Malin i Ratan handmade eco soap

SRL 9 - integrated into society

Malin i Ratan handmade eco soap

Slow beauty and sustainable consumtion made accessible

Robertsfors, Västerbotten, Sweden

ORGANISATION / PARTNERS

Malin i Ratan AB

BUSINESS MODEL

SCALE: National

Stakeholder:

Private Sector

Type:

B2B - Business to BusinessB2C - Business to ConsumerB2G - Business to Government

BUSINESS MODEL FORMAT:

Product Type(s):

FACET & LEVEL

FACET:

Food & DrinkHealth & WellbeingManufacturingTourism & Hospitality

LEVEL:

Micro - Company/Organisation

Company/Organisation
Nano - User, Product, Component & Material

The circularity of products, components, and materials, included in three wider systemic levels, all along the value chain and through- out their entire lifecycle

SOCIETAL READINESS LEVEL & POTENTIAL

FUTURE POTENTIAL

ScaleableReplicableNetworkable

SOCIETAL READINESS LEVEL

SRL 9 - integrated into society

SRL 9 - integrated into society

CIRCULAR CYCLE PHASE

STATUS & TIMELINE

DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Malin i Ratan handmade eco soap

CONCEPT: Slow beauty and sustainable consumtion made accessible

Malin i Ratan is a soap manufacturer located in Ratan on the Västerbotten coast, known for its handcrafted organic soaps and sustainable production methods. Their solid soaps, made from organically grown oils such as KRAV-certified cold-pressed Swedish rapeseed oil, serve as body soap, facial soap, shaving soap, shampoo, and conditioner.

The soap workshop applies circular processes by reusing soap scraps in new batches, minimizing waste. Leftover pieces are also transformed into test soaps or soap flakes, which can be used for laundry, cleaning, or dishwashing, often in practical fabric bags. Irregularly shaped soaps are felted into new products, further contributing to sustainability.

In the café, the staff also strives to use organic and locally produced food, such as Norrmejerier, and has developed recipes focusing on local ingredients. Another circular example is that nettles and birch leaves are collected locally to make an herbal extract for the soaps, and the nettle leaves are then used to create a pesto with Västerbotten cheese and sunflower seeds, served in the café. Coffee grounds from the café are used in garden soaps, providing an effective scrubbing effect and neutralizing unwanted odors. In the conference area, the company also aims to reduce paper usage by offering fabric napkins and towels. A range of activities promoting sustainable consumption are offered, including soap felting courses and leadership training.

The farm shop sells locally made products, such as woodcraft, organic foods, and sustainable household items.

During the summer, Malin i Ratan offers summer jobs to young people, providing opportunities for valuable work experience.

In summary, Malin i Ratan combines traditional craftsmanship with modern sustainability principles, creating a unique and environmentally friendly experience.

LOCAL LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION: Svenska

Malin i Ratan är ett tvålmakeri beläget i Ratan vid Västerbottenskusten, känt för sina handgjorda ekologiska tvålar och hållbara produktionsmetoder. Deras fasta tvålar, tillverkade av ekologiskt odlade oljor som KRAV-märkt kallpressad svensk rapsolja, fungerar som kroppstvål, ansiktstvål, raktvål, schampo och balsam.

Tvålmakeriet tillämpar cirkulära processer genom att återanvända kantbitar från tvålarna i nya kok, vilket minimerar avfall. Överblivna bitar omvandlas även till testtvålar eller tvålflakes, som kan användas i tvätt, städ eller disk, ofta i praktiska tygpåsar. Formmässigt oregelbundna tvålar tovas om till nya produkter, vilket ytterligare bidrar till hållbarheten.

