In Business Tasmania, November 2009 

A passionate Launceston duo are taking a controversial world-wide issue and educating the population of Tasmania and beyond one sudd at a time. Darren West and Daniel McWilliams have been using and promoting palm oil as an ingredient in their handmade soap under their expanding business Natural Infusion. If you felt muscles tense and a speech about saving the orangutans brewing in the back of your mind with the mention of palm oil, then you will be in for a surprise.

As advocates of natural, sustainable, animal and environmentally friendly products and practices Darren and Daniel strongly oppose unethical practices which negatively impact the planet. Their backyard houses orphaned ducks, chickens and sheep and their car often doubles as a wildlife ambulance, taking injured animals to refuges. One lucky animal to meet Darren and Daniel was James the echidna, who had been hit by a car. When they found James on the side of the road he was bruised and battered and in need of some tender love and care. “He was upside down, his foot was bleeding, and many of his quills were broken,” Darren explained. “So we called him James Blunt” Daniel added.  After five minutes with Darren and Daniel their passion for wildlife and the environment is unmistakeable.

This passion has driven the duo to embark on a campaign from the ground-up. After being bombarded with constant negative information about palm oil, Darren and Daniel decided to investigate the problem to separate fact from fiction. “We took a trip to South-East Asia to research palm oil because of people’s understandable concerns. It has had a lot of negative press of late, largely due to the poorly managed practices within native Indonesian habitats,” Daniel said. “So we met with the industry heavyweights who are setting the benchmark in ethical and sustainable palm oil practices in Peninsular Malaysia.” By boycotting the product as a whole, it would seem generations of workers within sustainable plantations would be worse off.

While the concerns of many remain true to the plight of the orangutans, it would appear there is the misconception that all palm oil producing regions are orangutan habitat. Peninsular Malaysia is not native orangutan habitat. “The particular estate we visited has a zero-burn policy and has done for decades,” Darren said. “And it’s part of a much larger organisation which house and feed workers, educates their children and cares for their elders. Multiple cultures even have their prayer centres catered for.”

Darren and Daniel explained that there is a lot more to it than orangutans. Deforestation and sustainability are important issues which have to be considered when choosing where to source palm oil. “The benchmarks set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) although well establish are relatively new, so it’s good to get in on the ground level and get an idea of the product while we’re still a young business,” Daniel said. The plantation which this duo visited in Malaysia has been acknowledged by the Roundtable organisation, which includes representatives from banks, investors, palm oil growers, processors and environmental groups including Oxfam, the World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International. “The plantation we visited was the first certified sustainable palm plantation,” Darren explained. After addressing all of the negative issues associated with palm oil, it is an easy choice to make. “Palm oil is the highest oil producing plant on the planet, and grown sustainably needs the least input of agricultural practices.”

The main avenue for advocating sustainable palm oil is the weekly Salamanca Market in Hobart. The market presents an opportunity for people to challenge the ingredients used, and for Darren and Daniel to respond, communicating everything they have learnt about the production of palm oil. “We share people’s concerns of the obvious issues surrounding palm oil, but we’re compelled to introduce them to the wider picture. When we have an opportunity to discuss it with people, many walk away with our soaps,” Darren said. “What we really need is a soap box at Salamanca so people can voice their opinion.”

Their advocacy for sustainable, orang-utan friendly palm oil does not stop with their own products. Darren and Daniel are hoping to talk with other businesses and industries to change the misperceptions associated with its use. “Many soap-makers just drop palm oil without considering the alternatives. We’d like to promote sustainable palm oil as a way forward for business whose products benefit most from it,” Darren said. “For us, it makes a better and longer lasting product, which is what people want.”

Darren and Daniel work hard to ensure that their soap and skincare products contain ingredients that are natural and have beneficial effects. “I’ve always had a passion for health and wellness. We use pure natural ingredients. We go all around the state to source products, to find really quality suppliers,” Darren said. “What we’re trying to do is provide affordable natural skin care.” Daniel added. “Most soaps retail for around $3.95, which has been the case since Darren started.” With all natural ingredients, the products are perfect for a variety of skin conditions, “people can use soap without irritating the skin. We’ve had lots of feedback where it has calmed the skin down considerably,”

From choosing the ingredient to presentation, the soap boys are meticulous about quality. One area which requires constant, scrupulous accuracy is the first steps in the soap-making process. “It’s all very much hands-on labour,” Darren said. “The key is being really precise with weight and temperature.” The soap is made into large blocks and is later cut into 64 bars. Hand-made soap takes precious time, “It takes the better part of a day,” Darren explained, “the most we’ve made is 15 blocks in a day.”

The 10 varieties of bathing soaps ooze character, just like the soap boys. Mr Spicy, which is made from a blend of clove-leaf, cinnamon bark and sweet orange essential oils, is a warm and humble winter companion with antiseptic qualities. If you’re not a morning person, Wake Up could be an inspirational friend. Made from peppermint and rosemary essential oils, Wake Up helps clear the head and promotes mental clarity, activates the airways and stimulates the brain. And they all have great fashion sense, “we wanted to make it fun and make the look of the soap match the fragrance,” Darren said.

Hard work, dedication and perseverance have been the driving forces behind a unique range of products. What started as a one man show in 2006 is now a booming small business, and is at bursting point. “I started with no money I had less than $100,” Darren explained, “now there are products in almost fifty stores across Tasmania. It has over run the house completely.”

The laundry is the soap making room, the lounge is the curing room, the dining room is the store room and the spare bedroom, the office. “Under the house and even the hallway is storage,” Daniel said.

When the business was in its early years Daniel was approached by Darren to come up with a brand for Natural Infusion. “I was working for a company and was also freelancing as a graphic designer. When I used the soap it was love at first lather, and it deserved a great label. I finished the Natural Infusion graphics then set about a six month work transfer to Darwin. A month into the contract and Darren asked me to move back to help him keep up with orders.” Nearly one year later the duo has stepped up and out, having recently found the ideal space for a soap factory. What used to be the garage at an old petrol station has been transformed into a fresh, vibrant space for soap making, storage and the Natural Infusion office. With fresh paint on the walls and a bare space ready to house the factory equipment, it’s an exciting feeling.

Along with a new home, Natural Infusion has a new website. With Daniel’s graphic design skills, the soap boys have again collaborated to launch a brand new site complete with an online shopping cart. The next showcase of Natural Infusion and an opportunity for the soap boys to continue their bid to educate the soap-loving world about palm oil will be at the Tasmanian Craft Fair in Deloraine. At the fair there’s already quite a buzz about the soap boys. In 2007 Natural Infusion took out the Best First Time Exhibit Award and in 2008 the Best Stand Presentation Award. This year their sights are set on the big one -the Premiers Prize. With the debut of four new products, Tuff Stuff Laundry Soap, Ruff Stuff for hands & feet, Hands and Feet Rehab Balm and Stubble Buster Shave Cake, and with raving reviews and unmistakable passion, Natural Infusion is definitely one to watch.

For more information about Natural Infusion visit www.naturalinfusion.com.au and for more information about the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, visit www.rspo.org

Article by Rebecca Livermore; Editorial Coordinator; Independent Publishers Tasmania - November 2009