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Maari Soap

    What is Maari Soap? It is the first product of the Mararikulam Experiment. As of May 2002, 200 members of local Neighborhood Groups were producing soap in 16 work centers. Maari Soap is made from locally produced coconut oil and is of comparable quality to that sold by national and multinational companies in Kerala. The work centers are part of a cooperative network in which the workers themselves own the business. 

For five days a week they produce Maari Soap. On the sixth day, they go house to house in their neighborhood, selling the product. Local sales are carried in baskets and do not require packaging, thus lowering the cost to the consumer. Maari Soap is purchased for two reasons:

    -- It is of comparable quality to highly advertised multinational and national soaps, and

    --  Purchasing it supports local employment and local community development.

Maari Soap is also sold outside the locale in the more standard packaging shown to the left.

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