“More than 24,000 children die every day from preventable causes. One in eight of those deaths could be prevented with soap and clean water. You buy. Together, we give. It starts today.” — From SoapBox Soaps' crowdfunding video.
Founded in 2010 by David Simnick and Daniel Doll, SoapBox Soaps was created around a simple idea, “Soap Equals Hope,” and a powerful business model dictating that for every purchase made, SoapBox Soaps will donate a bar of soap, a year of vitamins (with partner, Vitamin Angels) or a month’s supply of clean water (with partner RainCatcher) to a child in need. A model mirrored by other mission-driven enterprises including TOMS, Plum Organics and Bombas Socks and that, so far, has generated donations from Soapbox in over 120 countries around the world, including the United States.
“Each product in our three lines — bar soap, body wash and hand soap — has a social mission at its core. We specifically tailor partnerships between the social mission and the NGO partners to align with the product quality standards we go out to market with,” said David Simnick, after his company’s recent win of the NEXT Accelerator Pitch-Slam event at this year’s Natural Products Expo West.
Co-founder Daniel pointed out that first-time SoapBox soap buyers are first compelled to buy in support of the company’s social mission. But they come back for repeat purchases because they find that SoapBox Soaps are of higher quality and more aesthetically pleasing than any products they were using before. Clearly, scalability of this mission is fueled by the irresistibility of the product that funds it.
Whenever possible, SoapBox Soaps works with soap makers in the same developing countries where they donate soap, thus building a system of empowerment, rather than one that creates the need for perpetual aid. In many cases, a portion of that locally made soap is sold on the open market at an affordable price to support the soap-making operation. Another portion is then often donated to nonprofit and faith-based organizations that give soap to refugees, orphanages and individuals in need.
These organizations have the local relationships that help them be extremely effective in finding and helping the underserved. The partnership with SoapBox Soaps also enhances programs these NGOs already have in place for educating families and school-aged children about the importance of hand-washing for preventing disease and early death.
SoapBox Soaps is working hard to make sure that all people, both here at home and around the world, have proper access to hygiene to ensure they enjoy longer, healthier lives, and reminds you to thank yourselves for the important part you play in making this incredible dream come true.
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