Access to soap should never be out of reach for the organizations working to protect health, dignity, and wellbeing in their communities.

That belief is at the heart of Eco-Soap Bank’s partnership with Simply the Basics, a U.S.-based health and hygiene nonprofit working to make hygiene more equitable, accessible, and dignified for people experiencing homelessness and low-income communities.

Through this partnership, Eco-Soap Bank is proud to help provide affordable soap supplies to members of the Simply the Basics Hygiene Bank Association™, an alliance of nonprofit and community hygiene programs working together to improve access to essential hygiene products.

About Simply the Basics

The mission of Simply the Basics is to provide for people, communities, and nonprofit organizations their most basic hygiene needs with dignity so that they can focus on greater goals. 

Their work recognizes hygiene as a public health issue. For people and families facing limited income, housing instability, or homelessness, everyday items like soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and menstrual care products can become difficult to afford. When those products are missing, the impact goes beyond cleanliness. It can affect physical health, mental health, confidence, social connection, and the ability to participate fully in daily life.

Simply the Basics addresses this need through hygiene distribution, nonprofit partnerships, hygiene markets, bulk supplies, and the Hygiene Bank Association™, a growing network of organizations committed to improving hygiene access in their own communities.

Supporting the Organizations Doing the Work

Hygiene banks and community-based organizations are often on the front lines of public health, but access to reliable, affordable hygiene products can be a challenge.

That’s where this partnership comes in.

By working with Simply the Basics, Eco-Soap Bank can help make affordable soap available to Hygiene Bank Association™ members. This gives community organizations another dependable way to source one of the most essential hygiene items: bar soap.

For Eco-Soap Bank, this partnership is a natural extension of our mission. We recycle surplus soap into new bars that help expand access to hygiene, reduce waste, and support women’s employment through our recycling hubs. Simply the Basics brings together a network of organizations committed to distributing hygiene products with dignity and consistency.

Together, we are helping soap reach the people and programs that need it most.

Why Soap Matters

Soap is simple, but its impact is far-reaching.

A bar of soap can help prevent the spread of illness and restore a sense of dignity during difficult circumstances. Soap is one of the basic supplies that is always needed and reliable access matters. One-time donations can help, but sustained hygiene access requires dependable systems, strong partnerships, and supply channels that organizations can count on.

That is why we are grateful to support the Hygiene Bank Association™ through Simply the Basics. Their model brings hygiene-focused organizations together to share resources, strengthen operations, and improve access across communities.

Shared Values, Shared Impact

Eco-Soap Bank and Simply the Basics share a belief that hygiene access is essential to health and dignity.

We also share a commitment to making existing resources go further. Simply the Basics works to reduce waste by redistributing surplus hygiene products where they are needed. Eco-Soap Bank gives surplus soap a second life by recycling it into new bars for communities with limited access.

Both models are built around a practical idea: usable resources should not go to waste when people still need them.

Through this partnership, recycled soap can support hygiene banks and community organizations across the country, helping them stretch their budgets and continue serving their neighbors with care.

Building a More Accessible Hygiene System

No single organization can solve hygiene insecurity alone. It takes manufacturers, recyclers, hygiene banks, nonprofits, donors, and community partners working together to build a stronger system.

Eco-Soap Bank is proud to partner with Simply the Basics in that effort.

By providing affordable soap supplies to Hygiene Bank Association™ members, we are helping expand access to an essential product while supporting organizations already doing trusted, community-centered work.

We are grateful for Simply the Basics and the Hygiene Bank Association™ members who make hygiene access possible every day.

To learn more about Simply the Basics, visit simplythebasics.org.

To learn more about Eco-Soap Bank’s affordable soap options for nonprofits and community organizations, visit our Request Soap page.

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