Going (in) green: We hop into a special MINI for an afternoon out... making deodorant bars from scratch
07 Apr 2023|3,013 views
Seek, and you will find: Our tiny island actually has far more on offer than copy-and-paste tenanted malls when you're racking your brains for a leave-clearing, school holiday or weekend activity.
No judgement, by the way - there is most certainly time and space to burn an hour sipping kopi at Yakun and Toast Box, or to get some basic style inspiration (again) from the mannequins at Uniqlo. But again, how many times out of the 52 weeks every year do we want to be doing that?
Our eco-outing takes us to this door on Level 6 of Wcega Tower On the other hand, doing a bit of research is likely to present you with an entire itinerary of less banal activities and workshops that promise to renew and enrich the mind.
At least that's what we take away, when we embark on a local adventure to the far West for a very specific experience of DIY deodorant-bar making - with a very special MINI as our mode of sustainable transport.
The brief A to Z of making deodorant bars
To rewind just a little - our sustainability-themed adventure begins at MINI Singapore's Eurokars Habitat: A glassy, vibrant space that stands out from the more serious showrooms awash over Leng Kee Road. Not long after, we are zipping along silently on the AYE, on our way over to Wcega Tower (in Bukit Batok) for our workshop.
An electric three-door hatch is just as fun as you'd expect to drive around - or perhaps even more so The MINI Electric hasn't suddenly become a stately, luxe cruiser without an engine under the hood; the hatch is still most eager to communicate exactly what sort of road surface you're on at each point. But this only enhances the joy of being at the helm.
Finding gaps to plug in traffic, and even taking on the occasional gentle expressway bend is, as ever, a thrill. That, plus the persistent silence that accompanies pressure to the accelerator pedal, provides a remarkably unique driving experience in the MINI family.
The concrete landscape of an industrial estate comes into view less than 20 minutes in (for those coming by public transport, it's a 20ish minute bus ride from either Beauty World or Bukit Batok MRT station).
The Sustainability Project is led by three core missions: To educate, inspire action, and do good Of The Sustainability Project's (TSP) three core missions - to educate, inspire action and to do good - our DIY deodorant-bar workshop falls in between the first two. What - and who - will greet you as you step into its studio-cum-retail space is unlikely to be surprising.
By the account of Joline Tang (Jo), its young founder, TSP was created almost as a duty she could not shake. A eureka moment when studying Accounting (paper used for note-taking was discarded excessively in her course) sparked a flame to set things right that has burned brightly since. Starting off as a blog to propagate the zero-waste movement, its retail and education arms followed in the years after.
Weighing, mixing, and watching the heat: Those who enjoy being in the kitchen will find this a treat The DIY deodorant bars you can learn to make here are superior not only because they eliminate the need for superfluous packaging, but because they are composed entirely of natural ingredients. The session, among others like beeswax wrap crafting and orange peel upcycling, can be booked (and browsed) via Klook.
With the natural afternoon light flooding in through the tall windows, most of what is visible on the tables is repurposed from donations - right to the very containers used to store the materials/ingredients that will soon go into our deodorant bars. (One week later, when we receive our deodorant bars by mail, they are neatly wrapped in recycled ribbons and packaging.)
Different moulds and essential oils ensure you end up with a product that is uniquely yours The six-ingredient, six-step process is far from complicated - but that doesn't mean that one's mind isn't enlightened by what is taught. As Jo deftly tackles your questions and methodically takes you through the formulation of a deodorant bar before inviting you to try your hand at it, an entire hour will wind up passing by before you realise it.
It's the sort of setting you imagine good friends; a couple; a family comfortably huddled around in. In between, we get our hands busy (and greasy - shea butter is very oily, it turns out), and put our weighing, measurement, and mixing skills to the test over a long table. Those who enjoy being in the kitchen will find this a real treat.
The best part of it all? The penultimate step involves mixing in essential oils to one's liking, before pouring the mixture out into the moulds of different sizes that will form the deodorant bars, ensuring that the product you take home is entirely adapted to your preferences.
Purposefully put together
Natural ingredients are not just better for the environment, but for application on our bodies too Making deodorant that's better for the environment, we learn, also means making deodorant that's better for our bodies.
