Soap Aid Ltd
Soap Aid Ltd is an Australian registered charity that collects discarded bar soap from hotels and FIFO camps in Australia and New Zealand, reprocesses it into new hygienic bars, and distributes them free to vulnerable communities globally through NGO and government partners, funded by accommodation subscriptions, donations, and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersMoorabbin, Australia
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Soap Aid Ltd does
Soap Aid Ltd is an Australian-registered charity and social enterprise founded by Mike Matulick that operates a circular-economy soap recycling business. The organisation collects partially used bar soap from accommodation providers across Australia and New Zealand and reprocesses it in its Dandenong, Victoria plant using proprietary equipment that sorts, cleans, crushes, filters, heats, and blends the soap into soap noodles, which are then formed into new hygienic bars branded as Healthy Hands. The recycled bars are distributed free of charge to vulnerable communities globally through a network of NGO and government partners, accompanied by hygiene-education messaging.
The company's commercial activity is structured around two subscription programmes: Hotel to Hands, which charges accommodation providers $7.50 AUD plus GST per room per annum for a logistics, training, and reporting package including 12 collections per year; and Camp to Community, a parallel subscription for fly-in fly-out mining and resources-sector camps, developed in partnership with Woollahra Group. Anchor enterprise partners include Sodexo, Rio Tinto, Choice Hotels Asia-Pac, and Quest Geelong Central, while downstream distribution is handled by organisations such as World Vision, Eco-Soap Bank, Watoto, Caring for Cambodia, Surf Aid, and WA Country Health Service. Additional revenue comes from tax-deductible individual donations and philanthropic grants.
Soap Aid is governed by a volunteer board and supported by a lean paid team of one full-time and two part-time staff backed by more than 60 volunteers. The organisation holds ACNC Registered Charity status and reports cumulative impact of 400+ tonnes of soap diverted from landfill and 4M+ bars distributed, supplying over 633,000 children and adults with 12 months of soap. Distribution has reached communities in the Pacific, Asia, Africa, and Europe, although collection operations remain concentrated in Australia and New Zealand.
Soap Aid Ltd firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Soap Aid Ltd
- Legal name
- Soap Aid Ltd
- Website
- https://www.soapaid.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Soap Aid Ltd is an Australian registered charity that collects discarded bar soap from hotels and FIFO camps in Australia and New Zealand, reprocesses it into new hygienic bars, and distributes them free to vulnerable communities globally through NGO and government partners, funded by accommodation subscriptions, donations, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Soap Aid Ltd industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste Recycling and Humanitarian Aid Services
- SIC
- Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Emergency Services (BPAGAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Eco Laundry Add-on & Linen Service (Fragrance-free/Non-toxic) (HSAEAGAK)
Keywords
Where Soap Aid Ltd is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moorabbin
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Soap Aid Ltd business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hotel to Hands Programme Subscription: Annual subscription fee based on number of rooms for accommodation providers to participate in the soap recycling programme. The subscription covers costs of freight, administration, recycling operations, and website maintenance. As a registered charity and social enterprise, profits are reinvested rather than distributed to shareholders.
- Camp to Community Programme Subscription: Annual subscription fee for FIFO accommodation sites based on number of rooms/dongers. Similar to Hotel to Hands, subscription covers freight, administration, and recycling operations for resources sector partnerships.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organisations. Single and monthly donation options available ($24, $48, $96 preset amounts). Donations support soap recycling and distribution operations.
- Philanthropic Grants: Funding received from philanthropic and government partners to support operations and soap distribution to communities in need.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual subscription for accommodation providers: $7.50 AUD + GST per room per annum |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Individual donations: $24, $48, $96 preset amounts or custom amount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Soap Aid Ltd product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Soap Aid Ltd collects partially-used soap bars discarded by hotels, resorts, and FIFO accommodation facilities in Australia and New Zealand, then sorts, cleans, crushes, filters, heats, and blends them into soap noodles using proprietary reprocessing equipment at its Dandenong plant. The recycled soap is remanufactured into hygienic bars (branded Healthy Hands) and distributed free of charge to vulnerable communities globally through NGO and government partners alongside hygiene education. Revenue is generated through accommodation-partner annual subscriptions (Hotel to Hands and Camp to Community programmes) and tax-deductible donations and grants.
