Powered By True Moringa: Pacha Soap

If you know anything about us, you know we love brands that go the extra mile to source responsibly. We were thrilled when Pacha Soap reached out about using our True Moringa oil in their bath bombs! We sat down with co-founder of Pacha Soap, Abi Vrbas to learn how she and her co-founder and husband Andrew built a brand with a mission, why they chose to use True Moringa in their formulations, and her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. 

Tell us a bit about your brand mission and vision - what motivated you to start Pacha Soap?

My husband and Pacha co-founder, Andrew, always had an entrepreneurial mind. While studying abroad in Peru in 2010, he was trying to think of a business that would be relevant in the developing world that could help employ people in a positive way and produce a product that was needed. That's when his thoughts turned to making soap. As he thought about it, it started to make more and more sense because soap was a needed thing and it could provide jobs and livelihoods for the locals.

Today, Pacha's mission is to create engaging, beautiful bath products for our customers, while helping other soap makers in developing countries grow their businesses through small-scale, sustainable soap shops. All Pacha products we sell are handcrafted at our shop in Hastings, NE. The soap that's made in developing countries is both donated to local schools and sold at local markets, providing soap for school children and bolstering local economic growth respectively. 

Tell us about your moringa-powered product - what does it do and why did you choose moringa oil as an ingredient? 

We use moringa oil in a few of our handcrafted froth bombs (a bath bomb and bubble bath in one). Moringa oil has many skin and hair benefits due to its high levels of vitamins and moisturizing power. As our froth bomb customers soak in our moringa-powered products, their hair and skin will thank them.

Why did you want to work with True Moringa? 

Before our customers even purchase Pacha products, we’ve done the hard thinking for them. We are super choosey about our ingredients and partner with conscious and sustainable ingredient suppliers so our customers don’t have to worry about what’s in their soap, froth bombs, etc. So True Moringa was an easy choice for us! They are just the kind of conscious, sustainable supplier we look for.

Do you use moringa oil in your hair or skincare routine?

For me personally, I don't use straight moringa oil for my skincare routine, but you bet I use the Pacha products that do! Love the benefits this oil provides.

Any funny stories to share from your early startup days?  

When teaching himself how to make soap, Andrew used the biggest pot he had to make test batches. He used the same pot to make chili in his dorm room, sometimes making both in the same day!

What's one thing people might not know about you? 

Not necessarily a fun fact about me, but people might find it interesting that the soap-making process is dirty work! We use a lot of plant oils like olive, castor and shea... with all those plant oils, it gets a little messy. Also, a little tidbit, "Pacha" means "earth" in Quechua, the native language spoken in Peru and other parts of South America.

What's next for Pacha Soap? 

We are super excited to continue looking for suppliers like True Moringa. They are a likeminded company that is also passionate about sustainable practices and providing employment in the developing world. How awesome is it to be able to use your purchasing power for good? We continually look for beautiful ingredients, produced in a beautiful way.

What specific advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs? 

Surround yourself with good people who challenge you and believe in you. As the entrepreneur, you have the heart and the vision; let others help you along the way.