In turn, making deodorant that's better for our bodies means slowly identifying, extricating and then excluding potentially harmful chemicals in place of organic substances for an overall process that has net benefits.
In some ways, this approach feels quite like what MINI has done with the MINI Electric Resolute Edition we've been handed the keys to for our afternoon out. With our hands exercised and minds enlightened by the 90 minutes we've just spent in the studio (note: our dear photographer fumbled a batch in between and had to restart), heading back into our chipper hatch brings new appreciation for it to light.
Hopping back into our MINI Electric right after the workshop gives us new appreciation for the car Combustion engine swapped out, battery pack and electric motor swapped in, the particular Resolute Edition we have hints at future MINI designs with its removal of chrome elements - a material not known to be very sustainable both in terms of production and procurement.
Instead, the car gets a subtle but smart makeover with bronze coating around its grille, head and taillights, and tailgate strip. (Enthusiastic MINI aficionados might also point out that it doesn't break with tradition at the same time - its Rebel Green paintwork was previously an exclusive for John Cooper Works models.)
And as with the deodorant bars we've made, there are different ingredients to the mix, with the creation process centred on refining what's best for us above all.
The elimination of chrome elements, such as around the lights and on the tailgate, hints at future MINI designs for sustainability reasons Fully vegan interiors have been slated for launch in MINIs (and BMWs) this year that promise the same premium quality and feel of leather. The 999-unit limited run MINI Cooper SE Convertible also provides a glimpse of the future: Its wheel alloys are made of 100% recycled aluminium, which, in turn, are produced with renewable energy.
This is par for the course soon to be taken by all MINIs. Plans are afoot to expand the use of recycled aluminium, so that bits of scrapyard-destined cars can be put back into the supply chain - a model of production you might know as the 'circular economy'.
This is naturally all built on the fact that the MINI Electric is the firm's first all electric car. Trademark cheeky looks and (accentuated) playful driving character aside, its lifetime carbon emissions promise to be a third of its combustion-engined brethren, even if we factor in energy used for the car's production.
Becoming more mindful
The final product: Deodorant bars aside, our eco-outing sets conversations ablaze, both in our minds and with those around us The MINI Electric continues its duty as a mode of green transport for a group of friends I meet for a birthday celebration later in the day (it goes from Lorong Chuan to Telok Ayer, Jalan Besar to Woodlands, then finally to Punggol). The night after, my family heads out for dinner in it too - a routine any time a media car comes home.
Over tapas and acai bowls; sushi and green tea, unprompted conversations flow forth freely about the viability of EVs in Singapore today, and what the landscape of mobility will look like tomorrow. (My workshop experience naturally also comes up.) Such is the subtle yet undeniable magic still worked by an electric car today, like this wide-eyed Rebel Green hatch.
There's no kidding ourselves that cars, at their very essence, are still quite disconnected from the tree-hugging movement. But the idea of 'conscious consumerism' simply asks that we pay more mind to the impact of our decisions.
Cars like the MINI Electric point to the possibility of a better and uncompromised path forward It's not about entirely giving up the things we hold dear. (Most environmentalists will tell you it's the larger capitalist system that is flawed, after all, rather than the individual consumer.) Similarly, it's not about buying a 'green product' merely for the sake of hopping on a bandwagon.
Rather, if you were going to drive anyway, cars like the MINI Electric point to the possibility of a better path forward - with minimal lifestyle changes accompanying the same dollops of unique charm, and fun behind the wheel.
As TSP itself encouragingly proffers, what counts is turning the dial slowly, starting conversations in the process, and ultimately taking that first step - no matter big or small.
Here are a few other stories that may interest you!
Escape the hustle and bustle at these 5 places in Singapore
MINI One against the Fiat 500: Titanic supermini showdown!
Five tips new EV owners should know
Driving an actual go-kart and a roadgoing 'go-kart' back to back
No judgement, by the way - there is most certainly time and space to burn an hour sipping kopi at Yakun and Toast Box, or to get some basic style inspiration (again) from the mannequins at Uniqlo. But again, how many times out of the 52 weeks every year do we want to be doing that?
At least that's what we take away, when we embark on a local adventure to the far West for a very specific experience of DIY deodorant-bar making - with a very special MINI as our mode of sustainable transport.
