As Australian Wildlife Week draws to a close, I’ve been thinking about how connected everything really is — how the tiniest choices in our homes can reach all the way out to the bush, the reef, the rivers.

It’s easy to see “wildlife protection” as something big and distant — about national parks and conservation projects — but it’s also about what we do, quietly, every day. Even what we use in our bathrooms and laundries.

What Soap Has to Do With Wildlife

When you wash your hands or rinse the dishes, whatever goes down the drain doesn’t just vanish. It ends up in our waterways.

Some modern soaps and cleaning products contain synthetic detergents and microplastics that don’t break down. They travel through the system and into rivers, streams, and oceans, where they’re swallowed by fish, turtles, and seabirds. Even the smallest bits of plastic packaging can do the same.

That’s why everything we make at The Australian Natural Soap Company is biodegradable, plastic-free, and made from pure Australian plant oils. It’s better for your skin — and it’s better for the creatures who rely on clean water.

Three Everyday Products That Protect More Than You Think

Made from the offcuts of our handmade soaps, so nothing is wasted. Perfect for laundry, dishes, and gentle cleaning — no plastic bottles, no harsh chemicals, and nothing left behind that harms waterways.

👉 Shop Soap Flakes

A gentle bar for daily cleansing that’s completely free of synthetic detergents and microbeads. Kind to your skin, kind to the planet — and made right here from Australian ingredients.

👉 Shop Australian Pink Clay Cleanser

 

A creamy, long-lasting lather that replaces disposable cans and plastic cartridges. No aerosols, no plastic packaging — just smooth skin and clean water. A simple swap that keeps microplastics and chemicals out of our oceans.

👉 Shop Shaving Soap

The Bigger Picture

As Wildlife Week ends, I’m reminded that it’s not just about admiring the incredible creatures we share this country with — it’s about protecting the places they call home.

And sometimes, that protection starts with the simplest habits: choosing bar over bottle, soap flakes over synthetic detergent, and packaging that goes back to the earth instead of into it.

Because when we care for what goes down our drains, we’re caring for everything downstream.

Five Simple Ways to Help Australian Wildlife at Home

1. Swap out products with microplastics.

   Choose biodegradable soaps, shampoos, and cleaning products made from pure plant oils — no synthetics, no sneaky microbeads.

2. Ditch the plastic bottles.

   Try solid bars or concentrated flakes instead. Fewer bottles mean less plastic waste ending up in waterways and habitats.

3. Add a bird bath or water bowl to your garden.

   Especially in warmer months, clean water sources help native birds and bees stay healthy and hydrated.

4. Buy recycled toilet paper.

   It’s a small change that reduces deforestation — and keeps more native trees standing for wildlife to live in.

5. Turn off outdoor lights at night.

   Artificial light can disorient native birds, bats, and insects. Switching them off helps them navigate safely.

Small swaps, big impact.

Here’s to cleaner homes, cleaner waterways, and a wilder Australia.

Soapy hugs,

Emma xx