The Hygiene Bank

What The Hygiene Bank does

The Hygiene Bank is a UK-registered charity founded in 2018 and headquartered in Sevenoaks, Kent, that addresses hygiene poverty — the inability to afford basic hygiene products such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, laundry detergent, and period products. The organization reports that 4.2 million UK adults and 3 million children are affected by hygiene poverty, resulting in an estimated 23 million lost school days annually and significant mental health and employment impacts. It does not manufacture or sell products; instead, it operates a charitable redistribution platform that collects donated hygiene products from individuals, retailers, and manufacturers through more than 1,300 drop-off points across the UK, and redistributes them via a network of over 170 volunteer-led local projects to community partners including schools, food banks, youth organizations, community pantries, and shelters.

The underlying operating model is decentralized and volunteer-driven: nearly 600 volunteers sort, store, and distribute donations, while core staff coordinate national partnerships, campaigns, and research. The technology footprint is minimal and non-proprietary — a public website and a Salesforce-based volunteer/community-partner portal — with no disclosed API, mobile application, or data platform. Strategic partnerships anchor the operating model, including long-standing corporate arrangements with Boots and Unilever (the 'You Buy, We Donate' matched-giving campaign, which has delivered 1.8 million products over four years), a three-year 'Breaking the Cycle' schools programme funded by Helium Capital, and a 2025 coalition with In Kind Direct to produce the UK's first Roadmap to End Hygiene Poverty by 2030. Creative advocacy work with Saatchi & Saatchi (the #StopTheSoapTax campaign) extends the model into policy influence targeting VAT on soap.

The revenue model is not commercial: the organization is funded through product donations from brands and retailers, monetary donations from individuals, corporate sponsorships (including Gold Partners such as Cleanology, Boots, and Method), grants from trusts and foundations, and matched-giving campaigns. There is no pricing for end beneficiaries, who receive products free of charge via community partners. Governance is provided by a Board of Trustees (four new Trustees were welcomed in July 2026), with Ruth Brock serving as Chief Executive Officer. The organization is registered as a charity in both England and Wales (1181267) and Scotland (SC049895).

Name

The Hygiene Bank

Legal name

The Hygiene Bank

Website

https://thehygienebank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Hygiene Bank is a UK-registered charity founded in 2018 that collects donated hygiene products through 1,300+ drop-off points and redistributes them via 170+ volunteer-led local projects to community partners serving individuals and families experiencing hygiene poverty.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Services for Hygiene Poverty Relief

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC), WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Emergency Services (BPAGAAAE)

Keywords

• Hygiene poverty relief
• Product donation network
• Charity redistribution services
• Community hygiene projects
• Personal care charity

Headquarters

HQ city

PO Box 639, SEVENOAKS, Kent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Product Donations: The charity receives donated hygiene products from individuals, brands, and manufacturers which are then redistributed to those in need through its network of local projects and Community Partners.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Brand partnerships with companies like Boots, Unilever, and others who provide product donations, matched giving campaigns, and financial support.
3. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals who support the charity's mission to end hygiene poverty in the UK.
4. Trusts and Foundations: Grant funding from charitable trusts and foundations that support the charity's operations and programs.
5. Campaign Partnerships: Joint campaigns like 'You Buy, We Donate' where for every purchase of participating brands, products are donated to The Hygiene Bank.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Hygiene Bank is a UK-registered charity that collects donated hygiene and personal care products from individuals, brands, and retailers through a network of 1,300+ drop-off points and 30+ supermarket partners, then redistributes them via 170+ volunteer-led local projects and 190+ Community Partners (including schools, food banks, hospitals, councils, shelters, and shower projects) to individuals and families experiencing hygiene poverty. It complements direct product distribution with research (Britain's annual Hygiene Poverty report) and policy advocacy such as the #StopTheSoapTax campaign.