The brief A to Z of making deodorant bars
To rewind just a little - our sustainability-themed adventure begins at MINI Singapore's Eurokars Habitat: A glassy, vibrant space that stands out from the more serious showrooms awash over Leng Kee Road. Not long after, we are zipping along silently on the AYE, on our way over to Wcega Tower (in Bukit Batok) for our workshop.
Finding gaps to plug in traffic, and even taking on the occasional gentle expressway bend is, as ever, a thrill. That, plus the persistent silence that accompanies pressure to the accelerator pedal, provides a remarkably unique driving experience in the MINI family.
The concrete landscape of an industrial estate comes into view less than 20 minutes in (for those coming by public transport, it's a 20ish minute bus ride from either Beauty World or Bukit Batok MRT station).
By the account of Joline Tang (Jo), its young founder, TSP was created almost as a duty she could not shake. A eureka moment when studying Accounting (paper used for note-taking was discarded excessively in her course) sparked a flame to set things right that has burned brightly since. Starting off as a blog to propagate the zero-waste movement, its retail and education arms followed in the years after.
With the natural afternoon light flooding in through the tall windows, most of what is visible on the tables is repurposed from donations - right to the very containers used to store the materials/ingredients that will soon go into our deodorant bars. (One week later, when we receive our deodorant bars by mail, they are neatly wrapped in recycled ribbons and packaging.)
It's the sort of setting you imagine good friends; a couple; a family comfortably huddled around in. In between, we get our hands busy (and greasy - shea butter is very oily, it turns out), and put our weighing, measurement, and mixing skills to the test over a long table. Those who enjoy being in the kitchen will find this a real treat.
The best part of it all? The penultimate step involves mixing in essential oils to one's liking, before pouring the mixture out into the moulds of different sizes that will form the deodorant bars, ensuring that the product you take home is entirely adapted to your preferences.
Purposefully put together
In turn, making deodorant that's better for our bodies means slowly identifying, extricating and then excluding potentially harmful chemicals in place of organic substances for an overall process that has net benefits.
In some ways, this approach feels quite like what MINI has done with the MINI Electric Resolute Edition we've been handed the keys to for our afternoon out. With our hands exercised and minds enlightened by the 90 minutes we've just spent in the studio (note: our dear photographer fumbled a batch in between and had to restart), heading back into our chipper hatch brings new appreciation for it to light.
Instead, the car gets a subtle but smart makeover with bronze coating around its grille, head and taillights, and tailgate strip. (Enthusiastic MINI aficionados might also point out that it doesn't break with tradition at the same time - its Rebel Green paintwork was previously an exclusive for John Cooper Works models.)
And as with the deodorant bars we've made, there are different ingredients to the mix, with the creation process centred on refining what's best for us above all.
This is par for the course soon to be taken by all MINIs. Plans are afoot to expand the use of recycled aluminium, so that bits of scrapyard-destined cars can be put back into the supply chain - a model of production you might know as the 'circular economy'.
This is naturally all built on the fact that the MINI Electric is the firm's first all electric car. Trademark cheeky looks and (accentuated) playful driving character aside, its lifetime carbon emissions promise to be a third of its combustion-engined brethren, even if we factor in energy used for the car's production.
Becoming more mindful
Over tapas and acai bowls; sushi and green tea, unprompted conversations flow forth freely about the viability of EVs in Singapore today, and what the landscape of mobility will look like tomorrow. (My workshop experience naturally also comes up.) Such is the subtle yet undeniable magic still worked by an electric car today, like this wide-eyed Rebel Green hatch.
There's no kidding ourselves that cars, at their very essence, are still quite disconnected from the tree-hugging movement. But the idea of 'conscious consumerism' simply asks that we pay more mind to the impact of our decisions.
Rather, if you were going to drive anyway, cars like the MINI Electric point to the possibility of a better path forward - with minimal lifestyle changes accompanying the same dollops of unique charm, and fun behind the wheel.
As TSP itself encouragingly proffers, what counts is turning the dial slowly, starting conversations in the process, and ultimately taking that first step - no matter big or small.
Here are a few other stories that may interest you!
Escape the hustle and bustle at these 5 places in Singapore
MINI One against the Fiat 500: Titanic supermini showdown!
