Beautiful Boxes by BirdProject

BirdProject creates black glycerin soaps shaped like a bird. As you use the soap, a clean ceramic white bird is revealed!

I really love this very creative idea! Plus, 50% of the proceeds of each sale go to the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) and the Gulf Restoration Network.

From the BirdProject:

Through the daily act of washing, you will eventually free the clean, white, ceramic birds inside – potent symbols of restoration and recovery. The soap is shaped to be cradled in your hand and is a powerful representation of all creatures affected by the spill.

In order to get started, the BirdProject idea was presented on Kickstarter by Tippy Tippens, an industrial designer. If you’re not familiar with Kickstarter, it’s a place where anyone can present an idea in an effort to get funding. The creators get a limited amount of time to raise their desired amount. The best part is me, you or anyone else can fund an idea!

In the case of the BirdProject, they placed a wonderful video (which is below) and a very nice written description on Kickstarter. They asked for $2500, which was just half of what the initial run of soaps would cost.

The idea was a huge success and they reached their goal in just 5 days! Over the next 25 days, they more than doubled that amount. So the entire cost of the initial run was covered!

BirdProject Soap and White Ceramic Birds by BirdProject

Another reason I really like this idea is how responsible BirdProject is when it came to the ingredients and manufacturing process. From the BirdProject Kickstarter description:

BirdProject provides work to the area by teaming exclusively with local artists, suppliers, and manufacturers and building positive partnerships between a range of New Orleans communities. Working with community and education based Operation Reach and Stretching Sky Arts Laboratory helps highlight this important issue in the minds of teenagers as well as teaching new skills in both green technologies and entrepreneurial creativity.

The soap is made by Emily Manger Davis of Sweet Olive Soap Works who is a third generation soapmaker from Louisiana.

The soaps are manufactured from natural, locally sourced ingredients: biodiesel glycerin from Operation Reach, fair trade olive oil, aloe, activated black charcoal, and a light cypress scent – reminiscent of Louisianan bayous.

The BirdProject is the launch product of MATTER. To learn more, be sure to visit the BirdProject blog. I really like how they show us the entire process. For example, in one post you can see them testing different ceramic bird sizes and in another they show you the ceramic mold making process. BirdProject also has a Facebook Page and Twitter account.

Blue and White Ceramic Birds by BirdProject

The BirdProject soap is just $24. There is also a limited edition soap for $34 that contains a blue ceramic bird. There are only 500 in the limited edition series, so I would get them quick!

Visit the BirdProject Shop to see all the products that are available!