Waterless & Wasteless Everyday Necessities by Bare Necessities

Bare Necessities is addressing the global garbage crisis that we are currently living through. This is directly related to kinds of daily use products that are being mass-consumed. Research shows that 150 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions could be eliminated, if we prevented 100% of the plastic leakage from India and Indonesia by 2030. 

The repercussions of this waste predicament extend far beyond emissions and pervades to natural resources like water bodies as well. Public awareness about plastics has been on the rise, after alarming forecasts such as there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050. In 2010, there was an estimated 12 million metric tons of plastic waste that entered the ocean, breaking into microplastics. 

We are subjects of an urbanisation-globalisation era, which is coupled with being caught in a web of convenience. Owing to these factors, we don’t think of personal trash and attribute it to a larger global problem, we have no control over.  

 It takes for trash to stink up our neighbourhood for us to think about trash. We don’t think about a plastic we use for 5 minutes, which then takes 700 years to start decomposing, which in the process leeches harmful chemicals into our soil and water, the same soil you are consuming your fresh veggies from! 

Closer home in Bangalore, lakes have been spewing fire on account of excessive frothing. Caused typically due to chemical surfactants and pollutants, which find their way into the lakes. The ingredients tend to pollute the water, while the single use plastic sachets used in packaging pollutes the soils and landfills.  

The gravity of the waste issue cannot be underestimated - it permeates every aspect of our lives, affecting our health, environment and social fabric. In a country like India, waste is a social justice issue, with waste pickers forced to spend countless hours manually segregating sanitary napkins from needles, all of this with their bare hands. In an attempt to stop being a part of the problem, Bare Necessities was born. 

Bare Necessities produces everyday essential products that do not contribute to the waste epidemic. All of our products are packaged in recyclable, reusable and compostable packaging. We are pioneering in promoting sustainability through innovative circular initiatives, an inclusive employment philosophy, ethical sourcing, a refill program and a UNESCO recognised sustainability learning initiative, Bare Learning. 

We rely on ethical sourcing from local vendors and suppliers, while consciously emphasising the employment of women from underserved backgrounds. We address and solve the often-ignored yet growing problem of waste, and provide ethical and innovative solutions that benefit customers and society.

We are passionate about creating products that are handcrafted in India. We work to incorporate indigenous Indian ingredients, which are highly beneficial. Turmeric, for example, has anti-inflammatory properties that soothes skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. In addition to this, it also aids in the healing process of minor cuts and wounds by enhancing tissue repair. Owing to these unique properties, we created a spa bar highlighting Tumeric as the star ingredient. Similarly, we highlighted Annatto, a seed native to India, which gently exfoliates the skin. 

We take a cradle-to-cradle approach to every product, from the design to manufacturing to distribution. All our products are enriched with high quality, earth friendly ingredients belonging to India. None of them have any harmful impacts on our health and environment. 

Our powder-to-liquid home care range, rooted in principles of circular economy tackles toxic ingredients and the menace of single use plastic. Conventional home care soaps contain 90% water and only 10% active ingredients. Customers are paying exorbitant prices to transport water, resulting in high carbon footprints. Our refill sachets help reduce transportation-related carbon emissions by 85%.  We avoided single-use plastic packaging, which consists of multi-layered plastic, posing a huge challenge with recycling and recovering, therefore disastrous to the environment! We are innovating with compostable packaging, essentially designing waste out of the system.

As of 2023, we have sold 179,547 products, which has saved 103,096,156 plastic units either going into the landfill or straight into the environment whether that is on land or into waterways. This ratio means that in 7 years of operations from July 2016 to March 2023, the social business has diverted 540,135.21 kilograms from landfills and the environment. 

Through our varied initiatives, we are making sustainability accessible and relevant to people from all walks of life. We are proud to be a driving force in the sustainability space and remain committed to creating a more sustainable future for generations to come. 

As a country, a culture of sustainability is ingrained in our lifestyle. It naturally becomes part of how we lead our lives. Having practised this way of living for years, sustainable practices are internalised in us and are no longer something we do for ethical gratification alone. Sustainability then becomes a matter of convenience, eventually a habit. We reuse jars, recycle clothes and try to reduce anything that may be in excess. From this perspective, it is possible to practise sustainability at an individual level. Moreover, the awareness around sustainability, mindful living and minimalism has had an impact on the way regular customers think. 