Five tips new EV owners should know
Driving an actual go-kart and a roadgoing 'go-kart' back to back
Seek, and you will find: Our tiny island actually has far more on offer than copy-and-paste tenanted malls when you're racking your brains for a leave-clearing, school holiday or weekend activity.
No judgement, by the way - there is most certainly time and space to burn an hour sipping kopi at Yakun and Toast Box, or to get some basic style inspiration (again) from the mannequins at Uniqlo. But again, how many times out of the 52 weeks every year do we want to be doing that?
Our eco-outing takes us to this door on Level 6 of Wcega Tower On the other hand, doing a bit of research is likely to present you with an entire itinerary of less banal activities and workshops that promise to renew and enrich the mind.
At least that's what we take away, when we embark on a local adventure to the far West for a very specific experience of DIY deodorant-bar making - with a very special MINI as our mode of sustainable transport.
The brief A to Z of making deodorant bars
To rewind just a little - our sustainability-themed adventure begins at MINI Singapore's Eurokars Habitat: A glassy, vibrant space that stands out from the more serious showrooms awash over Leng Kee Road. Not long after, we are zipping along silently on the AYE, on our way over to Wcega Tower (in Bukit Batok) for our workshop.
An electric three-door hatch is just as fun as you'd expect to drive around - or perhaps even more so The MINI Electric hasn't suddenly become a stately, luxe cruiser without an engine under the hood; the hatch is still most eager to communicate exactly what sort of road surface you're on at each point. But this only enhances the joy of being at the helm.
Finding gaps to plug in traffic, and even taking on the occasional gentle expressway bend is, as ever, a thrill. That, plus the persistent silence that accompanies pressure to the accelerator pedal, provides a remarkably unique driving experience in the MINI family.
The concrete landscape of an industrial estate comes into view less than 20 minutes in (for those coming by public transport, it's a 20ish minute bus ride from either Beauty World or Bukit Batok MRT station).
The Sustainability Project is led by three core missions: To educate, inspire action, and do good Of The Sustainability Project's (TSP) three core missions - to educate, inspire action and to do good - our DIY deodorant-bar workshop falls in between the first two. What - and who - will greet you as you step into its studio-cum-retail space is unlikely to be surprising.
By the account of Joline Tang (Jo), its young founder, TSP was created almost as a duty she could not shake. A eureka moment when studying Accounting (paper used for note-taking was discarded excessively in her course) sparked a flame to set things right that has burned brightly since. Starting off as a blog to propagate the zero-waste movement, its retail and education arms followed in the years after.
Weighing, mixing, and watching the heat: Those who enjoy being in the kitchen will find this a treat The DIY deodorant bars you can learn to make here are superior not only because they eliminate the need for superfluous packaging, but because they are composed entirely of natural ingredients. The session, among others like beeswax wrap crafting and orange peel upcycling, can be booked (and browsed) via Klook.
With the natural afternoon light flooding in through the tall windows, most of what is visible on the tables is repurposed from donations - right to the very containers used to store the materials/ingredients that will soon go into our deodorant bars. (One week later, when we receive our deodorant bars by mail, they are neatly wrapped in recycled ribbons and packaging.)
Different moulds and essential oils ensure you end up with a product that is uniquely yours The six-ingredient, six-step process is far from complicated - but that doesn't mean that one's mind isn't enlightened by what is taught. As Jo deftly tackles your questions and methodically takes you through the formulation of a deodorant bar before inviting you to try your hand at it, an entire hour will wind up passing by before you realise it.
It's the sort of setting you imagine good friends; a couple; a family comfortably huddled around in. In between, we get our hands busy (and greasy - shea butter is very oily, it turns out), and put our weighing, measurement, and mixing skills to the test over a long table. Those who enjoy being in the kitchen will find this a real treat.
The best part of it all? The penultimate step involves mixing in essential oils to one's liking, before pouring the mixture out into the moulds of different sizes that will form the deodorant bars, ensuring that the product you take home is entirely adapted to your preferences.
Purposefully put together
Natural ingredients are not just better for the environment, but for application on our bodies too Making deodorant that's better for the environment, we learn, also means making deodorant that's better for our bodies.
In turn, making deodorant that's better for our bodies means slowly identifying, extricating and then excluding potentially harmful chemicals in place of organic substances for an overall process that has net benefits.
