When you buy your first bar of all-natural, organic, (almost) edible soap, you're not just buying the best soap on the market. You’re preserving diverse ecosystems, reducing wastefulness, and improving the health of the planet as a whole. Let’s take an in-depth look at the factors at play.
The Ingredients
It all starts with the ingredients. My research and hands-on experience has led me to use beef tallow, olive oil, and coconut oil as the primary ingredients for soap. These ingredients are widely available around the world, and for good reason- their properties are unmatched not only in the kitchen, but in the shower as well. Sourcing abundant, natural ingredients is the first step in making a sustainable bar of luxurious soap.
Tallow
I believe in respecting and appreciating the life of any animal used for consumption. That's why the tallow in Gage’s Natural soap is only from grass-fed grass-finished cows. The tallow from grass-fed cows is not only better for your skin with its balanced omega fatty acids, but it’s better for the environment too. The fat from cows is utilized instead of wasted, resulting in a circular and sustainable way of living.
If I used just any tallow off the store shelf, I’d be supporting industrial farming practices that keep cows in small, muddy pens in disgusting conditions. Because the cows are healthier, the use of antibiotics is greatly reduced or even eliminated. Grass-fed cows live in their natural, stress-free pastures, allowing them to live out their best lives.
Since grass-fed cows munch on fresh grass underneath their feet, this means the cost and pollution from shipping grain and other feed is completely eliminated- not to mention the time, labor, and resources needed to grow and harvest the grain in the first place!
Olive oil
Olive oil is one of the most widely used items in the kitchen. But who knew it’d be great in soap too? Whether I’m in the kitchen or the bathroom, I always use the highest quality ingredients. That’s why the olive oil used in Gage’s Natural soap is organic, extra virgin, cold-pressed, and first-pressed.
The highlight of this ingredient is that the olives aren’t exposed to pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals that can leach into the ground and waterways- let alone the olives! This organic farming practice protects the surrounding wildlife from life-destroying chemicals and promotes a healthy, balanced ecosystem.
Furthermore, the mechanical process of cold-pressing olives means huge energy savings otherwise used to heat the olive oil. This absence of heat in this process also preserves the nutrients and antioxidants intact, which means also smoother skin for you!
Coconut oil
Unlike beef tallow and olive oil, coconut oil farms have been accused of human rights violations in the past. I wasn’t aware of this until I started looking for bulk suppliers of organic, cold-pressed, extra-virgin coconut oil. I decided from the start to only buy coconut oil from Fair Trade Certified companies.
Fair Trade Certified, by Fair Trade USA, means laborers have fair wages and working conditions, the farm and farming methods are sustainable, and the companies are actively developing their community and infrastructure.
As with olive oil, the organic farming methods of coconut oil exclude the use of toxic chemicals. Additionally, the cold-pressed coconut oil preserves the delicate nutrients while leaving out the price of heating the oil.
Creating a high-quality, sustainable, eco-friendly product doesn’t stop with the ingredients. You have to be able to deliver the product to your customers too!
The Packaging
Finding the best way to package all-natural, organic, (almost) edible soap wasn’t a hard decision to make. Compostable, compostable, compostable!
Compostable means the product can easily break down in a garden, compost pile, or other outdoors area. When it comes to packaging and shipping soap, paper and paper-based packaging is the clear winner.
It took some trial and error time to figure out how to present the soap. I needed a box with a window not only for smelling the various scents, but also for showcasing the “Ground Yourself” stamp on every bar.
I have new customers and I have repeat customers. My repeat customers get a slimmed-down, fitted box that perfectly encapsulates the soap. The new customers get a bigger box that includes a kraft paper info card and a recycled paper-based sticker!
Eco-Friendly Solutions are the Only Solution
When it comes to buying soap from Gage’s Natural Deodorizers, you can rest easy knowing I prioritize you and our planet's health. From sourcing ingredients to shipping soap right to your door, nothing escapes close inspection of where it came from and where it's going next. You get the best soap, packaged the best way, shipped to your door in the most eco-friendly way possible.
Finishing reading this article means you're environmentally conscious and on the right track to grounding yourself. For that, enjoy $5 off your next order with promo code 5OFF.