As a business that places sustainability at the forefront, we at Bare Necessities have been able to attract customers who are willing to pay more for products and services that are earth friendly and socially responsible. We have been noticing that there is a growing awareness among consumers and investors about the importance of sustainability. Consumers are making conscious purchasing decisions, thereby supporting businesses that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.

Customers in the ages 18 to 50 make up the majority of our clientele. Our brand resonates strongly with women and mothers. Our product is suitable for everyone and certainly speaks closely  to those looking to make more conscious purchasing decisions. According to a survey conducted by DBS and Bloomberg in 2022, 92% of Indian SME business leaders view ESG as an important requirement for their company. Owing to all of these factors and circumstances, we see huge potential for Bare Necessities to scale significantly going forward. 

While sustainable business practices often have the reputation of being expensive, it also needs to be recognised that it can lead to cost savings in the long run. For instance, at Bare Necessities, we have employed the use for forever glass jars, which can be purchased once and used multiple times over by customers. This not only cuts down resource consumption, but also leads to significant cost savings over time.

Waste is being generated faster than other environmental pollutants, including greenhouse gases. Solid waste management is one of the greatest costs to municipal budgets. Our modular circular packaging prevents any waste from going into the landfill or the environment. Bare Necessities aims to create alternatives to products that usually come in plastic that take 700 years to start decomposing, in the process leaching harmful chemicals into our soil and water. The microplastics released fill up the stomachs of animals, thereby severely disrupting the natural ecosystem. By consciously creating plastic free alternatives to everyday necessities, we are fostering a waste free and microplastic free environment. In doing so, we are working towards a cleaner and greener future. We currently find ourselves in the midst of the largest global garbage crisis and at Bare Necessities we are working on solutions for a better today and a brighter tomorrow.

We have built a team that has experience across cultures and working within varied socioeconomic groups in India and further abroad, which allows for a unique perspective in addressing our environmental crisis. The foundation of the team is built on both theoretical and practical knowledge, strong partnership networks and a desire to use all the resources available to the team i.e. from each employee’s thoughts and ideas. We believe collaboration with multiple stakeholders will provide steps toward a circular economy. 

Our journey at Bare Necessities is as unique and diverse as the backgrounds we come from. I, Sahar, founded Bare Necessities after a profound experience working closely with waste pickers, which opened my eyes to the vast potential in sustainable living. This realisation led to the birth of Bare Necessities, with a vision to create a positive impact on the environment while promoting a zero-waste lifestyle.

Mehul, our Chief of Marketing, entered the picture in 2019 as an intern. His dedication and passion for sustainability were evident from the start, and he quickly became an indispensable part of the team. His background in sustainable practices and his understanding of the nuances between eco-friendly and harmful practices made him a natural fit for our mission. Mehul’s continuous dedication and expertise have been pivotal in shaping our marketing strategies and business approach.

Deepti, our Chief Sales Officer, came into our world as a customer who shared our vision for a zero-waste lifestyle. Her enthusiasm for environmental sustainability and her unique blend of skills, ranging from business development to software engineering, made her a perfect addition to our team. Deepti’s extensive experience in managing client relationships and her expertise in technology have significantly contributed to our growth and customer satisfaction.

Lastly, Anand, our Chief Financial Officer, joined us with a wealth of experience and a deep-seated commitment to sustainability. He was seeking a meaningful venture where he could leverage his financial and operational expertise for a greater cause. His global experience, coupled with his passion for sustainable finance, made him an ideal fit for Bare Necessities. Anand’s insights and strategic financial planning have been instrumental in steering our business toward stability and growth.

Our diverse backgrounds, shared passion for sustainability, and unique skill sets have created a synergy that propels Bare Necessities forward. The combination of Sahar’s vision, Mehul’s marketing prowess, Deepti’s technical expertise, and Anand’s financial acumen forms the solid foundation upon which our business stands. Together, we are not just a team; we are a close-knit family, bound by a common purpose — to make sustainable living accessible, practical, and impactful for everyone.

Revenue for products has been generated through B2B and B2C sales. Currently, we have a 20/ 80 split between each. Our B2C markets including our website, Amazon, and other online stores are assisting with our growth along with promotion through our social media and other marketing channels. We are also expanding the amount of B2B stores that we sell from, we now sell from almost 50 stores throughout 10 states in India, which has allowed our products to reach a broader market. The chosen stores align with our vision, which has resulted in selling 31,160 units to customers in the first 3 years of operation. Bare Necessities revenue streams include online marketplaces, B2B sales and our website. Our online marketplaces, which contributes to 5% of our revenue, while B2B contributes to 30% of our revenue and our website, which contributes to 65% of our revenue. 