Product overview
Soap Aid Ltd operates two core circular economy programmes: the Hotel to Hands Programme targeting traditional accommodation providers, and the Camp to Community Programme targeting FIFO accommodation in the resources sector. Both operate on a subscription model where accommodation partners pay annual fees based on room count in exchange for access to an online logistics dashboard, training resources, marketing materials, and freight solutions. Soap Aid collects discarded soap, recycles it into new hygienic bars (branded as Healthy Hands Soap Bars), and distributes them free to vulnerable communities globally along with hygiene education. The organization also accepts direct donations from individuals, which are tax-deductible in Australia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hotel to Hands Programme Soap Aid's flagship circular economy soap recycling subscription programme for accommodation providers. Hotels pay an annual subscription of $7.50 AUD + GST per room and receive access to an online dashboard, 12 freight collections per annum, training materials, marketing collateral, tent cards, in-room video, and impact reports for collecting and recycling their discarded bar soap.
- Camp to Community Programme A circular-economy soap recycling programme developed for resources sector FIFO (Fly-In Fly-Out) accommodation. Mining and resource companies subscribe annually based on rooms/dongers to divert bar soap from landfill, with Soap Aid providing freight tailored to remote regional locations and recycling the collected soap into hygienic bars for distribution to vulnerable communities.
- Soap Aid Healthy Hands Soap Bars Recycled soap bars produced from reprocessed accommodation waste soap using Soap Aid's proprietary circular-economy process. Distributed free of charge to vulnerable communities alongside hygiene education programmes to encourage handwashing with soap.
- Soap Aid Amenities (Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Lotion, Body Wash, Hard Soap Bars) Soap Aid branded hospitality amenities (shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, body wash, and hard soap bars) sold through corporate sponsor Hunter Amenities to accommodation providers, with the consumed soap returned for recycling into the circular-economy programme.
- Donations Programme Direct monetary donations from individuals and organisations via the Soap Aid website. Options include one-time donations ($24, $48, $96 presets or custom amount) or monthly recurring gifts; donations over $2 are tax-deductible in Australia and fund soap recycling operations and humanitarian distribution.
Quantifiable outcome
- Handwashing with soap reduces over 40% of diarrhoea cases
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Soap Aid Ltd
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Soap Aid Ltd technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
Soap Aid Ltd partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Woollahra Groupcore100% Indigenous Owned manufacturer and distributor of cleaning, janitorial and hygiene products. Partners with Soap Aid to implement Camp to Community programme to the resources sector. Woollahra distributes Soap Aid's Healthy Hands soap bars and amenities to FIFO accommodation facilities around Australia, with waste soap returned for recycling via reused laundry buckets.
- SodexocoreCamp to Community Champion providing FIFO accommodation services. Supports soap recycling initiative by diverting bar soap waste from their accommodation facilities for recycling into lifesaving soap bars.
- Rio TintocoreCamp to Community Champion in the resources sector. Partners with Soap Aid to support sustainable waste management and humanitarian impact through their FIFO accommodation facilities.
- Eco-Soap BankcoreCommunity impact partner working directly with communities to promote handwashing with soap and improve health outcomes through distribution of recycled soap bars.
- WA Country Health ServicecoreGovernment health service partner delivering the Squeaky Clean Kids (SCK) health promotion programme to eradicate trachoma in 63 remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia. Soap Aid provides over one million bars of hard soap to support this initiative.
- WatotocoreCommunity impact partner distributing recycled soap to communities they serve, focusing on improving hygiene and health outcomes.
- Caring for CambodiacoreEducation-focused community impact partner using soap distribution to support schools and communities in Cambodia with hygiene education.
- Surf AidcoreCommunity impact partner delivering hygiene programmes to remote and underserved communities.
- World VisioncoreInternational NGO partner providing post-disaster relief soap distribution. Has received Soap Aid soap for disaster recovery in Fiji, Vanuatu, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mali.
- Hunter AmenitiescoreCorporate sponsor providing Soap Aid amenities (Shampoo, Conditioner, body lotion, body wash and hard soap bars) available for purchase, supporting the circular economy model.
- Days for Girls FoundationminorWomen's empowerment partnership providing soap for hygiene kits for girls, supporting menstrual health and enabling girls to remain in school.
- Matato FoundationminorWomen's empowerment partnership providing soap for hygiene kits supporting girls' health and education outcomes.
- Katherine West Health BoardcoreAboriginal community health organisation distributing soap to support hygiene programmes in their service areas.
- Miwatj Health Aboriginal CorporationcoreAboriginal community health organisation supporting hygiene and health programmes through soap distribution.
- Nirrumbuk Environmental Health and Services Pty LtdcoreEnvironmental health services provider supporting hygiene programmes in Aboriginal communities.
- Nindillingarri Cultural Health ServicescoreCultural health service in Fitzroy Crossing supporting hygiene education and soap distribution.
- Big Group HugcoreCommunity organisation distributing soap to support families and children in need.
