What Unisoap does

Unisoap is a French non-profit association (Association de loi 1901) founded in 2017 and headquartered in Caluire et Cuire, France, that operates a circular-economy model for hygiene products. The organization collects partially-used soaps from a network of 520+ partner hotels across France, Belgium, Italy, and Spain, recycles them into new soap bars, and distributes them to vulnerable populations via partner associations. Since 2021, it has expanded its collection activities to include unsold cosmetics from manufacturers, broadening the product surface beyond hotel soap.

The company operates with a small team of 1-10 employees and outsources soap processing to ESAT (Établissement et Service d'Aide par le Travail) work-integration facilities, with partnership with ESAT Les Ateliers Denis-Cordonnier having created 50+ jobs for disabled workers. To date, Unisoap has collected 25 tonnes of soap and helped approximately 310,000 people. Its operations have earned recognition through Clef Verte (Green Key) certification listing, M6 television coverage, and corporate support from the L'Oréal Fund for Women, with 50 corporate partners in total.

Unisoap operates a donation-based revenue model combining three streams: financial contributions from corporate partners (60% tax deductible under French law), product donations from manufacturers, and solidarity contributions from beneficiary associations covering 5-20% of market value. Tiered sponsorship packages range from €1,500 (210 soaps) to €6,000 (500 hygiene kits), with transport fees starting at €100. The organization also runs an online solidarity platform listing 200,000+ products, which serves as a digital distribution channel in addition to traditional association partnerships.

Name

Unisoap

Legal name

Association UNISOAP

Website

https://www.unisoap.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

French non-profit that collects used soaps from 520+ hotel partners across France, Belgium, Italy, and Spain, recycles them into new bars, and distributes to vulnerable populations while employing disabled workers through ESAT partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Soap recycling and hygiene redistribution services

NAICS

Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Intimate & Personal Hygiene Washes (CRABAEAF)

Keywords

• Soap recycling services
• Hotel waste management
• Hygiene product distribution
• Social inclusion programs
• Circular economy cosmetics

Headquarters

HQ city

Briant

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Financial donations from corporate partners: Companies make annual financial donations formalized through sponsorship agreements, with amounts based on room count for hotels or discretionary for corporates. Hotels donate annually based on number of rooms; corporates donate directly, through 1% For The Planet, or via product-share programs. Donations qualify for 60% tax deduction.
2. Product donations from cosmetic/hygiene manufacturers: Manufacturers and brands donate unsold hygiene and cosmetic products (shampoos, toothpaste, creams, etc.) which are redistributed to beneficiary associations. Product donations qualify for 60% tax deduction equivalent to financial donations.
3. Solidarity contribution from beneficiary associations: Partner associations order hygiene products from UNISOAP's online solidarity platform, paying a solidarity contribution (5%-20% of market value) to cover logistics and handling costs. No minimum order. Transport costs start at 100 euros with 10% surcharge on orders over 1,000 euros.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Unisoap collects used solid soaps from partner hotels across France, Belgium, Italy and Spain, recycles them at an inclusive ESAT workshop in the Lyon region into new 50g or 100g bars stamped with the UNISOAP logo, and redistributes them to vulnerable populations through partner charities. Since 2021 the association has also collected unsold hygiene and cosmetic products from manufacturers and assembled hygiene kits for redistribution. The programme is funded through corporate financial donations, product-share programs and 1% For The Planet contributions.