 Bare Necessities also generates revenue through our self-paced online courses, workshops and talks among others. This was a clever marketing strategy we adopted in the pandemic when supply chains were massively impacted.; we innovated, stayed relevant while adding a new revenue stream. 

If we look at our revenue streams, segment wise, we can divide it on the basis of home care, personal care and lifestyle. The home care segment contributes to 5% of our revenue, personal care contributes to 60%, while lifestyle contributes to 35% of our revenue. 

Bare Necessities targets the growing middle and upper class market in India, aiming to capture 20% of a USD$21 million industry by providing earth-friendly products and services. Our clientele is typically aged 18 to 50 and includes women and mothers. Our brand resonates with those seeking to switch to  sustainable lifestyles. We ship across India and abroad from our Bangalore location.

We have grown 8 X in the last 36 months.  1.2 Cr in FY 20-21 and 1.58 Cr in FY 21-22  and Rs 2.25 Cr in FY 22-23.  Our Projected revenues for the next 3 years are Rs 4 Cr, 8 Cr and 12 Cr  respectively.

Going forward, we are focussing on achieving BCorp Certification and we are at the tail end of the certification process. BCorp Certification is globally recognised as the Gold Standard when it comes to measuring a company’s entire social and environmental impact. It is held by companies such as Patagonia, who are a huge source of inspiration for us. We have been meticulously working to get BCorp Certified. 

We want to work on our product launches by expanding on our powder-to-liquid range of products. We want to further our existing range to include diversified home care and dental care products. When we first launched our waterless concentrate products, it sold it in less than 2 weeks and they continue to be our bestsellers. 

We raised a seed round of funding in 2020, which was led by an impact fund. As we are on the path to grow with ambitious goals, we would like to raise a pre-series A round.

Bare Necessities addresses the issue that products that we use on a daily basis are packaged in plastic and loaded with chemicals contributing to the plastic pollution crisis. This is an issue that affects India, yet, only a handful of social businesses address it within the country. Not only have we tackled the issue through our zero waste products and sustainability education, but we are also a sustainability thought leader in India. Recognitions like the SEED Circular Economy Award, Cartier X Red Club Young leader Award and Google India Most Inspiring Indian showcase our impact. 

We see MIT Solve as a springboard to overcome key barriers hindering our large scale impact. Through Solve’s network, Bare Necessities can expand its market reach and distribution channels, allowing us to divert significantly more plastic waste.  Access to finance to execute is a unique barrier for a small and young social enterprise like us. Being a women led company, access to finance is a huge challenge as startups where women founders manage to get only 1.5% of the total funding. While financial gain is not the sole purpose of applying to Solve, we cannot deny the significant impact that funding would have on our scaling. Solve’s expertise can navigate us to secure funding to scale up production efficiently ensuring we reach a wider audience. 

We tackled the menace of single-use plastic straws, transitioning coconut vendors to organic coconut leaf straws through our project 'The Last Straw.' We also influenced policy discussions, giving step-by-step recommendations to combat single-use plastics and incentivise alternative solutions. Partnering with Solve can amplify our voice in policy discussions. 

We believe strongly in the power of peer learning and are more than willing to share our learnings, mistakes and wins with other entrepreneurs. We can develop a replicable zero waste model that minimises environmental impact, inspiring others to adopt zero/low waste practices. 

We are committed to creating stable green jobs, particularly for underserved communities. We employ women from underserved communities and help each of them with  financial inclusion. Furthermore, we constantly upskill the women through additional skill training, workshops and computer courses among others. Our partnerships with reforestation organisation Maruvan and waste warrior empowerment group Hasiru Dala demonstrate our commitment to making a positive impact. By creating stable green jobs, empowering underserved communities, we champion social and economic progress. 

In the future, Bare Necessities seeks to become an interdisciplinary hub, a home for product designers to design products with a cradle to cradle philosophy, a place for policy analysts to work with local governments on policy to manage and reduce our waste. A place for behaviour economics, ecologists, researchers and consumers to build a circular economy based ecosystem. Bare Necessities seeks to collaborate in new geographies, industries providing zero waste consultancy services, leveraging technological products for synergy gains on product and serving to ultimately co-creating with our collaborators and community.

Together, with Solve, we can leverage this momentum to revolutionise the industry and build a cleaner, greener future for all! 

