I’m developing a refillable soap system to cut plastic waste and reduce shipping emissions.
How it works:
• You purchase a starter kit that includes a durable bottle, a reusable lid, and the first refill cylinder.
• The refill cylinder screws into the underside of the lid and sits close to the inner wall of the bottle, following its contour.
• The cylinder contains concentrated soap set in an agar-based spiral channel.
• Add tap water, screw on the lid, and the soap diffuses through the spiral until the water reaches the right strength.
• Each cylinder provides about five refills of hand soap (possibly more for more-dilute soaps).
• When it’s empty, you keep the bottle and lid and simply replace the cylinder, which can be returned for recycling.
Why this matters:
Liquid hand soap is mostly water, so shipping it means shipping water you already have at home. By concentrating the soap and refilling with tap water, we can cut plastic waste and transport emissions, while keeping costs competitive.