It’s common knowledge that plastic waste is a massive environmental burden. The good news is that many clever people are addressing this problem. One such person is Josh Howard, founder of Single Use Ain’t Sexy, a hand soap brand that removes single-use plastic bottles from the equation. Simply pop a dissolvable soap tablet into the sleek, reusable pump bottle, add some tap water, and you’ve got hand soap (sans the plastic bottle).

From lawyer to founder

From studying law but never practicing to working in TV production and advertising, running a sustainable soap company wasn’t exactly on Josh’s radar. But after a four-year stint in New York where he started a product placement business, Josh began thinking about products he could launch himself.

“Single Use Ain’t Sexy marries my love of beautiful design and branding with sustainability. There are so many products that burn through single-use plastic. I thought soap was an entry point for people because they're using it all the time,” he says.

The birth of a brand

It’s a nifty idea grounded in simplicity, but the journey to creating a revolutionary product is never easy. Just ask Josh.

Although he’d run a business before, it was a big leap to design and manufacture products. Appointing an advisory board of professionals with expertise in industries like chemistry and sustainable packaging was helpful, but there were still many challenges to contend with.

“I spoke to 93 manufacturers when I was starting the business.” Josh says.

But make it happen, he did. And in 2020 Single Use Ain’t Sexy was launched online, selling out twice that year. Since then, the brand has run a pilot with Woolworths, opened its first pop-up store in Melbourne and appeared in the bathrooms of offices, restaurants and gyms across Australia.

“It's hard to get people to sample bathroom products. If people try the product at work or the gym, they're more likely to jump online and grab it for themselves. It's a great brand awareness tool,” he says.

Focusing on the future

Understandably, Josh is delighted with the impact Single Use Ain’t Sexy is having. So far, the brand has avoided the use of hundreds of thousands of plastic bottles.

“Trying our soap is the first stop. Then our customers are like, ‘Okay, awesome. This is doable. What next?’ and one thing leads to another,” he says.

Having been on the same journey as many of his customers has enabled Josh to create a product that a growing number of Australians are embracing.

“I was never one of those eco-warriors that knew how to do everything perfectly. I was someone who wanted to find quick fixes that I could integrate into my life, and therefore other people's too,” he says.

Looking ahead, limited edition product lines, brand collaborations, new retail partnerships and taking on the US market are all in the pipeline for 2023 and beyond. Even though he has an eye on the future, Josh believes that marking milestones is important too.

“You're so preoccupied with keeping your head above water that you often forget to celebrate the wins when they happen,” he says. “But I'm really proud of the brand. It's hitting the right note. I love the cheekiness, the irreverence, and the idea that we're making sustainability fun.”

Learn more about Single Use Ain’t Sexy here.

By Jo Stewart