We are currently in the largest global garbage crisis and Bare Necessities has positioned itself to offer easily accessible solutions to tackle the problem. Each of our solutions are sustainable in the long term, thereby differentiating our solutions compared to the rest. 

Unlike many of our competitors in the business, we have pioneered plastic free packaging. All our products are packaged in recyclable, reusable and compostable packaging. For instance, our lip balms, moisturisers and bath salts are packed in glass jars, which can be reused for eternity. Our soaps and shampoo bars come packaged in reused paper, which can be composted. Our powder-to-liquid home care range of products are packaged entirely in compostable sachets. Offering plastic-free, zero waste packaging, not only are we minimising our environmental footprint but we are offering minimalistic easy to use products to customers. 

We foster a strong sense of employee engagement at Bare Necessities. We take pride in our women run manufacturing team through which we empower women from underserved backgrounds. We not only employ women and train them, but constantly work to upskill them with language and computer skills. Take for example, Shabreen, who started off in manufacturing team, rose to become head of the manufacturing team, promoted to become assistant Operations manager; took a Computer course,  Learned to ride a bike, Bought a  bike and bought a mum a house all in the span of 4 years!

This is why we are passionate sustainable business environment, social and economic goals. seeking to divert 5000 Kilograms of plastic from our oceans and landfills; while creating 4000 stable, green jobs by 2025.

Our consumers can be assured in knowing that all our products have a zero waste life cycle with no negative impact on the planet. In an effort to quantify our impact of our products and services, and the potential impact that it has, we release an annual impact report. Our process of measuring impact is a work in progress and we have tried to keep it in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As of 2023, we have sold 179,547 products, which has saved 103,096,156 plastic units either going into the landfill or straight into the environment whether that is on land or into waterways. This ratio means that in 7 years of operations from July 2016 to March 2023, the social business has diverted 540,135.21 kilograms from landfills and the environment. 

We take a holistic approach to tackle the waste crisis with zero waste products and sustainability themed education initiatives. With education initiatives such as our online courses, talks and workshops, we make sustainability accessible. By virtue of our online courses, we are able to create a soft sell for our products. 

Through our multifaceted offerings, we have been able to position ourselves as a thought leader in the sustainability arena, with the added benefit of the first mover advantage. 

Bare Necessities addresses the issue that everyday necessities packaged in plastic and loaded with chemicals are contributing to the plastic pollution crisis. Through our holistic, two pronged approach of zero-waste products and sustainability education, we tackle the waste crisis. We provide zero-waste alternatives to the conventional toxin formulated and plastic packaged personal, lifestyle and home care products in the market that are contributing to the largest global garbage crisis of our lifetime. Our products are handcrafted by our women-run manufacturing team, using ethically, locally and naturally sourced ingredients. Our products have a responsible end-of-life and all our packaging is either repurposable, recyclable and/or compostable.

For instance, our lip balms, moisturisers and bath salts are packed in glass jars, which can be reused for eternity. Our soaps and shampoo bars come packaged in reused paper, which can be composted. Our powder-to-liquid home care range are waterless alternatives to conventional toxin formulated products. Stir It Up, hand wash soap, Dissolve, dish wash soap and Genie in a Bottle, multi surface cleaner and stand as a testament to the fact that earth friendly ingredients can effectively tackle dirt and grime, all while being gentle on the environment. Our refill pouches are packaged in compostable sachets and we use forever glass dispensers. 

Our sustainability themed online courses, talks and workshops raise awareness,  empowering our customers with actionable knowledge. We offer three online courses - Zero Waste Living 101, Building Blocks of Sustainability and Introduction to Circular Economy. Our courses are UNESCO Recognised as a Climate Action Resource and have over 70,000 enrolments.  We have been recognized as one of the top 5 Handcrafted in India Brands by Harper's Bazaar Magazine in 2017 and Vogue Magazine named us as the Top 10 Forces of Nature in India.

Our process of measuring impact is a work in progress and we have tried to keep it in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We abide by the  triple bottom line while measuring impact. As of 2023, we have sold 179,547 products, which has saved 103,096,156 plastic units either going into the landfill or straight into the environment whether that is on land or into waterways. This ratio means that in 7 years of operations from July 2016 to March 2023, the social business has diverted 540,135.21 kilograms from landfills and the environment. 

