We create hygiene and cleaning solutions, thinking about you and Nature....ready to be part of this adventure? :)
our mission
We provide hygiene and cleaning products with you and Nature in mind: we formulate taking into account the water footprint of the ingredients; we produce with minimal waste, in partnership with small local producers, and we favor local suppliers. We provide bulk stores in a zero waste concept. Can we improve? We believe so! And together, we always improve :)
About Us
Lake Atitlán (Guatemala) El Bolsón (Argentine Patagonia) Semuc Champey (Guatemala)
How was this project born?
One about us, here, has to be a little bit about me, Filipa (and you'll understand why!). I was born in a city, but I grew up in a tiny village in Ribatejo, one of those where the weather has a different thickness, and the first sign of spring is when the birds start to sing at 5 am.
I could tell you that environmental concerns started there...but no...although the importance of optimizing resources, yes!
From Ribatejo to the university in Lisbon and from there, to the world! Northern Europe, Latin America and West Africa were home to me on a 10 year run that went on to run. But, between the blinks of an eye, fear and hope coexisted: the amount of waste I saw around me in any country where I worked, often in the middle of nature, was enormous; but opportunities to make things better, too! And the products that shocked the most were hygiene cosmetics: they are fundamental for health and well-being, but can generate multiple negative environmental impacts: on water, in the air and on land, not only because of the ingredients and how they were produced, but also for packaging.
That's how this project came about, first by the soap4life brand, and then by Ec0p, a solid cosmetics brand committed to being part of the solution for a future with more resources, for all of us!
What we bring you are formulas designed for those who use them and for Nature, with water being our main concern. Our formulas are made up of vegetable oils and ingredients with a lower water footprint, optimizing water consumption per product produced. We give priority to the national: in ingredients and in our production partners, to strengthen the local economy and reduce our carbon footprint.
We emphasize that the information available regarding the water footprint is still very scarce, even for producers and suppliers, whom we turn to to confirm and complete some metrics when existing studies do not have this content. We are attentive so that you know the impact of the ingredients of what we produce, providing all the information we have available, we believe that empowered with information, we make choices aligned with our priorities.
Our commitment is to continue to research and improve, in order to offer increasingly efficient alternatives. your opinion is very important and in this process.
Whether you are our customer or not, you can always write to us and let us know what you think about our products and processes, or share what you miss in the world of sustainable solid cosmetics, so that we can learn and do more together. Together, we always improve!
And in this blog we are sharing everything we have learned, and the adventure that is to undertake in a sustainable way,
do you venture? :)
Our sustainability matrix
Sustainability is based on three main axes: Environmental, Social and Economic.
These concerns are transversal to four key components in our activity: composition of formulas, products, packaging and logistics.
And how do we implement sustainable practices?
We seek a balance between the environmental, social and economic component, in the choices of ingredients and packaging processes:
- Whenever possible, we favor national suppliers, who work with sustainable production techniques, regardless of whether they have biological/ecological certification.
- Production in partnership;
- Sell in bulk.
For us, it is crucial to ensure access to as many people as possible who identify with our products, so we try to achieve this economic balance not only for us but also for the user.
And how do we implement this project?
our vision
Our eyesight it is that of a society empowered to ensure its health & hygiene by protecting our natural resources, through solutions designed for people and Nature.
We want to go further and share the know-how that we are acquiring in different countries, so that in other places we can also use another tool in the protection of resources, ensuring hygiene and cleanliness, fundamental for a healthy and dignified life. Once we are established, we can work on this aspect.
'Team Group People' Image by Henning Westerkamp from Pixabay
Optimize Resources
We choose ingredients and raw materials that are as efficient as possible: that fulfill their function, are as renewable as possible and consume the least amount of resources in their production and treatment, and even though, after being used, they cause the least possible impact, while get back to nature.
Why choose solid products?
Solid hygiene and cleaning products, in general, consume less water in their production:
-for example, for every 100g of our soap we use 31g of water;
-Pure water is not an ingredient in our solid or dry shampoo;
As for the other ingredients, we opted for materials with a lower water footprint.
Solid products are more concentrated:
-last longer (a good soap dish is essential! you can see on here 4 DIY options);
- take up less space in transport, in your home, in your suitcase....
Solid products do not need to be wrapped in plastic:
-you can opt for alternative materials or sales systems.