Buly 1803

Scent soap sheets and package / Source: Buly 1803

AsiaBeautyCelluloseEuropePackagingPaper

4 MINUTE READ

Nadine Smith

WHAT WE SAY:

The search for a modern-day soap sheet without dissolvable plastic is surprisingly challenging. Given that Moore’s Purity Soap Sheets were available in 1910, long before the invention of PVA plastic (1924), it is disappointing to discover the number of modern day equivalents, which are based on the water-soluble plastic compound.

Perfect for on-the-go hand washing and with all the advantages of water-free products, including being lightweight and TSA-compliant, the old-fashioned soap sheet is having its renegade moment. Luckily, at least for those in Hong Kong and Japan, Buly 1803 has a totally plastic-free soap sheet pack, proving the answers to modern problems can sometimes be found in history.

KEY FACTS:

Inspired by vintage design, Parisian brand Buly 1803’s Scented Soap Sheets are 40 leaf books of single-use, water-soluble soap slips. Unlike the majority of other soap sheet on the market in 2022, Buly 1803’s product does not use PVA (PVOH / PVAL) as the base for the sheets. The sheets are Cellulose (wood pulp) based instead.
Soap sheets are an alternative to liquid and hard soap. Pre-portioned, each ‘sheet’ is used in its entirety when hand washing and simply washed away. As the product does not use PVA as a base, there are no plastic polymers entering the waste stream.
The Buly 1803 sheets are packaged in a secondary folded cardboard pack which provides a level of protection for the delicate sheets. The cardboard can be recycled in the Paper waste stream.
Despite being a European brand, the sheets are currently only available in Hong Kong and Japan through the seller’s website. Could you be the one to bring them to a global audience?

Scented Soap Sheets / Source: Buly 1803

Collection of scented soap sheets in packets / Source: Buly 1803

DIVE DEEPER:

Now we know that recycling plastic personal care bottles is not actually happening at scale anywhere in the world, we urgently need alternative formulations that mean we can rethink packaging.
The hand soap market is enormous, with the liquid soap market hitting a value of GDP 432 million (USD 532 million) in 2020 in the UK alone. But protecting ourselves by regularly washing our hands currently comes at a great cost to the environment.
Plastic-free Paper soap is not a new innovation - even supplied to motorists in the 1920s as part of wash kits - but it offers an easy-to-use solution. Despite remaining popular in Japanese culture, modern-day paper soap is not so familiar in the West, but it is one that will prove popular with hygiene-concerned, on-the-go consumers.
The paper soap from Buly 1803 is available in three scents, Berkane Orange Blossom, Damask Rose and Scottish Lichen. They cost HKD 138 (USD 17.50) for 40 sheets.

"There’s a sense of discovery with brands that have a story to tell. People are surprised — they’ve never seen something like that before."

Victoire de Taillac - Co-Owner, Buly 1803 - as quoted in The New York Times Style Magazine

Key Design Considerations:

Economic viability

Paper-based soap sheets are currently seen as a premium product, but do they have to be? Given their historical use, the premium might well come from a lack of modern production knowledge, and the fact that manufacturing facilities are designed for liquid formulas. Seek out suppliers who are invested in novel, environmentally friendly solutions and work with them to create a cost-comparative product. This might mean selling sheets in bulk and offering storage solutions so consumers can carry small amounts with them at all times.

Safe storage

Soap sheets dissolve on contact with water, so water-and-humidity-proof storage solutions are essential to ensure the sheets do not become compromised before use. Pocket-sized Aluminium tins would provide the protection needed, without resorting to plastic.

Viability of cellulose

Given the challenge of finding non-PVOH based soap sheets on the market, questions rise about how easy it is to create this product without the plastic polymer. It can obviously be done, but further research into the availability, production process, and efficiency of cellulose would need to be undertaken to ascertain if it is a suitable solution for you.

Behaviour change

Soap sheets may be an unfamiliar concept to many, so brands must prioritise their communication strategy to ensure consumers not only understand the environmental benefits they bring, but the convenience ones too. With travel back on the rise, and people craving an escape after lockdown, the waterless, lightweight nature of soap sheets are ideal for active, transient lifestyles. You can also consider targeting them at certain consumer groups and events - such as festival goers, hikers, parents and gardeners, among others.