The Hague-based Seepje bags €4.2M to create eco-friendly soap products

The Hague-based Seepje, a sustainable detergent and soap brand, announced on Wednesday that it has secured €4.2M from the ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund and Fair Capital Impact Fund. 

Seepje says it will use the funds to strengthen its position in the Netherlands and Belgium by expanding its range of sustainable soap products. 

It will also use the funds to accelerate international expansion and increase its social impact. 

“This capital injection will help us to become the world’s most impactful soap brand,” explains Seepje co-founder Jasper Gabriëlse. “Besides money, our investors will also provide input to make our supply chain more transparent by increasing the professionalism of our impact measurements and reports.” 

Seepje: What you need to know

Jasper Gabriëlse and Melvin Loggies came up with Seepje‘s idea when they saw how people in Nepal made natural soap from fruit shells on television. 

Sapindus peels contain saponin, a natural form of soap, which is released when the shells come into contact with water. 

Melvin and Jasper got in touch with Hari, the Nepalese shell farmer, and decided to scrape together their student loans to get the first shipment of shells to the Netherlands. 

Currently, the company makes detergents, fabric softeners, dishwasher liquids, all-purpose cleaners, hand soaps, and soap bars from nature’s best ingredients, including the shells of the Sapindus Mukorossi fruit.

Seepje is available online and offline in shops across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and South Korea. 

The Investor

The ABN AMRO SIF is owned and funded by ABN AMRO and has an investment policy. The fund aims to combine social and financial returns by investing in companies that accelerate the transition towards a sustainable and inclusive society in three areas – circular economy, energy transition, and social impact. 

Investment Director Erick Buckens of ABN AMRO, Sustainable Impact Fund, adds, “Seepje is a real game-changer, capable of substantially influencing the sustainability transition in the housekeeping and personal care market.” 

“This slots in perfectly with ABN AMRO SIF’s vision to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable and inclusive society. Our goal is to achieve both sustainable impact and financial returns,” adds Erick. 

“For almost a decade now, Seepje’s founders, with their detergents and cleaning products, have been making a positive difference in the struggle to stop the planet’s natural resources from being exhausted,” says Michelle de Rijk on behalf of Fair Capital Impact Fund.