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Why Circular Economy Solutions Matter for Australian and New Zealand Accommodations

Every day, accommodations discard thousands of partially used soap bars, contributing to landfill waste, plastic pollution, and unnecessary carbon emissions. But what if that waste could be transformed into something lifesaving?

Soap Aid’s Hotel to Hands soap recycling programme is a powerful example of the circular economy in action and our partner Quest Geelong Central is showing how accommodations can lead the way.

Tourism Geelong and The Bellarine sees the significant social and environmental value of our programme! Sustainability Case Study: How Quest Geelong Central reduced waste – Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine

 

 

What is the Hotel to Hands Programme?

The Hotel to Hands programme is a sustainable soap recycling initiative that collects gently used soap from accommodations, reprocesses them into new, hygienic bars at our recycling plant in Dandenong.

Utilising our network of Community Impact Partners, we distribute the recycled bars free of charge to communities in need, both locally and globally, alongside hygiene education materials for lifelong change.

By joining the programme, accommodations:

• Divert waste from landfill
• Reduce plastic use and emissions
• Support public health and hygiene
• Align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals

 

Why Hard Soap Bars Are the Sustainable Choice

Many accommodations still use liquid soap in plastic bottles—an option that contributes significantly to plastic waste and carbon emissions. In contrast, hard soap bars are:

• 100% recyclable
• Plastic-free
• Lower in emissions
• Longer lasting and more hygienic

By switching to hard soap and recycling it through Soap Aid, accommodations can reduce their plastic waste by up to 25% and make a measurable environmental impact.

 

Case Study: Quest Geelong Central

Located in the heart of Geelong, Quest Geelong Central joined the Hotel to Hands programme in 2024.

Through our soap recycling programme, they have diverted their waste soap to us for recycling in Dandenong, and we have been able to support local organisations, such as St Mary’s Parish Pantry, a Geelong-based charity supporting families in need.

Read the full case-study here: Case Study: Quest Geelong Central – A Soap Aid Champion in Action

 

Why Soap Recycling Matters for Your Accommodation

Whether you manage a sustainably minded boutique B&B or a large hotel chain, joining Soap Aid’s Hotel to Hands programme is a simple, cost-effective way to recycle your waste and meet your sustainability goals. It’s also a great way to:

• Enhance your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• Engage your team in meaningful action
• Appeal to eco-conscious travellers
• Contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet

 

✅ Ready to Join the Movement?

Soap Aid partners with accommodations to recycle their waste from across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia and New Zealand.

If you’re ready to reduce waste, support communities, and become a Soap Aid Champion, register today: Get Involved – Soap Aid

We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership between SisterWorks and Soap Aid

 

Who We Are:

SisterWorks is a social enterprise empowering over 3,500 women from migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker backgrounds across 105 countries through vocational training, entrepreneurship, and employment pathways. SisterWorks helps women build confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging in their new communities.

Soap Aid is a not-for-profit and social enterprise that transforms discarded soap from accommodations around Australia and New Zealand into hygienic, brand new recycled bars. Our recycled soap bars are distributed free of charge through our network of Community Impact Partners, alongside hygiene education materials, promoting health, dignity, and hygiene equity while reducing landfill waste.

 

Why Our Partnership Matters

This partnership brings together empowerment, sustainability, and social impact in one beautiful package.

When you purchase our SisterWorks x Soap Aid Purposeful Wellness hamper, you’re doing more than giving a thoughtful, ethical gift. You’re:

• Supporting women from refugee and migrant backgrounds to thrive through meaningful work.
• Championing hygiene equity by helping Soap Aid deliver life-changing hygiene supplies to communities in need.
• Reducing waste and promoting sustainability by supporting the diversion of waste soap from landfill for recycling – circularity!

 

Our Ethical Hamper

The Purposeful Wellness hamper is an embrace of revitalisation and mindful care. Show your appreciation for well-being and social responsibility. Our hamper includes:

Citrus Glow Shower Steamer

A serene spa escape with the uplifting aroma of orange essential oil.

Tropical Treat Candle

A tranquil retreat created by our popular hand poured soy wax candle.

Lemon Myrtle Green Tea

Savour a moment of calm and clarity with this refreshing and gentle blend.

Soap Aid’s Healthy Hands Body Wash and Body Lotion

Cleanse and nourish the skin with our Italian Blood Orange scented set and support communities in need.

 

Every purchase supports SisterWorks and helps Soap Aid recycle vital soap for communities in need.

 

Order your ethical Purposeful Wellness hamper today.

See the full catalogue here

On Tuesday 24 June, Soap Aid had the honour of presenting at the Sustainability: Good For Business workshop, hosted by Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine!

The event, held in the Western Beach Room at Deakin Waterfront, brought together local businesses interested in advancing their sustainability practices and environmental impact.

Carol Bellew, General Manager at Soap Aid, delivered a presentation designed specifically for businesses operating in the Greater Geelong and Bellarine area.

