Sushma and Sushmita are twin sisters; they are both 23-year-old sisters who founded EcoRevive HairCare out of a strong desire at a young age to make a positive difference and reduce the overuse of chemical detergents and hair care products that have harmed waterways and agricultural lands. Their vision was to create safe, harsh, chemical-free hair care products from herbs such as soapnuts, nettle leaves, shikakai, cloves, and Krishna Siris (a flower), combined with biotechnological knowledge, in order to provide effective hair care solutions while prioritising our environment's well-being.
“Our focus is to reduce the use of chemical-laden products that endanger aquatic life and contaminate our rivers,” they say.
Initially they used to make soapnut extract and use it directly on our hair, but it could not be kept for a long time without the use of preservatives. “Shampoo making needs knowledge of formulation. We struggled initially at making a stable product,” says Sushmita. “After a few iterations, we were able to make a stable and effective shampoo for gentle cleansing.”
However, since it is a saturated market and needs huge investment for penetration, they simplified it into 2 phases: Phase I, where they had an initial investment of Rs 300000 with a production capacity of 60 litres per month. “We launched our product this week, and people are loving it,” added Sushmita. “Currently we are selling 100ml, 300ml and 500ml shampoo. We are formulating a conditioner as well.”
Moreover, they are also researching making eco-friendly detergent for babies and cleaning agents. According to them, eco-enzymes and soap nuts after extraction can be used for making eco-friendly detergent for babies and cleaning agents. “We are currently selling our products and actively reaching out for feedback, and along the way we are improving our production in each batch,” they add. However, despite being a biotechnologist and used to conducting research in the lab, they were initially too afraid to enter the market.
They cracked the technical part, like which tests they needed, the protocol needed, etc. But in order to understand the market and the business, they required extensive mentorship and guidance. They struggled at getting it tested. “There are no governmental bodies regulating the cosmetic products, and there is no single private or governmental lab that does the whole required testing for cosmetics,” they remark. “Thus, formulating a product was an easier job for us than getting it tested and wearing the hat of an entrepreneur and businessperson.”
Currently, they are a team of two in their core team, while they outsource some of our activities, like creative writing, to people who are freelancing. “We have shared the office with the Kanduk industry currently to cut the cost for both of these startups. Our office is in Sorakhutte,” they say. “Although we struggled initially, we are hopeful and positive from seeing some people reorder after trying 100ml sample size, and we are positive of the market response after its launch two weeks ago.”
According to them, they use the natural ingredients and very safe chemicals for the production itself, and the natural residues left like and shikakai after the extraction process are used further to make general cleaning products, and then the solid residue that is finally left is composted. “We are enhancing the value chain. The property of the eco-enzyme used in our products is that it results in residual cleaning. When our product is rinsed and it goes to the drainage, it is biodegradable and doesn't cause environmental impact in the water system,” they say.
Unfortunately, they expressed their displeasure over having to use the PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottle packaging because other types of bottle ordering required them to order them in very huge quantities, and while starting out, they haven't got their bottle shapes designed, and they are still doing market research for sustainable options available within an affordable range. Their expectations are that it would have been much easier for everyone involved in the cosmetic industry in Nepal had the proper regulations and compliances to follow in the cosmetic sector and if there were laboratories to do the overall testing of such products and regulatory support for certifications of the cosmetics products; research grants support for the sustainable ingredients and packaging solutions.
“We and the startups like us would love to have some tax benefits for initiatives that follow environmentally friendly practices,” they say. “Support in infrastructure building and startup-friendly trade policies for the domestic market and for the export of products. We would love to have partnership opportunities; we are doing it on some small level as well.”
Additionally, the public awareness campaign promoting the use of eco-friendly products would be much appreciated, according to them. Nonetheless, we would like to say, "Look around; there are countless opportunities, such as in tourism, agriculture, and technology. Of course, certain policy changes must be implemented, and we seek government support; however, change begins with individuals. Creativity, energy, and skills undoubtedly have the potential to transform the nation. Yes, we can explore abroad and implement effective solutions from there to solve the country's problems.
I believe we should consider building something where we are planted. Each of us has the potential to be a changemaker.”
