What to buy at Better Food: Bath, bodycare and household products made from soapnuts—dried fruit shells that contain saponin, a naturally occurring compound with soap-like properties. Magic!

Looking for a solution to their own children’s eczema, the founders of Living Naturally were introduced to soapnuts—a product practically unheard of in the UK, but used in other parts of the world for all sorts of cleaning. Astounded by the results, Living Naturally was founded to bring soapnuts into the mainstream, making organic, biodegradable, hypoallergenic and sustainable cleaning accessible to all.

Living Naturally support Fair Trade cooperatives working in wild forest (never on cleared land), and all their ingredients are certified vegan, and never tested on animals. Many of their products and ingredients—sourced locally in the UK wherever possible—are organic or biodynamic certified, whilst their innovative packaging keeps plastic to a minimum. All their finished products are handmade in the UK, in a dedicated gluten-free and vegan workspace.

Mission and values: Creating vegan cleaning products for your home and body that support communities and are as gentle on the planet as they are on your skin.

Location: London, N21

Certifications: Soapnuts organic certified (Ecocert); Many products and ingredients organic and biodynamic certified—check individual packs for details. Vegan Society approved.

We love them because… Proof that all we need can be found in nature, soapnuts may be gentle but they certainly do the job. Living Naturally’s passion for their products is evident, drawing on Ayurvedic principles and established herbalist knowledge.