Product overview

The Hygiene Bank is a registered charity (1181267/Scotland SC049895) that operates as a charitable service organization rather than a product company. It does not manufacture or sell products. The organization collects donated hygiene and personal care products from the public, companies, manufacturers, and retailers through a network of over 1,300 drop-off points across the UK. These donations are then sorted and distributed through local volunteer-run projects to Community Partners including schools, food banks, and other organizations supporting those in need. The organization has a network of over 170 local projects across the UK, supported by nearly 600 volunteers, and has distributed over 2,000 tonnes of hygiene products. The Hygiene Bank also campaigns for policy changes, including the #StopTheSoapTax campaign to remove VAT on soap.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hygiene Product Donation & Redistribution Programme The flagship service of the charity: a UK-wide collection-and-redistribution programme that aggregates donated toiletries and personal care items and routes them to community-based frontline providers so they can be given, free and with dignity, to people who cannot afford them.
• Corporate Partnership Programme (Charity of the Year, Gold Partnership, Business Buddy, Corporate Volunteering) A packaged offering for businesses that includes Charity of the Year partnership, multi-year Gold Partnership (high-impact brand strategic relationship), smaller-scale Business Buddy sponsorship, and Corporate Volunteering with team-day packages. It is designed to let companies engage as sponsors, employee volunteers, or both with the charity's mission.
• Brand Product Donation Programme A specific service through which brands and retailers (e.g., Boots, Kimberly-Clark, Andrex, Bower Collective, Beauty Without Cruelty) donate hygiene and personal care stock that would otherwise go to waste, channeling it into the charity's distribution network.
• Trusts & Foundations Grants Programme A grant-funded pipeline through which charitable trusts and foundations support the charity's operations, growth, awareness campaigns, and research, distinct from individual or corporate income.
• Hygiene Poverty Research & Advocacy Service An evidence and policy service that produces research (Britain's annual Hygiene Poverty report) and campaigns for systemic change (e.g., #StopTheSoapTax), positioning the charity as a national authority on hygiene poverty.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.2 million adults in the UK are living in hygiene poverty
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• In Kind DirectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2025UK's leading hygiene charity partnership to create the first Roadmap to End Hygiene Poverty by 2030. Coalition aims to measure, map, and solve hygiene poverty through collaboration with government, businesses, and communities. Joint National Hygiene Week activities and landmark lighting events across the UK.
• BootscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2025Long-standing partnership with Boots for the annual 'You Buy, We Donate' campaign where Boots customers' purchases of participating brands are matched with product donations to The Hygiene Bank. Over four years, the partnership has delivered 1.8 million hygiene products to people across the UK.
• UnilevercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2025Corporate partner providing matched product donations through Boots campaign with brands including Dove, TRESemmé, Sure, Lynx, Radox, Shea Moisture, Simple, and Vaseline. Unilever has pledged at least 315,000 items during the 2025 campaign period and has delivered 1.8 million products over four years.
• Ashley JamessupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2025Broadcaster and DJ partnering with The Hygiene Bank to raise awareness of hygiene poverty affecting families across the UK, sharing personal connection to the issue through previous work with a baby bank.
• Helium CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2025Three-year partnership to tackle hygiene poverty in Ealing schools. The 'Breaking the Cycle' program works with Multi-Academy Trusts and maintained schools to provide consistent access to hygiene products for pupils and families. Helium Capital founder Shamir Dawood serves as ambassador for The Hygiene Bank.
• Saatchi & SaatchisupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2025Advertising agency created the #StopTheSoapTax campaign including the 'This is not a product. This is a protest.' edible soap protest concept to highlight the impossible choices faced by those in hygiene poverty.
• CleanologysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 February 2025Office and commercial cleaning company awarded Gold Partnership status by The Hygiene Bank in recognition of four years of support. Cleanology has raised over £117,000 for the charity and helps promote the cause within the Cleaning & Facilities Management industry.
• blue self storagesupportingOthersStorage provider offering round-the-clock access to a storage unit for The Hygiene Bank Cardiff, enabling the project to receive and store large donations from corporate partners including Unilever and Boots.
• smolcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing partnership working to end hygiene poverty through product donations and the Suds in Schools programme. smol created a free Hygiene Poverty Resource for Teachers in collaboration with The Hygiene Bank. Has provided ongoing product donations and support across UK communities.
• Fun SoapssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSmall business donating colourful, fruit- and flower-shaped soaps to The Hygiene Bank. Founder Sam Barroso's personal experience with hygiene poverty shaped the mission to make hygiene uplifting and accessible.
• The Young Lives Foundation (YLF)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKent's Mental Health Charity of the Year 2024, supporting over 2,000 young people aged 8-25 annually. Receives hygiene product donations from THB Medway for distribution to young people in their care including care leavers.
• MethodsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCleaning products brand partner holding Gold Partnership status with The Hygiene Bank alongside Boots.
• The Halo CollectivesupportingOthersAlliance of organizations working to create a future without hair discrimination. The Hygiene Bank has adopted The Halo Code, a gender-neutral policy protecting Afro-textured hairstyles in the workplace.
• NAHTsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool leaders' union collaborated on the development of the Hygiene Poverty Resource for Teachers, providing input on how schools can respond to hygiene poverty with compassion while following safeguarding procedures.
• University of East LondonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademics from Primary and Early Years PGCE programme including Professor Sam Wass, Anna Gawthorpe and Alice Reedy co-authored the Hygiene Poverty Resource for Teachers.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FareShare: UK charity redistributing surplus food to a network of frontline organizations. Operates a structurally similar model — sourcing donated products from corporates and redistributing via a partner charity network — though focused on food rather than hygiene.
• The Trussell Trust: Largest UK food bank network, addressing food poverty through a similar volunteer-led, community-partner distribution model. Comparable in scale and beneficiary overlap (hygiene poverty is often co-present with food poverty) but operates a broader food-focused mission.
• Salvation Army UK: Large UK charity providing social support including emergency aid, food, and household essentials to people in crisis. Operates similar Community Partner-style distribution at significant scale, with a broader welfare mission encompassing hygiene provision.