- Asylum Seeker Resource CentrecoreRefugee support organisation distributing soap to asylum seekers and refugees.
- FoodbankcoreFood relief organisation distributing hygiene products including soap to those in need.
- PinchapoocoreCommunity organisation supporting hygiene access for vulnerable populations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Soap Aid Ltd competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- World Vision International: Large humanitarian NGO that distributes Soap Aid bars post-disaster across multiple countries and operates broader WASH programmes; relevant as both a downstream distribution partner and as a benchmark for non-profit scale and donor reach.
Direct peers
- Sundara Fund: Nonprofit that recycles hotel soap from luxury and mid-scale properties into new bars distributed to communities in India, Jamaica, and other countries; directly comparable soap-recycling mission and hospitality-subscription economics.
- Eco-Soap Bank: Humanitarian social enterprise that reprocesses used hotel soap into new bars for distribution in developing countries; named as a Soap Aid community-impact partner and operates a nearly identical circular-economy model across Asia and Africa.
- Clean the World Foundation: US-based nonprofit that collects and recycles discarded hotel soap into new bars for humanitarian distribution; operates a subscription model similar to Soap Aid's Hotel to Hands Programme and is the most directly comparable peer in mission, model, and customer base.
- Soap Cycling: Hong Kong-based nonprofit social enterprise recycling partially-used soap from hotels across Asia into new bars for underprivileged communities; comparable Asia-Pacific circular-economy soap-recycling model and target hospitality customers.
- Hunter Amenities: Global hospitality amenity supplier that partners with Soap Aid to sell co-branded shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, body wash and soap bars to hotels; overlaps directly in product category and target customers while also serving as a commercial channel for Soap Aid.
Others
- Choice Hotels Asia-Pac: Hospitality chain that is itself a Soap Aid Hotel Champion; relevant as a customer reference and potential lead indicator for ESG-driven subscription adoption across other mid-scale hotel chains.
Emerging players
- TerraCycle: Social enterprise operating corporate-sponsored recycling programmes for hard-to-recycle waste streams including personal-care products; broader waste-recycling platform with overlapping circular-economy positioning and hospitality-channel partnerships.
- Too Good To Go: Global social-impact app that partners with hospitality and food businesses to divert surplus from waste; comparable circular-economy waste-diversion mission and hospitality-channel GTM, though focused on food rather than soap.
Regional players
- Woollahra Group: 100% Indigenous-owned Australian manufacturer and distributor of cleaning and hygiene products; a strategic partner to Soap Aid but also a regional hospitality-amenity supplier whose product range competes for the same FIFO and hotel amenity budgets.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Soap Aid Ltd social profiles
Digital presenceSoap Aid Ltd compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Soap Aid Ltd financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Soap Aid Ltd leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Soap Aid Ltd funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Soap Aid Ltd M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Soap Aid Ltd
What does Soap Aid Ltd do?
Soap Aid Ltd collects partially-used soap bars discarded by hotels, resorts, and FIFO accommodation facilities in Australia and New Zealand, then sorts, cleans, crushes, filters, heats, and blends them into soap noodles using proprietary reprocessing equipment at its Dandenong plant. The recycled soap is remanufactured into hygienic bars (branded Healthy Hands) and distributed free of charge to vulnerable communities globally through NGO and government partners alongside hygiene education. Revenue is generated through accommodation-partner annual subscriptions (Hotel to Hands and Camp to Community programmes) and tax-deductible donations and grants.
Is Soap Aid Ltd a public or private company?
Soap Aid Ltd is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Soap Aid Ltd founded?
Soap Aid Ltd was founded in 2012.
Where is Soap Aid Ltd based?
Soap Aid Ltd is headquartered in Moorabbin, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Soap Aid Ltd make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hotel to Hands Programme Subscription is the primary driver. The others are camp to Community Programme Subscription, donations and philanthropic Grants.
Who are Soap Aid Ltd's main competitors?
World Vision International is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Sundara Fund, Eco-Soap Bank, Clean the World Foundation, Soap Cycling and Hunter Amenities. Choice Hotels Asia-Pac is listed as an others. Emerging players are TerraCycle and Too Good To Go. Woollahra Group is listed as a regional player.
Does Soap Aid Ltd have an API?
No public API is recorded for Soap Aid Ltd.
What industry is Soap Aid Ltd in?
Soap Aid Ltd's product category is Waste Recycling and Humanitarian Aid Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAE, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Emergency Services, with a secondary code of HSAEAGAK, Eco Laundry Add-on & Linen Service (Fragrance-free/Non-toxic). Its SIC code is 2840.