We geek out about our products. And we think that's cool.
This is why Grounded “eco-safi”. In Swahili, iko safi means it’s clean. And in Nairobi, in slang it means “it’s cool.”
We say “Eco-Safi” – because our eco-friendly cleaning products are also cool.
We are deeply committed to making the highest quality products from Kenyan inputs.
Did you know that humans discovered soap nearly 4000 years ago in Africa? Soap is still an incredibly powerful cleaning molecule, made with plant-based ingredients.
It’s also an incredibly sustainable production process.
Why are our products Eco-Safi?
Here are 4 main reasons:
Eco-Safi #1 - Our products are biodegradable
Our products are 100% biodegradable. This is especially important in Africa where water treatment facilities are few and far between. Most of the runoff from cleaning products goes directly back into the soil or into our waterways. And many of the chemicals from conventional products can make their way into our plants and animals.
What does biodegradable mean? It means you can use your dirty bucket water directly on your veggie garden!
Take our Fabric Brightener, for example. It’s made with Hydrogen Peroxide, which breaks down into water and oxygen when it’s done working, making it completely safe for the environment.
Eco-Safi #2 - We source our ingredients from nature, in Kenya!
We are strong believers in #BuyKenyaBuildKenya! Why? Well, it supports our local farmers and adds value within Kenya, but it also reduces our carbon footprint.
We source 99% of our inputs locally in support of Kenyan farmers. This supports our local economy, adds value, and reduces our carbon footprint. Many of our inputs are by-products from other production processes – like 2nd grade Coconut Oil. We do not use SLS/SLES because of the sustainability issues around palm oil, and the way that it’s made (pollution!).
That being said, we are increasingly impacted by climate change, which has caused delayed rains and drought in Kenya which can severely affect harvests of our key inputs. Coconut oil prices have gone up 300% in 2022 due to the delay in rains.
Eco-Safi #3 - Our factory is green!
Only good vibes at the Grounded factory, where you’ll see our solar-powered building (thanks to Roam) rocking with tunes. No nasty smoke stacks in our our production processes, which keeps our production team safe. When people visit us, they always comment how nice it smells! No artificial nasty chemicals to be seen.
In addition, we partner with some great sustainability partners like:
- Chandaria for all all paper waste
- Mr. Green Africa for all plastic we cannot reuse (to be re-made into 100% recycled plastic)
- InsectiPro for all organic waste.
Eco-Safi #4 - We use sustainable packaging
Recycled plastic is often imported from other countries, and comes at a premium. Instead of taking plastic out of Kenya’s waterways and landfills, they can add to it.
But working with partners like Mr. Green Africa and Dentex, we are proud to use 100% post-consumer recycled plastic made in Kenya. This is why our packaging is dark grey. Not only does it protect our products from UV, it is made from the recycled HDPE that often goes unrecycled.
In addition, Our products are also incredibly concentrated. Unlike conventional detergents that only contain 10 loads of laundry per 2kgs ours lasts you 66 loads. You don’t need to buy products, and therefore plastic, as often!
We also accept all of our own packaging for reuse, and anything damaged we cannot use goes right back to Mr. Green Africa.
We also have a few bulk refill stations around Kenya – Langata Link, ECANDI, Shamba Cafe, and Express Shop Kilifi have some of Grounded’s best selling products. We also sell refills on our website and via Greenspoon.
