“How did my grandma wash her hair before shampoo came in plastic bottles?”
This one question led Sahar Mansoor, a Cambridge graduate in Environmental Economics & Law, not just wanting to talk about change, but to create it. In a world overwhelmed by plastic and toxic consumerism, Bare Necessities was born out of her unwavering belief that sustainability should be simple, accessible, and deeply personal.
Recognizing the environmental impact of modern consumption, she founded the company from her home in Bengaluru to offer sustainable alternatives rooted in Indian traditions.
Bare Necessities, which is now India’s first B-Corp certified FMCG consumer brand, began with personal care. Not the mass-produced kind, but cold-processed soaps infused with turmeric, reetha, and citrus peels. Deodorants without plastic. Toothpowder that didn’t pollute. All handmade. All Indian. All kind.
From handcrafted cold-processed soaps and plastic-free deodorants to refillable hotel amenities and sustainable corporate gifts, every offering is thoughtfully made—plant-based, locally sourced, and packaged without a trace of plastic.
But Sahar didn’t stop at clean products, she built an ecosystem.
Her team of local women artisans not only craft the products but also receive dignified green jobs, skill training, and upward mobility. Sustainability meets social upliftment,
And because awareness drives change, Bare Necessities launched Bare Learning—online courses and workshops that have reached over 295,000 people across India, from students to CEOs.
Sahar’s work has also been featured in Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and on TEDx stages. She’s a Cartier Young Leader, Acumen Fellow, and Global Good Fund Fellow. But the real reward? Transforming how India thinks about consumption.
Bare Necessities envisions a world where zero-waste living is the norm, not the exception. From family homes to hotel chains to corporate boardrooms, they’re showing what a circular economy looks like—on the ground, in real life.
Today, it is followed by thousands, trusted by corporates, and loved by families looking for better. Kinder. Cleaner.
Because when we strip life down to its bare essentials, what’s left is conscious living, upliftment through every choice, and peace at all levels.
Written By:
Yashi Bhatia
