Discarded soap is collected from UAE hotels and recycled to be redistributed to people in need. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Unisoap UAE initiative - powered by sustainability platform Goumbook - cuts hospitality waste and increases hygiene access for vulnerable groups
Housekeeping staff are trained to separate used soaps into branded Unisoap boxes
Staff at the Westin Hotel, Dubai, are taught about the recycling scheme
The soap is collected, weighed and stored in Al Qusais
More than three tonnes of soap has been recycled through the initiative
The initiative works with 15 hotels including major names such as Atlantis The Palm, Atlantis The Royal, Shangri-La Dubai, Rotana Saadiyat and Centara Mirage
Staff at Camel Soap in Dubai clean each bar of soap
The outer layer of the soap is grated off by hand
The soap is crushed and then remanufactured
New bars of soap come out of the machine
Goumbook has distributed 10,000 recycled soaps
The soap is stamped, cured and packaged
Recycling hotel soap to help communities in need - in pictures
