That’s certainly what James Higgs and Gena Nicholl of Dunedin company ECOKAPS Ltd asked when they were investigating the concept of dissolvable tablets for everyday use in the home.
The more they researched concentrated soluble products, the more they realised there is no catch. Moreover, they became convinced that this type of product was destined to become a mainstream staple in our personal care routines.
When you look at the way we currently use water-based products and then compare it to new alternatives, you quickly realise how absolutely crazy our existing habits are;
- Transporting products around the world that are over 90% water has a huge impact on storage space and transport emissions. Why don’t we just add water at the destination?
- Using a plastic bottle once and then throwing it away is one-hundred percent unnecessary, and in fact, totally nonsensical.
So why do we do it?
“It’s just the way it is. Sometimes we don’t really question norms, especially if the right alternatives don’t exist,” says James. “Now that there is a superb alternative, we’ve found that the only real barrier for customers is just a willingness to give it a go. When you actually think about it, everything adds up; the tablets and bottles significantly reduce environmental impact, the products have no nasty ingredients, they are clinically proven to work, they’re cheaper and they’re super easy to use.”
Their current product range includes dissolvable tablets for Foaming Hand Soap, Multipurpose Cleaner, Kitchen Degreaser, Bathroom Cleaner, Glass Cleaner and Laundry Sheets; not to mention Windscreen Cleaner tablets for your vehicle as well! Gena adds that this range is “just the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to dissolvable products, “anything, really, that is diluted with water can be supplied in a soluble format and we have loads of exciting products in the pipeline.”
The bottles are really nice looking, strong and bereft of ugly marketing material like barcodes and unnecessary text. That means they look nice in your house and on your bench.
“We just love hearing our customers say that they simply cannot believe how many plastic bottles they used to throw away compared to now,” remarked Gena, “they even tell us that using ECOKAPS has also helped them to be so much more aware of the plastic around them and what they can do to avoid using it.”
ECOKAPS is a company driven to make the world a better place.
Deeply entrenched in their philosophy is a belief that businesses must take ownership and responsibility for environmental care. Business partners James and Gena in Dunedin, along with Syd in Australia, are parents and grandparents themselves. They want to leave a better world for their children.
They understand that if real change is going to happen, eco-products cannot just be for those with higher incomes. They have to be accessible to everyone, so cost is critical. The great thing about a product that is up to thirty-seven times smaller than its water-based counterparts is the significant savings that can be made in shipping and storage. “It’s so cool to be able to pass these savings onto our customers”, states James.
ECOKAPS are currently stocked in over 300 outlets in Australia, with that network growing rapidly.
In Otago they are on the shelves in:
Mitre10 Mega Dunedin
Mitre10 Mega Wanaka
Centre City New World
Gardens New World
St Clair FourSquare Dunedin
Mosgiel New World
Oamaru New World,
Taste Nature Dunedin
The Good Food Co. Mornington
Maggie’s Cafe Dunedin
They’re also being distributed commercially via Kaan’s Catering, Otago Packaging Supplies and are even used by the children at Tahuna Intermediate’s Food Technology department!
If you haven’t tried ECOKAPS, support a local company trying to do good things globally and give them a go. You won’t look back!
www.instagram.com/ecokaps_new_zealand