Product overview

Unisoap is a non-profit association ( loi 1901, founded 2017) operating a single integrated programme built around soap and hygiene product recycling and redistribution. Its core product is the Hotel Soap Recycling Programme: collecting used solid soaps from partner hotels, recycling them at an inclusive workshop (ESAT) in Lyon into new 50g or 100g bars, and distributing them to people in need via partner charities. Since 2021, it added an Unsold Cosmetics Collection service — collecting unused hygiene and cosmetic products from manufacturers — which feeds into its online Solidarity Platform, a web catalogue through which partner associations can order recycled soaps and recovered hygiene products. The association also offers a financial-support pathway for companies (direct donations, 1% For The Planet, product-sharing), a hygiene kit programme, and a CSR communication kit for hotel partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hotel Soap Recycling Programme
• Unsold Cosmetics Collection
• Solidarity Online Platform for Beneficiary Associations
• Hygiene Kit Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 25 tonnes of soap collected and diverted from waste
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Les Ateliers Denis-Cordonnier (ESAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe entire soap recycling process — from storage and sorting to cleaning, heating into paste, molding into 50g or 100g bars, and packaging — is carried out at Les Ateliers Denis-Cordonnier, an ESAT (social workshop) in the Lyon region. Workers with disabilities perform all operations, creating meaningful employment and social inclusion.
• Les Restos du CoeurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary beneficiary NGO with a strong national distribution network used to redistribute recycled soaps and hygiene products to the most vulnerable populations across France. UNISOAP's soaps are distributed through their network.
• ESAT La Roue de l'ALGEDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive workshop (ESAT) where workers with disabilities benefit from skill development and integration into the soap waste valorization scheme. UNISOAP's soap recycling provides meaningful employment and societal contribution for these workers.
• Laboratoires Pierre FabremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDermo-cosmetic manufacturer donating unsold products (shampoos, toothpaste, creams) and including UNISOAP recycled soaps in hygiene kits assembled for vulnerable populations in Tarn. Regular product donations support ongoing distribution.
• Clef Verte (Green Key)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNISOAP is officially listed in the Clef Verte (Green Key) catalog, helping hotels satisfy Criterion 4 (environmental policy) and Criterion 92 (waste management). Donation agreements and annual collection reports serve as certification proof. This partnership is key to hotel acquisition as it provides direct certification value.
• UMIH (Union des Métiers et des Industries de l'Hôtellerie)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor French hotel industry union, listed as a supporter of UNISOAP acting at the heart of the hotel ecosystem.
• Strategie HôtelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHotel strategy platform supporting UNISOAP's action within the hospitality ecosystem.
• SolikendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResponsible tourism label/network supporting UNISOAP's initiative as part of the sustainable hospitality ecosystem.
• ClorofilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEco-label/organization listed as a supporter of UNISOAP within the hospitality ecosystem.
• CadhiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospitality/destination organization supporting UNISOAP's sustainable hotel initiatives.
• DIFT (Donation platform)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPre-funded donation platform through which companies can offer pre-funded donations to their customers or employees to support UNISOAP, enabling easy solidarity gifting.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Clean the World: Clean the World is the largest and longest-running nonprofit recycling hotel soaps into new bars for humanitarian distribution, running the same collection-recycle-redistribute operating model as UNISOAP. It is the closest global category peer, with overlapping value proposition and target stakeholder groups (hotels, corporate donors, beneficiary NGOs).

Regional players

• Soap Aid: Australian-founded nonprofit recycling partially-used hotel soaps and distributing them to vulnerable communities across Asia-Pacific. Operates an identical soap-recycling-for-hygiene-access model to UNISOAP, but anchored to a different regional hotel and donor base.
• Global Soap Project: US-based nonprofit founded by a former hotel executive to collect partially-used hotel soaps for reprocessing and redistribution to developing countries. Directly comparable on product, mission, and stakeholder model, but operates in North America rather than Europe.
• Eco-Soap Bank: Cambodia-headquartered social enterprise that employs disadvantaged women to recycle hotel soaps and distributes them across Southeast Asia. Closely comparable on product, mission, and inclusive-employment operating model; differs by Asian hospitality market focus.
• Soap Cycling: Hong Kong-based nonprofit collecting and reprocessing used hotel amenities, including soaps, for redistribution across Asia. Comparable category peer with the same recycling-for-hygiene-access value proposition as UNISOAP, but concentrated in Asia-Pacific hotel supply chains.

Broad incumbents

• TerraCycle: International recycling social enterprise operating broad "difficult-to-recycle" collection programs across many product categories, including personal care. Comparable as a larger, broader-impact recycling-for-good incumbent that overlaps with UNISOAP's hygiene-product category.
• SC Johnson: Global consumer products company manufacturing cleaning, laundry, and personal care brands, with extensive CSR/sustainability programs around soap and hygiene. Comparable as the broader incumbent in the consumer cleaning-products space where UNISOAP operates its hospitality channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unisoapfrance
• Facebookfacebook.com/unisoapfrance.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unisoap
• Instagraminstagram.com/unisoap.france

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unisoap