I kaféet strävar personalen också efter att använda ekologiska och lokalt producerade livsmedel, som Norrmejerier, och har utvecklat recept som fokuserar på lokala råvaror. Ett annat cirkulärt exempel är att det samlas nässla och björkblad lokalt för att göra ett örtutdrag till tvålarna, nässelbladen används sedan för att skapa en pesto med Västerbottensost och solroskärnor som serveras i kaféet. Och kaffesumpen som uppstår ifrån kaféverksamheten kaffesump i trädgårdstvålar, vilket ger en effektiv skrubbande effekt och neutraliserar oönskade lukter. I konferensdelen strävar företaget också efter att minska pappersanvändningen genom att erbjuda tygservetter och handdukar. Här erbjuds en rad aktiviteter som främjar hållbar konsumtion, bl.a. tvåltovningskurse, men också ledarskapsutbildningar.

Gårdsbutiken säljer lokalt tillverkade produkter, såsom trähantverk, ekologiska livsmedel och hållbara hushållsartiklar.

Under sommaren erbjuder Malin i Ratan sommarjobb till ungdomar, vilket ger möjligheter till värdefulla arbetslivserfarenheter.

Sammanfattningsvis kombinerar Malin i Ratan traditionellt hantverk med moderna hållbarhetsprinciper, vilket skapar en unik och miljövänlig upplevelse.

IMPACT

BARRIERS

MARKET
- High upfront investment costs
- High planning and management costs
- Limited funding
- International and geopolitical competition
- Traceability/transparency in the value chain
- Demand for low prices
- Complementary skills/services required
- Dependencies on natural capital
- Lack of fiscal tools for internalizing environmental costs
SOCIAL
- Lack of awareness
- Lack of sense of urgency
- Lack of community connection
- Lack of civic engagement
- Lack of trust
- Consumption habits
- Social status linked to consumption
REGULATORY
- Obstructing laws and regulations
- Limited Circular Procurement
- Government incentive support the linear economy
- Circularity is not efficiently integrated into innovation policies
- Recycling policies are not efficient enough to yield high quality
- Lack of global consensus
- Absence of consistently applied standards and protocols
- Strict planning and permission hurdles
TECHNOLOGICAL
- Geographic dispersion of supply chains
- Geographic dispersion of products/materials
- Complexity of the materials to be recycled
- Limited gender and ethnic diversity in technology
CULTURAL
- Lack of leadership
- Company/community culture
- Limited understanding on impacts
- Negative gender norms, status and values
- Willingness to collaborate in the value chain
- Consumer interest and awareness
- Operating in a linear system
- Change of mindset
- Resistance by key stakeholders seeking the status quo

ENABLERS

MARKET
- Need for a long-term vision by businesses
- Knowledge of impact
- Competitive advantage for early adopters
- Digital infrastructure
- Valuing the services, not only the products - provided by nature
- New alliances and collaborations
- Access to regional / global supply of secondary materials & by products
TECHNOLOGICAL
- Increased resource productivity, cost reductions
- Increased environmental performance
- Increased efficiency
- Better waste processing
- Higher quality of recycled materials
- Digital technologies and engineering to support business models
- Biomimicry innovation - emulating natures strategies
- Implementing gender and ethnic diversity in technology
REGULATORY
- Green & Circular Procurement
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- Tax shift from Labour to Resources
- No or low VAT on circular products and services
- Provide access to funding to encourage experimentation, innovation and redesign
- Foster the development of new technologies with the support of public authorities
- Assess progress using reliable indicators for imports and local production while accounting for the life cycles of products
- Use of circular performance indicators by governments, investors and businesses can encourage the value chain to become more circular
- Investment in education and employment services to prepare the market for the next economy
- Promote public-private partnerships to better counter and lift political barriers
SOCIAL
- Change in the choices made by consumers
- Increased status related to second-hand and circular products
- More inclusive and connected communities
- Stronger personal connections
- Civic engagement and voluntary activities
- Shared norms, values, attitudes, and beliefs
A creative and skilled problem-solving resource
Preparation of future professional practices and understanding
Integration of the CE concept into training and educational programs
Supporting an inclusive workforce
Reduced gender inequality