As the owners of Indochine Natural and producing handmade natural soap we have a keen interest in using eco-friendly products in every aspect of our life, and also using products that do not add to our body toxic load. While we are able to bathe in our Indochine Natural soap products confident that these are 100% biodegradable plus chemical and toxin free, the supermarket dishwashing detergent that we use every day was always of concern. Added to this, as we both have very sensitive skin these detergents have always been a source of skin irritation.

We were therefore delighted one day to come across a handicraft stall in Penang (Malaysia) selling dish wash soap produced from recycled cooking oil. As it turned out this was being produced by a group of intellectually disabled in a rural area on the other side of Penang Island. We were immediately interested, and arranged to meet with the facilitators of this group which is known as the Stepping Stone Centre, whose goal is to provide a work place for people with special needs. By providing work for members with intellectual disabilities, the Centre provides a stepping-stone for improved economic independence and greater acceptance in the broader community.

On visiting the Stepping Centre and seeing how their dish wash soap was produced it became obvious that there were some limitations with their soap-making recipe, plus their production capacity was very limited. In keeping with our Fair Trade principles, we started working with the Stepping Stone Centre with the objective of improving the quality and production capacity of their dish wash soap. After a number of visits spread over a few months, plus some work we did on accessing better quality and priced raw materials, the Stepping Stone Members reached a position where the product could be produced in commercially viable numbers and quality.

The dish wash soap is made entirely from recycled cooking oil, which the group collects from local restaurants. This oil is saponified (converted into soap) with the addition of a strong alkali to which 100% natural essential oil is added to provide the fragrance. After the soap has set, it is left to cure for about 30 days before being packaged. This dish wash soap has excellent cleaning properties, can be used in cold water, is long lasting, and 100% biodegradable. Experience has also proved it to be an excellent stain remover from clothing.

The next step was to explore packaging and markets for this new product, and it was decided to package under our own Indochine Natural label and include our dish wash loofah that we grow under Fair Trade conditions in Viet Nam.

Since inception, the product has been exported to Japan and the USA. For us this is an excellent product that combines elements of recycling, eco-friendliness, Fair Trade, and healthy living. For consumers the product provides a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to commercial dishwashing liquids, plus provides income and improved self-esteem to this group of intellectually disabled.