We are committed to creating stable green jobs, particularly for underserved communities.  Women from underserved communities handcraft our personal care products. We not only heavily focus on employing women, but provide them and their children with health insurance, helping each of them with financial inclusion. Furthermore, we are committed to constantly upskill the women through additional skill training, workshops and computer courses among others. Our partnerships with reforestation organisation Maruvan and waste warrior empowerment group Hasiru Dala demonstrate our commitment to making a positive impact. By creating stable green jobs, empowering underserved communities, we champion social and economic progress.

Our process of measuring impact is a work in progress and we have tried to keep it in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We abide by the  triple bottom line while measuring impact. As of 2023, we have sold 179,547 products, which has saved 103,096,156 plastic units either going into the landfill or straight into the environment whether that is on land or into waterways. This ratio means that in 7 years of operations from July 2016 to March 2023, the social business has diverted 540,135.21 kilograms from landfills and the environment. 

We are committed to creating stable green jobs, particularly for underserved communities.  Women from underserved communities handcraft our personal care products. We not only heavily focus on employing women, but provide them and their children with health insurance, helping each of them with financial inclusion. Furthermore, we are committed to constantly upskill the women through additional skill training, workshops and computer courses among others. Our partnerships with reforestation organisation Maruvan and waste warrior empowerment group Hasiru Dala demonstrate our commitment to making a positive impact. By creating stable green jobs, empowering underserved communities, we champion social and economic progress.

We work to actively source locally and ethically. Mason & Co is the first organic, single-origin chocolate business in India. Their chocolates are based on a bean-to-bar method in Auroville, India. All the products are hand-crafted by an all-women team. The organization works directly with farmers to source, harvest and process the highest quality organic cacao. The products are chemical and preservative free. At Bare Necessities, we source some raw materials from Mason & Co. Additionally, employing women from underserved communities. 

We partnered with Mason & Co. to create two products - Dessert Dry Shampoo and Mason & Co. Lip Balm, which uses non-alkalised organic cacao powder and cold-pressed cacao butter, respectively. By supporting fellow social enterprises, we are ensuring that our raw materials are sourcing ethically. 

We work with Kerehaklu, a green haven, tucked away in Chikmagalur, which is in the Western Ghats in Karnataka. We source the waste coffee grounds from them and use it to make our soaps. We worked on a tree plantation drive, which was hosted by one of our suppliers, who provides recycled paper for us. PeopleKraft, our supplier who provides us with our upcycled pouches made from textile waste and they work closely with underserved women by not only training them with vocational skills but giving them employment opportunities. Similarly, we source locally from traders, who follow the best practices. An example is Mr. Mohammed Masood, who hand stitches all of our cloth pouches, which we use as secondary packaging for all of our products. In doing so, we are able to develop a strong relationship with our suppliers. We consciously make the decision of working with them by checking their functions, after which we proceed to create a sustained relationship with them.

We are a consumer based brand and do not leverage technology to a large degree as mentioned here. 

We are a super small and lean team, yet extremely team comprising 16 members. We do not employ any part time staff, contractors or other workers. All the 16 team members are full time staff. 

Bare Necessities started in 2016, we were registered in 2019. We have been working on our powder-to-liquid format of home care products since 2020 and it was launched in 2022.

My experiences volunteering in Jamaica, democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, allow me to expand my definition of interculturalism and inequality. It was here, that I understood the power of women coming together. These experiences inspired me to  build a strong woman manufacturing team (largely of underserved women).

At Bare Necessities, we believe in fostering a strong sense of employee engagement and a key facet of that lies in empowering our women run manufacturing team. Bare Necessities has a 99% women run manufacturing team. Women from underserved communities handcraft our personal care products. We not only heavily focus on employing women, but provide them and their children with health insurance, and have helped each of them with financial inclusion. Furthermore, we are committed to constantly upskill the women through additional skill training, workshops and computer courses among others. Our manufacturing team comprises 40% of our workforce, forming the backbone of our operations. We employ women from underserved communities and actively invest in their growth. We take immense pride in being their first job for many. We offer them upskilling programs, training them with language and computer skills. 

We have detailed this information in our manufacturing team case study here: https://barenecessities.in/pages/workplace-culture-women-bare-manufacturing-team?_pos=2&_sid=3a696485b&_ss=r 

Bare Necessities is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to creating a diverse and multicultural team. We consider all individuals for employment without regard to race, religion, age, sex, gender, disability, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation.

We have the same shared transparently on our website and it can be viewed here: https://barenecessities.in/pages/careers