But have you given much thought to the ingredients used to make these household cleaning products – and if these ingredients are harmful to you and the environment?
If you’re looking for eco-friendly products suitable for sensitive skin, “ecominim” has the answer.
The brand has a range of products that includes liquid and powder detergent, dish wash, hand wash, floor cleaner, glass and multi surface cleaner and hand sanitiser.
Plus, they also have baby liquid detergent, baby bottles and toy wash, including a pet area cleaner that will be launched soon.
But the million-dollar question is: what goes into making them?
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, the brand’s founder, Tan Yet Mee, 58, shared that they use plant-based and biodegradable ingredients.
The products are made without chemicals like sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), formaldehydes and parabens. What they do contain are halal food-grade ingredients and food preservatives.
They also use an organic surfactant called decyl glucoside. A surfactant, or surface-active agent, helps remove dirt from a surface. All “ecominim” products are also not tested on animals.
Even their plastic bottles are made from Bisphenol-A (BPA)-free materials as it is believed BPA can be a health hazard. “For our e-commerce shipments, we use recycled or repurposed old cartons.”
She added that all “ecominim” products are produced in their factory in Subang Jaya, are Sirim tested and bear the MyHijau mark, Malaysia’s official green recognition scheme.
Sustaining the business
Tan shared that she started the business in 2018 after almost eight years of research. She had been in the cleaning products manufacturing business since 2009, involved in original design manufacturing for other brands.
Sharing the inspiration behind her brand’s name, she said: “A minim is a half musical note and I see it like a note of warning. And the word ‘minim’ itself is a palindrome, a word that reads the same backwards and forwards. So, what goes around, comes around. Plus, minim is also short for the word ‘minimise’.”
She launched the brand with liquid and powder detergents, dish wash, floor cleaner as well as glass and multi surface cleaner.
“I was ‘Tester 001’. I realised that if I can’t use it, then I shouldn’t put it out there for anyone else,” she recalled, adding that she’s had atopic eczema for most of her life.
In running the business, a key focus for her is making the brand stronger, something that hasn’t always been easy, especially during the pandemic.
“The sustainable market went down because people were so busy fighting Covid, and few really cared about the environment.” Nevertheless, she didn’t throw in the towel and remained focused on steering the business towards further growth.
To that end, she appreciates the support of Persatuan Pembangunan Artisans, an NGO that assists local artisans market their products through its online platform, physical stores and pop-up events.
Today, “ecominim” works in collaboration with Helping Hands Penan (HHP), another artisan under PPA, using their beautiful handwoven baskets filled with her products – making it ideal as a gift.
HHP is a non-profit social enterprise that helps Penan craftswomen market their woven products. For Tan, this ties with her brand’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts of empowering women under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) goal 5 of gender equality.
Additionally, as part of their ESG efforts, they run a programme in which customers who return the brand’s empty bottles receive reward points.
For Tan, fulfilling moments come when she receives feedback from customers about how her products have helped their skin.
“When I started ‘ecominim’, I wanted something meaningful. What keeps me going is when I see the results of my products and when I see that it has helped somebody and created a difference in their life.”
To purchase, head over to the ‘ecominim’ website, Shopee or Lazada. Alternatively, visit:
- Qra @ Arcoris, Mont Kiara
- B.I.G Publika, The Linc KL and BSC
- Village Grocer Kiara Bay
- déMarket Taman Desa
- The Natural Marketplace, SS2
- OUG Pharmacy, Taman OUG
Follow ‘ecominim’ on Facebook and Instagram. Read more PPA stories and get to know its artisans here.
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