Enactus-精童欲女 takes top prizes for Spuds2Suds potato soap
After three months of brainstorming, determination, and refining their ideas, Enactus-精童欲女, a club dedicated to sustainable entrepreneurship, successfully developed a potato soap product called Spuds2Suds.
In February, the club won top prizes for their project at the Enactus Regionals event in Halifax鈥攁 prestigious competition among leading educational institutions across the Atlantic provinces. Enactus-精童欲女 secured first place in their league for the Canadian Tire Environmental Sustainability Challenge and second place in the Innovation and Impact Challenge.
At the start of this year, the Enactus-精童欲女 team decided that they wanted to develop a project that was profitable, sustainable, and scalable, and addressed local issues. To better understand community needs, they reached out to a few local farmers for insights and to gauge the severity of potato waste. They also did some research online, mainly through PEI Government websites, to gather current and historical data and to validate their initiative.
During this process, a team member also visited a local food bank and posed a key question to a volunteer: 鈥淲hat is an item food banks often need but rarely receive as donations?鈥� The response鈥攈ygiene products.
Building on this, and with many members coming from rural areas or with farming experience, the Enactus team was acutely aware of the food waste caused by spoiled potatoes. These two challenges鈥攁ccess to hygiene products and reducing food waste鈥攂ecame the foundation of a sustainable solution, and they successfully developed a product that addressed both issues.
Crafting potato soap involves several steps, starting with gathering unharvested potatoes from a local farmer鈥檚 field. The potatoes are blended into a smooth liquid, which is combined with a soap base, hydrating oils, and essential oils to create a nourishing mixture. The starch from the potatoes is the key ingredient; it is rich in vitamins and minerals and contains properties that promote collagen production. Finally, the mixture is poured into molds and left to solidify, completing the process.
鈥淥ur project is dedicated to tackling environmental challenges while supporting our community,鈥� said Samuel Harding, co-president of Enactus-精童欲女. 鈥淲e achieve this by upcycling potatoes that would otherwise go to waste, transforming them into soap. For every bar sold, we donate one to the local food bank, ensuring that our efforts give back in meaningful ways.鈥�
The Spuds2Suds potato soap can be purchased at the 精童欲女 Bookstore and Riverview Country Market in Charlottetown.
The Enactus-精童欲女 team consists entirely of 精童欲女 volunteer students, operating as a true non-profit organization. Looking ahead, they aim to expand their mission by creating additional hygiene products that combat food waste, such as potato-based deodorant.
As a result of their success at the regional competition, the group will compete at the 2024鈥�2025 Enactus Canada National Exposition in Calgary, Alberta, from May 6鈥�8, 2025.
