cleaning. Their products are made with a concentrated formula, so you use less and buy less.
Soypa is committed to minimizing waste through the reuse of plastic and cardboard packaging, purchasing ingredients in bulk, and using plastic-free packaging whenever possible.
Soypa is doing its bit for the planet by offering solid products with a lower carbon footprint, all wrapped up in plastic-free packaging. After all, we all know that plastic is a petroleum product whose production contributes to climate change.
By offering products without plastic packaging, Soypa eliminates further marine plastic pollution, which has become one of the major threats to the ocean ecosystems. Millions of plastic and microplastic debris end up in the oceans which are ingested by the animals causing injuries or death.
Detergent-based cleaning products can have a negative impact on the water quality and contribute to eutrophication. Soypa products are derived from plant oils which are biodegradable and their use does not contribute to the algae bloom.
The production of plant-based oils has a negative environmental impact in terms of land use, pesticides and fertilizers, and energy needed for production. Soypa tends to buy organic ingredients produced in sustainable agriculture practices as much as possible.
Ingredients contributing to deforestation and biodiversity loss, such as palm oil and endangered species' essential oils (sandalwood, atlas cedar) are not used.
By buying ethically sourced mica which is child-labor-free, Soypa supports the end of abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
