Research

We measure what a bar of soap does.

The work doesn't stop at distribution. We track what the soap does — to health outcomes, to women's livelihoods, to the environment — and we share it all.

SOAPLAY shaped soap in production
Featured study

SOAPLAY: soap as a behavioral nudge.

A shaped, playful bar that makes kids want to wash their hands. We ran a controlled trial in Tanzania and a pre-post study in South Africa to test whether design alone can shift handwashing behavior — and it can.

Read the SOAPLAY study →
Pre-post study · 343 students · Uganda · 2022

Soap access changes behavior — and saves lives.

In Kiboga District, Uganda, most students did not have consistent access to soap or functioning handwashing facilities in school before Eco-Soap Bank arrived. After distributing recycled soap bars and hygiene education across 24 rural schools, handwashing rates transformed dramatically.

Students who never or rarely washed their hands dropped by 83%. In the two weeks that followed, children were 87% less likely to experience illness symptoms, 67% less likely to have diarrhea, and 46% less likely to miss school due to illness.

The results show that access to soap — not just knowledge — is the critical driver of lasting behavior change.

Health outcomes — before vs. after soap distribution
BeforeAfter
Reported case counts across three health indicators, before and after soap distribution. Kiboga District, Uganda, 2022.

All studies conducted by Eco-Soap Bank's in-house research team.

SourcePetersson, M. (2022). School Handwashing and Health Study: Kiboga District, Uganda. Eco-Soap Bank & Pauline Juliet Uganda. Pre-post study, 343 students, 7 rural primary schools.

Reports & studies

Children with SOAPLAY shaped soap bars in Tanzania
Health
SOAPLAY™ | Using Soap Bars as an Environmental Cue
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In collaboration with World Vision, this study examines whether SOAPLAY™'s fun shapes and colors can nudge children toward better handwashing habits across 18 schools in Tanzania.
Global Impact Report 2024–2025 cover
Impact
Global Impact Report 2024–2025
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A look back at two years of progress — 35.8 million soap bars distributed across 42 countries, research breakthroughs, and real stories from the women and communities at the heart of ESB's mission.
SOAPLAY shaped kids soap bar
Health
SOAPLAY Research Summary
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SOAPLAY™ now offers a highly affordable, incentivizing soap bar alternative ready for large-scale distribution to vulnerable communities of children around the world.
Children washing hands at a school water point
Health
Uganda School Handwashing & Health Study
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Eco-Soap Bank, in cooperation with Pauline Juliet, implemented a handwashing outreach program in 24 rural schools. This report summarizes the findings from the project evaluation.
Beyond Employment — Cambodia economic empowerment report cover
Empowerment
Cambodia Economic Empowerment Report
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In this report, we trace the financial and social impacts among Eco-Soap Bank's soap recyclers by tracking their ability to make tangible progress towards economic empowerment.
Pallets of collected soap scrap in a warehouse
Environment
Environmental Impact Report
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This report briefly outlines the environmental footprint created by the yearly stream of soap factory waste and explores the gains that can be made by expanding attempts to reduce it.
Soap distribution in a crisis setting
Field
Soap Distributions in Crisis & Emergency Settings
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This research spotlight examines the real-world impact of soap distributions across refugee camps in Kenya, Uganda, and Bangladesh — measuring improvements in handwashing behavior and health outcomes among crisis-affected populations.
Woman at the Siem Reap hub, Cambodia
Empowerment
Beyond Employment | Promoting Women's Economic Empowerment
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The FISCAL program shows how targeted debt management and financial education are helping women in Siem Reap build savings, reduce stress, and regain control of their lives.
Women running a soap micro-enterprise
Empowerment
Micro-Enterprise Pilot Study, Uganda 2023
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This report details how Eco-Soap Bank's micro-enterprise model represents a viable solution to promote women's economic empowerment and improve access to high-quality recycled soap in vulnerable, hard-to-reach communities.

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A bar of soap shouldn’t cost the earth — or anyone’s livelihood. We upcycle soap waste into clean hands and good jobs.

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