The session began with an overview of Soap Aid’s mission and our Hotel to Hands (H2H) circular economy model, which transforms discarded accommodation soap into life-saving hygiene soap bars. We then explored how choosing hard soap bars can make an enormous difference in local environment. Participants were shown the environmental disadvantage of using liquid soap packaged in plastic, including increased waste and emissions, and were encouraged to consider hard soap as a 100% recyclable, zero-impact alternative.

We concluded the presentation by sharing both the environmental and humanitarian impacts of Soap Aid’s H2H Programme. Environmental metrics demonstrated the scale of waste diverted from landfill, while humanitarian metrics illustrated the global reach of our soap distribution and the lives improved through increased access to hygiene.

We thank Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine for the opportunity to engage with local businesses and demonstrate how sustainable choices in amenities can support both environmental responsibility and global health outcomes.

Soap Aid is incredibly pleased to partner with Rydges Pit Lane Hotel through our Hotel to Hands soap recycling program. Our partnership means that we can lives together through the diversion of waste soap from landfill and the distribution of our recycled soap, with hygiene education materials, to vulnerable communities in Australia, New Zealand and overseas.

“At Rydges Pit Lane, we are committed to sustainability across all aspects of our operations, and we take this responsibility seriously. Our goal is to minimize our ecological impact while providing a comfortable guest experience. Here are some of the key sustainability initiatives we’ve implemented:

Energy Efficiency: We’ve switched to energy-saving LED lights, including floodlights and motion-sensor lights that automatically turn off when not in use. Additionally, the hotel has invested in solar energy systems.

Water Conservation: We have an off-grid system that uses alternative water sources to reduce dependence on community water supplies.

Waste Reduction: Our kitchen regularly donates excess food to FoodBank, helping to reduce food waste and support those in need.

Eco-Friendly Amenities: We provide guests with bulk amenities in biodegradable bottles and packaging. We use BioPak cups and all of our takeaway items are biodegradable. We also encourage the use of reusable water jugs to minimize plastic waste and limit plastic use with C&E.

Digital Compendium: We are in the process of launching an online compendium accessible via QR code in guest rooms, reducing paper waste and offering easy access to hotel information.

Reduced Stationery Usage: EVT introduced an initiative to reduce paper waste, by limiting to a maximum of seven paper items, such as door signs, coasters, and pens in guest rooms.

Go Green Room Refresh: Guests staying for more than one night can opt out of a room refresh in exchange for a $10 food & beverage voucher. This initiative reduces linen usage and water waste from washing.

We think Soap Aid is a great program; it aligns with our commitment to social responsibility by ensuring that unused soaps are repurposed and redistributed to communities in need. By participating, we’re not only helping reduce waste but also contributing to improving hygiene standards in disadvantaged communities.

Soap recycling helps reduce waste going into landfills, which supports our broader sustainability goals. It’s a small change that creates a significant positive environmental impact. The program is an effective way to give back to the community, and we believe it reflects our values of kindness and care.”

Thank you Rydges Pit Lane for your ongoing commitment to the environment through the use of hard bar soap at the basin, and choosing to give these little bars an extra life through our soap recycling program!

Interested in making a commitment to an environmental and humanitarian cause? Join our Hotel to Hands soap recycling program today, register your accommodation here.

Every little bar makes a difference, and we could not do it without our Soap Aid Champions!

Soap Aid is very pleased to announce our new partnership with Bidet Warehouse.

At Bidet Warehouse we are serious about hygiene: not just yours or ours but for people everywhere. So that’s why we wanted to ensure when our customers washed their b**ts, they could rest assured that somewhere, someone was washing their hands with soap-aid, thanks to them and their purchase.

As a family-owned company, we take philanthropy seriously so when we heard about the amazing work of Soap Aid we couldn’t wait to get on board. Straight away we could see the alignment of hygiene health and the shared goal of making a difference.

From the smallest of our offerings – our travel bidets to our amazing smart bidet toilet seats, every sale comes with a donation to Soap Aid.  Bidets can help remove faecal bacteria and keep your hands cleaner and while it’s a bit of a third world issue bidets can enable the user to move seamlessly from mobile phone scrolling while contemplating on the throne to washing.  They can also help prevent the spread of bacteria from your hands to other people. And we know the importance of improved hygiene. So, you can see why Bidet Warehouse and Soap Aid are a natural fit. We invite you to visit our website Bidet Warehouse – to see just how passionate we are about supporting Soap Aid and making it possible for Aussie’s to get the Bidet Warehouse cleanliness and “fresh feeling” that a bathroom or travel bidet can deliver.

See their product range and support Soap Aid through Bidet Warehouse! Soap Aid – Bidet Warehouse Pty Ltd

We are beyond thrilled to have won the Community Achievement Awards Australia 2024 in the Community Group Award category.

Thank you so much, Awards Australia, for this incredible honour.

A huge thank you to our amazing supporters, accommodation partners, community impact partners, and the incredible Soap Aid team! Together, we’re turning discarded soap into hope—improving hygiene for vulnerable communities and protecting our planet. 🌏🧼