Welsh luxury skincare company The Goodwash Company, in collaboration with the charity The Hygiene Bank, has embarked on a unique project to raise awareness about hygiene poverty in the UK. The project aims to highlight the difficult choice some people are forced to make between eating and basic hygiene by creating an edible soap.
The Goodwash Company CEO and co-founder Mandy Powell sought assistance to bring this innovative idea to life and connected with Agor Innovation, a support project based at the School of Management. Agor Innovation acts as a bridge between industry and academia, offering support for research, development, and innovation projects.
Harrison Rees, Innovation Officer at Agor Innovation, recounted how Mandy pitched the concept of The Edible Soap to them. He said, “Mandy was told we were a team that could work with Welsh organizations on research, development, and innovation projects, and when she first pitched us the idea of The Edible Soap, we were all in.” He explained that the project was inspired by the hygiene poverty crisis in the UK, where people often must choose between affording basic toiletries or food.
The Hygiene Bank indicates that over 4.2 million people in the UK suffer from the inability to afford basic toiletries. The Edible Soap, which is intended to taste like a common family meal, was created not just for its functionality but also to draw attention to hygiene poverty, raise donations for affected individuals, and advocate for the removal of VAT on hygiene products.
For product development, Harrison Rees and Agor Innovation Marketing Manager Adam Fairbank collaborated with The Food Centre Wales. They explored various flavors including breakfast bar oats, chicken tikka masala, and apple crumble, but decided on beans on toast due to its familiarity among British consumers.
Goodwash finalized the recipe using ingredients such as cacao butter, organic oat flour, avocado oil, and paprika, all combining to create the beans and toast flavor. All virtual sales profits are directed to The Hygiene Bank.
The launch of the soap has seen it featured in Michelin-starred London restaurants and on media outlets. Rees mentioned potential future uses of the soap at Swansea University campuses and emphasized the ongoing collaboration with The Goodwash Company. He stated, “We are currently exploring a potential knowledge transfer partnership for the creation of new products and packaging systems and are making joint grant applications for future Welsh-based, societally beneficial projects.”
Mandy Powell expressed excitement about future collaborations with Swansea University, especially in areas of sustainability improvements and organic ingredient development for their Welsh-produced goods.
The campaign aims to demonstrate that one in 12 UK adults struggle with affording a simple evening meal or basic toiletries. The campaign encourages purchasing a virtual soap bar for £15, equivalent to the average yearly cost of soap for one person, as a means to contribute to the cause.