Others

• Child Poverty Action Group: UK charity focused on research, advocacy, and policy to reduce child poverty — the structural driver of hygiene poverty that The Hygiene Bank addresses with direct relief. Comparable advocacy/research capability and overlap on the #StopTheSoapTax policy agenda.

Direct peers

• Beauty Banks: UK charity collecting and distributing donated toiletries and beauty products to people in poverty. The most direct competitor in hygiene poverty relief, with overlapping corporate partners and beneficiary base, though smaller in scale.
• In Kind Direct: UK charity that redistributes consumer goods (including hygiene and personal care products) from manufacturers to a network of frontline charities. Direct peer — partnered with The Hygiene Bank on the Roadmap to End Hygiene Poverty by 2030 and operates a similar redistribution model, with overlapping corporate donor ecosystem.
• Baby Bank UK (Baby Basics UK): UK network of baby banks redistributing donated toiletries, nappies, and hygiene essentials to families in need. Closely comparable operating model (donor drop-offs, volunteer-led redistribution, Community Partner delivery) focused on a specific beneficiary subset.

Emerging players

• The Period Poverty Project / Freedom4Girls: UK charities focused specifically on period product poverty — a sub-segment of hygiene poverty that The Hygiene Bank also addresses through its product mix. Smaller scale but directly overlapping mission and corporate donor base.
• Community Shop / The Bread and Butter Thing: UK organizations running community pantries that supplement food with household essentials for low-income families. Comparable beneficiary focus and distribution-through-trusted-community-channels model, though with a broader offering.

Regional players

• Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN): UK-wide network of independent food banks that increasingly bundle hygiene products with food parcels. Overlapping beneficiary base and community-partner distribution channels, but food-led rather than hygiene-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/thehygienebank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-hygiene-bank
• Instagraminstagram.com/thehygienebank

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Hygiene Bank