October 22nd, 2025
The soap nut revolution
Seepje, founded in 2013 by university students Jasper Gabriëlse and Melvin Loggies, emerged from the question, why do we use petroleum-based cleaners when we can get just as squeaky clean from products sourced straight from nature? Inspired by a television documentary about Nepalese women using the Sapindus mukorossi fruit, also called soap nuts, to wash clothes, they borrowed student loans to ship the first peels to the Netherlands. That marked the start of a mission-based brand with dreams of environmental respect and social empowerment.
No spot missed
At Seepje’s core is the use of Sapindus mukorossi peel extract (a biodegradable, saponin-rich cleansing agent) as a base for detergents, fabric softeners and household cleaners.
Over 99% of their ingredients are natural and free from microplastics, synthetic scents, optical brighteners, or petroleum-derived materials. Certifying these efforts, the company achieved its B Corp status in 2019, also becoming a full member of the World Fair Trade Organisation, committing to fair pay, safe working conditions and transparent operations.
Products are produced in the Netherlands in social workshops staffed by people with physical or mental disabilities, enhancing social inclusion. These workshops are supplied by Seepje’s collaborations directly with farmers in Nepal and India, fostering fair incomes and community resilience.
Bubbling with innovation
Their product innovations include refillable packaging, which uses approximately 40% less plastic than traditional bottles and compact formats that reduce transport emissions.
Seepje has demonstrated that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand. In 2023 alone, they processed over 132,725 kg of recycled plastic and saved 1.4 million litres of synthetic soap. As well as supporting more than 30 families in Nepal and planting 8,000 trees in collaboration with local communities and strategic partners like Generous Minds!
The brand has built social distribution channels that now span at least 5,800 stores across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and South Korea. Allowing the brand to scale their presence while preserving ecological integrity.
All of this brimming innovation and growth has raised notable impact investments. Such as €1 million in 2020 to double European distribution and €4.2 million in 2023 from the ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund and Fair Capital Impact Fund. This acted to accelerate international growth, enhance supply chain transparency and fortify their position as an eco-soap leader.
Not so nuts after all
Seepje’s role extends beyond crafting green products; they challenge industry norms. In 2022, they publicly shared their natural all-purpose cleaner recipe in a national Dutch newspaper. With the aim of inspiring broader adoption of eco-friendly solutions across major consumer brands.
Their award-winning bottle design is minimalist and soap-bar inspired in pastel tones. Earning the prestigious Red Dot Award in 2018 for blending aesthetic clarity with sustainability (easy grip, minimal material, recycled HDPE plastic, detachable labels for better recycling).
The future is nutty and clean
Seepje anchor decisions in natural materials, inclusive labour, circular packaging and open-source transparency. Allowing them to exemplify how a small enterprise can model what the future of responsible business can look like.
They aim to reduce CO₂ emissions, enhance circularity and expand globally. They continue to replace petroleum-based cleaners one wash at a time. As consumers demand both ethics and efficacy, Seepje answers these demands. Influencing not just household habits and industry direction as a whole.
Created by Jessica Marwood.
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