Johan Harsa
IPMI International Business School
Amelia Naim Indrajaya
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The Soap Corner is a private company founded in 2013. It is also a local Indonesian brand that makes and sells natural soaps and skincare products. Most of the basic ingredients of the products are made from oil and butter so they can help to moisturize the skin. The products are environmentally friendly and safe to use for sensitive skin because the products do not contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or detergents, parabens, and other harmful chemicals.
The commercial soaps that are commonly used and available in the stores actually contain many chemical additives that are damaging not only to our environment and aquatic system, but also for our skin. The chemical additives can contain perfumes and fragrances that can irritate sensitive skin.
Other studies also have shown that chemicals used in commercial soap can also cause skin disease, cancer, birth defects, and also liver damage in animal testing.
In the end, we use soap to clean ourselves and rinse all the chemicals into our water system, causing harm to our water system and its living creatures.
With all the above concerns, The Soap Corner tried to produce soap products made from natural ingredients that are not only good for our skin, but also for the environment. More than that, The Soap Corner also proves that natural soap can also have a good smell. In fact, The Soap Corner is the first soap maker in Indonesia that offers a wide selection of fragrances for soap and perfume. You can choose the best fragrance for yourself.
In addition to making a natural soap that is very environmentally friendly and good for the skin, The Soap Corner realizes that it is not enough just to make profit from a good business. In Indonesia there are so many people who are not aware of the importance of using natural soap for skin care; in order to promote the importance of using natural soap, The Soap Corner also opened a tutorial class on how to make a natural soap. It is the form of a gift economy, where you don't keep good business that brings good to people and the environment just for yourself; it needs to be shared. People need to be educated that it is the better way of taking care of your skin, the better way of using soap to clean your body--not just for yourself, but also for others.
Peter Sanusi, the owner of the soap corner, he said that "If you care for the environment, you can start by taking care of yourself."
Overall we believe that The Soap Corner offers something different than other businesses. It opens people's minds about the good of using natural skin care products. It also proves that being natural can also be attractive. The variety of products keeps on increasing, from soap bars to fragrance oils for dry skin, oily skin, and also babies. It brings skin care to a whole new level, where people can be clean and healthy. People can also save the Earth by starting with themselves.
The business has grown so much; customers keep visiting the website and shop. The numbers keep increasing, reaching more than a thousand customers each month.
Interest also comes from the soap-making class, where the number of subscribers is also increasing.
Since 2013, Peter Sanusi and Erika Juniarti, the owners of The Soap Corner, have been interviewed and attended some public events. They also conduct workshops and training. The response has been very positive, and more people are aware of the importance of using the products.
Apart from the products themselves, they also buy most of the natural ingredients from local farmers and sellers.
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