In some ways, this approach feels quite like what MINI has done with the MINI Electric Resolute Edition we've been handed the keys to for our afternoon out. With our hands exercised and minds enlightened by the 90 minutes we've just spent in the studio (note: our dear photographer fumbled a batch in between and had to restart), heading back into our chipper hatch brings new appreciation for it to light.
Hopping back into our MINI Electric right after the workshop gives us new appreciation for the car Combustion engine swapped out, battery pack and electric motor swapped in, the particular Resolute Edition we have hints at future MINI designs with its removal of chrome elements - a material not known to be very sustainable both in terms of production and procurement.
Instead, the car gets a subtle but smart makeover with bronze coating around its grille, head and taillights, and tailgate strip. (Enthusiastic MINI aficionados might also point out that it doesn't break with tradition at the same time - its Rebel Green paintwork was previously an exclusive for John Cooper Works models.)
And as with the deodorant bars we've made, there are different ingredients to the mix, with the creation process centred on refining what's best for us above all.
The elimination of chrome elements, such as around the lights and on the tailgate, hints at future MINI designs for sustainability reasons Fully vegan interiors have been slated for launch in MINIs (and BMWs) this year that promise the same premium quality and feel of leather. The 999-unit limited run MINI Cooper SE Convertible also provides a glimpse of the future: Its wheel alloys are made of 100% recycled aluminium, which, in turn, are produced with renewable energy.
This is par for the course soon to be taken by all MINIs. Plans are afoot to expand the use of recycled aluminium, so that bits of scrapyard-destined cars can be put back into the supply chain - a model of production you might know as the 'circular economy'.
This is naturally all built on the fact that the MINI Electric is the firm's first all electric car. Trademark cheeky looks and (accentuated) playful driving character aside, its lifetime carbon emissions promise to be a third of its combustion-engined brethren, even if we factor in energy used for the car's production.
Becoming more mindful
The final product: Deodorant bars aside, our eco-outing sets conversations ablaze, both in our minds and with those around us The MINI Electric continues its duty as a mode of green transport for a group of friends I meet for a birthday celebration later in the day (it goes from Lorong Chuan to Telok Ayer, Jalan Besar to Woodlands, then finally to Punggol). The night after, my family heads out for dinner in it too - a routine any time a media car comes home.
Over tapas and acai bowls; sushi and green tea, unprompted conversations flow forth freely about the viability of EVs in Singapore today, and what the landscape of mobility will look like tomorrow. (My workshop experience naturally also comes up.) Such is the subtle yet undeniable magic still worked by an electric car today, like this wide-eyed Rebel Green hatch.
There's no kidding ourselves that cars, at their very essence, are still quite disconnected from the tree-hugging movement. But the idea of 'conscious consumerism' simply asks that we pay more mind to the impact of our decisions.
Cars like the MINI Electric point to the possibility of a better and uncompromised path forward It's not about entirely giving up the things we hold dear. (Most environmentalists will tell you it's the larger capitalist system that is flawed, after all, rather than the individual consumer.) Similarly, it's not about buying a 'green product' merely for the sake of hopping on a bandwagon.
Rather, if you were going to drive anyway, cars like the MINI Electric point to the possibility of a better path forward - with minimal lifestyle changes accompanying the same dollops of unique charm, and fun behind the wheel.
As TSP itself encouragingly proffers, what counts is turning the dial slowly, starting conversations in the process, and ultimately taking that first step - no matter big or small.
Here are a few other stories that may interest you!
Escape the hustle and bustle at these 5 places in Singapore
MINI One against the Fiat 500: Titanic supermini showdown!
Five tips new EV owners should know
Driving an actual go-kart and a roadgoing 'go-kart' back to back
No judgement, by the way - there is most certainly time and space to burn an hour sipping kopi at Yakun and Toast Box, or to get some basic style inspiration (again) from the mannequins at Uniqlo. But again, how many times out of the 52 weeks every year do we want to be doing that?
At least that's what we take away, when we embark on a local adventure to the far West for a very specific experience of DIY deodorant-bar making - with a very special MINI as our mode of sustainable transport.
The brief A to Z of making deodorant bars
To rewind just a little - our sustainability-themed adventure begins at MINI Singapore's Eurokars Habitat: A glassy, vibrant space that stands out from the more serious showrooms awash over Leng Kee Road. Not long after, we are zipping along silently on the AYE, on our way over to Wcega Tower (in Bukit Batok) for our workshop.
