Soap nuts are known worldwide by many names such as soapnuts, soapberry, washing nuts, soap nut shells, wash shells, soapberry nut husk, Ritha (Hindi) nut shell, Chinese soapberry and many more.
Very simply, soap nuts are the dried shells (or husks) from the soapberry (or soap berry nut). These berries are the fruit from a quite unique tree species.
These shells contain a substance called saponin that produces a soaping effect.
Saponin is a 100% natural alternative to chemical laundry detergent and cleansers. It can replace many chemical detergents such as those containing sodium laureth sulphate (SLS) that are becoming well known by consumers for being a skin irritant and health hazard.
Soap nuts have been used for centuries throughout the world as a laundry detergent, as soap for personal hygiene, and as a cleanser with a plethora of other uses.
It is most commonly used in India, China, parts of Europe and numerous countries in the eastern hemisphere. There is even a species, Quillaja Saponaria (called a soap bark tree) that grows in South America.
However, only in recent years has the soap nut and its many benefits made its way to the shores of the U.S.
I ordered some soap nuts and tried them as soon as they arrived. And I loved how nice my laundry felt and how clean it smelled.
Now I use eco-friendly laundry detergent, but I love simple solutions and using soap nuts is the ultimate simple laundry cleansing solution.
Just putting a few soap nuts in a muslin bag and then throwing it into the wash was so easy and nothing extra was going down the drain, and now that I am ordering my soap nuts from Naturoli there isn’t even any packaging waste.
They come in a muslin bag, so there is no plastic bag or bottle or even cardboard to recyle.
But the really cool thing is that you can make a liquid soap from the nuts too.
I tried this and used it as a shampoo and soap and it was wonderful. My scalp felt great and my hair had more volume and there wasn’t any irritation using the soap liquid as a body wash.
Another great thing that happened is that my husband had a few nice cotton sleep tops that he had decided to get rid of because they itched.
I think they had gotten washed by accident in the stronger detergent we use to clean our carpet cleaning towels, and even with subsequent washes in my eco-friendly detergent the tops were still itchy.
So I threw them in with the soap nuts, and after one wash they were fine and he was able to wear them again!
How to Get Started with a Soap Nuts Business
Now soap nuts are a virtually untapped business in the US, and if you would love to be part of making a difference in the health of people and our planet, you could be part of the soap nuts revolution.
There are a number of ways you could explore to sell soap nuts.
But first you have to source them in order to have soap nuts to sell.
You could try and find a wholesale supplier from India, but the
Naturoli Resellers Program
offers everything you need to get started including:
*Quick availability of quality US soap nuts inventory.
*NaturOli Nuts brand soap nuts or private labeling.
*Raw soap nuts, powder and liquid forms available.
*Custom sapindus formulations.
*Creative and design services.
*Marketing services.
*Drop ship and fulfillment services.
*Reporting and accounting services.
*Complete packaging and materials production services.
*Web site development and optimization.
*Unique and effective private domains available.
*Soap nuts affiliate programs.
*Referral programs.
Now marketing your soap nuts business is only limited by your creativity and motivation.
There are a number of ways you could start, but one of the first things you should do is
build a website.
Fill it with lots of content about soap nuts and the benefits of using them.
And then have an online store to sell your soap nuts products.
That way you not only can build your business on the internet, but all the offline customers you cultivate will have a place to easily reorder product without having to contact you directly every time they need a new supply.
A great example of a website and company that has really developed the potential of this business idea is
Maggies Pure Land.
Maggie’s is probably the most well known soap nuts brand. They are even available on Amazon!
You could also expand your online store by offering other soap nuts products you create or have created for you, such as skin care and special types of cleaning products.
And you could grow your store and online presence even further by offering other great eco-friendly products related to this niche.
Think about products you could source and add to your store such as natural oxygen bleach, natural fibers towels, baby friendly cleaning products, luxury eco-friendly skin care items like spa mitts or loofahs, and whatever else you can think of.
You could get the world out locally through friends and family, by printing and distributing flyers and brochures, and by exhibiting at local health fairs, flea markets, farmers markets and craft fairs.
You could even host a form of the “Tupperware party” by having a group of friends over and having a soap nuts info night.
Contact any eco-friendly businesses in your area and let them know about your little soap nuts company, perhaps they will let you supply their businesses.
Use some of the other marketing tips I have written about in my article
How To Promote Your Business,
such as speaking to local groups like a mom’s club, or donating some product to a local fundraiser.
I think the potential and possibility with this business idea is fantastic!
