For this blog, I am choosing to write about a product that is very valuable to me in my everyday life.  Dr. Bronner’s 18-In-1 Hemp Peppermint Pure-Castile Soap is the go-to toiletry for me and my wife.  I enjoy the scent and a little bit goes a long way.  The $17.99 32-ounce bottle we buy from Publix, will typically last 2 months in our home.  The product’s label is riddled with testimonials and how everything is certified fair trade.  I think the hot water would run out by the time I finished reading the bottle.  Anyways, the bottle that is in my home now has some new and very noticeable text.  At the top of the bottle’s label, it reads, “HEAL EARTH!”  That is why I decided to choose this product for my analysis blog.  By researching the product’s website, I intend to dig deeper into its many uses, ingredients, and what makes Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap so great.

First let me discuss the uses for Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap.  There are 18 ways one could use this product for.  Body uses include:  Face wash, body wash, shampoo, baths, foot soaks, shaving, toothpaste, and clearing congestion.  Household uses include:  Handwashing dishes, laundry detergent, mopping, all-purpose cleaning, window and toilet cleaner.  Other uses include:  Dog washing, anti-bug spray for plants as well as anti-ant spray.  Although Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap offers many uses, I choose to keep mine in the shower.  I never bothered to research the other 17 ways I could be using my soap.  The toothpaste part really surprised me.

According to Dr. Bronner’s label and website, the soap is made with organic and certified fair trade ingredients.  I’ve seen the words “fair trade” before, especially on the coffee we buy.  I always knew it was good, but this time I decided to research what it actually means.  The World Fair Trade Organization’s website defines fair trade as “…a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade.  It contributes sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers” (World Fair Trade Organization, 2015).  These certified fair trade ingredients include:  Organic coconut oil, organic palm kernel oil, and organic olive oil.  The containers are made from 100% post-consumer recycled bottles as well (Dr. Bronner’s All-One, 2018).

What makes Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap so great?  Their certifications include the following:  USDA Organic, Oregon Tilth Certified Organic, Fair for Life, NSF: Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients, Leaping Bunny, Vegan Action, B Corp, Non-GMO Product, and OK Kosher (Dr. Bronner’s All-One, 2018).  If you’d like to learn more about these certifications, you can check out the Dr. Bronner’s website which I have listed in my references.  Within that website, you’ll find the “Cosmic Principles” that the Dr. Bronner’s name lives by.  They claim to treat their employees like family by providing them with many benefits such as 100% health care.  They claim to be cautious of their environmental footprint by using solar energy, reducing water use and waste, as well as shipping their product in 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard (Dr. Bronner’s All-One, 2018).

In closing, I had never thought of a soap company being so eco-friendly until I researched Dr. Bronner’s.  I learned that the “HEAL EARTH” text at the top of the bottle will only be available for a limited time and it’s regarding their Regenerative Organic Certification.  This certification involves:  Conservation tillage, cover crops and crop rotation, rotational grazing, and no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides (Dr. Bronner’s All-One, 2018).  Their website seems legit with up to date statistics, links, and resources regarding their product, certifications, and practices.  It’s actually one of the cleanest, and easy to navigate websites I’ve ever seen.  I highly recommend this product if you don’t use it already.  The only uncertainties I have regarding Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap are its 17 other uses, only because I have not tried them yet.  I don’t think I’ll ever try it as toothpaste though.

References

Sarcauga, M. (2015, July 29). Definition of fair trade. Retrieved March 06, 2018, from https://wfto.com/fair-trade/definition-fair-trade

Pure-Castile Liquid Soap. (2018). Retrieved March 06, 2018, from https://shop.drbronner.com/pure-castile-liquid-soap#scent=Peppermint