Finding gaps to plug in traffic, and even taking on the occasional gentle expressway bend is, as ever, a thrill. That, plus the persistent silence that accompanies pressure to the accelerator pedal, provides a remarkably unique driving experience in the MINI family.
The concrete landscape of an industrial estate comes into view less than 20 minutes in (for those coming by public transport, it's a 20ish minute bus ride from either Beauty World or Bukit Batok MRT station).
By the account of Joline Tang (Jo), its young founder, TSP was created almost as a duty she could not shake. A eureka moment when studying Accounting (paper used for note-taking was discarded excessively in her course) sparked a flame to set things right that has burned brightly since. Starting off as a blog to propagate the zero-waste movement, its retail and education arms followed in the years after.
With the natural afternoon light flooding in through the tall windows, most of what is visible on the tables is repurposed from donations - right to the very containers used to store the materials/ingredients that will soon go into our deodorant bars. (One week later, when we receive our deodorant bars by mail, they are neatly wrapped in recycled ribbons and packaging.)
It's the sort of setting you imagine good friends; a couple; a family comfortably huddled around in. In between, we get our hands busy (and greasy - shea butter is very oily, it turns out), and put our weighing, measurement, and mixing skills to the test over a long table. Those who enjoy being in the kitchen will find this a real treat.
The best part of it all? The penultimate step involves mixing in essential oils to one's liking, before pouring the mixture out into the moulds of different sizes that will form the deodorant bars, ensuring that the product you take home is entirely adapted to your preferences.
Purposefully put together
In turn, making deodorant that's better for our bodies means slowly identifying, extricating and then excluding potentially harmful chemicals in place of organic substances for an overall process that has net benefits.
In some ways, this approach feels quite like what MINI has done with the MINI Electric Resolute Edition we've been handed the keys to for our afternoon out. With our hands exercised and minds enlightened by the 90 minutes we've just spent in the studio (note: our dear photographer fumbled a batch in between and had to restart), heading back into our chipper hatch brings new appreciation for it to light.
Instead, the car gets a subtle but smart makeover with bronze coating around its grille, head and taillights, and tailgate strip. (Enthusiastic MINI aficionados might also point out that it doesn't break with tradition at the same time - its Rebel Green paintwork was previously an exclusive for John Cooper Works models.)
And as with the deodorant bars we've made, there are different ingredients to the mix, with the creation process centred on refining what's best for us above all.
The elimination of chrome elements, such as around the lights and on the tailgate, hints at future MINI designs for sustainability reasons
This is par for the course soon to be taken by all MINIs. Plans are afoot to expand the use of recycled aluminium, so that bits of scrapyard-destined cars can be put back into the supply chain - a model of production you might know as the 'circular economy'.
This is naturally all built on the fact that the MINI Electric is the firm's first all electric car. Trademark cheeky looks and (accentuated) playful driving character aside, its lifetime carbon emissions promise to be a third of its combustion-engined brethren, even if we factor in energy used for the car's production.
Becoming more mindful
Over tapas and acai bowls; sushi and green tea, unprompted conversations flow forth freely about the viability of EVs in Singapore today, and what the landscape of mobility will look like tomorrow. (My workshop experience naturally also comes up.) Such is the subtle yet undeniable magic still worked by an electric car today, like this wide-eyed Rebel Green hatch.
There's no kidding ourselves that cars, at their very essence, are still quite disconnected from the tree-hugging movement. But the idea of 'conscious consumerism' simply asks that we pay more mind to the impact of our decisions.
Rather, if you were going to drive anyway, cars like the MINI Electric point to the possibility of a better path forward - with minimal lifestyle changes accompanying the same dollops of unique charm, and fun behind the wheel.
As TSP itself encouragingly proffers, what counts is turning the dial slowly, starting conversations in the process, and ultimately taking that first step - no matter big or small.
Here are a few other stories that may interest you!
Escape the hustle and bustle at these 5 places in Singapore
MINI One against the Fiat 500: Titanic supermini showdown!
Five tips new EV owners should know
Driving an actual go-kart and a roadgoing 'go-kart' back to back
Photos by Low Fai Ming
Thank You For Your Subscription.
