How this couple built a global personal care business with Rs7,000 investment; monthly turnover hits Rs12 lakh

Growing up in Bodi, a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district, Nithya Rajapandi saw her grandparents preparing homemade bath powders, and other natural skincare and haircare remedies using gram flour, rose petals, and locally sourced herbs. These preparations were an essential part of her childhood and stayed with her even when she grew up.

"When I lived away from home in a hostel for study and work, I used to rely on my grandparents, who made these natural personal care products. But with time, my parents lost touch with these preparations. I saw the knowledge not being passed on to the next generation,” Nithya tells 30Stades.

With busy schedules, nobody had the time to prepare these powders anymore. “The market, meanwhile, was filled with chemical-laden products that caused more harm than good, including skin allergies. These products never suited me. The few who made such products locally often sold them in small batches, without standardised quality. That was a concern for me," says Nithya, 32.

Also Read: How Coimbatore's organic cosmetics start-up reached 30 countries

A shared vision with her husband

Marriage, however, proved to be a turning point for Nithya, who worked in a bank then. Her husband, Rajapandi, a mechanical engineer, shared her interest in organic wellness and had grown up watching his mother make similar natural powders at home.

It was Rajapandi’s eye for business that helped connect the dots. On a visit to a star hotel for work, he noticed a luxury wellness brand selling natural, handmade products similar to what his mother and Nithya’s grandparents used to make. 

Curious, he approached the hotel to ask if they would consider buying their products, pointing out that their quality was better and more authentic. The hotel responded honestly: they could only work with well-known brands that met certain standards. That conversation left a mark on Rajapandi. 

“That’s when we realised that even though we had traditional knowledge and could make superior products, it wasn’t enough without good branding and quality checks. This pushed us to think bigger,” Nithya says. 

“We realised that if we could match high-quality standards while using the traditional methods, we could find a place in the modern market. That's how, in 2018, Akathiya Natural was born,” she adds. 

Also Read: How Forest Post empowers Kerala's indigenous communities through handmade products

“Our vision was simple: to revive traditional skincare and haircare practices by making them convenient, safe, and accessible for today’s consumers, without losing their authenticity," Nithya explains.

Product innovation and expansion

The couple invested Rs7,000 in procuring organic coconut oil, castor oil, wild turmeric, and other ingredients. They began in their kitchen by turning traditional bath powders into soaps as Nithya realised that most people didn’t have time to mix powders and apply them as pastes. 

The first batch of 50 soaps was ready in 2018. “We retained the traditional natural method but converted the powder into a soap to make it convenient to use,” she explains.

It received excellent response from family and friends. Encouraged by the feedback, they introduced Arappu—a green-coloured powder locally known as Usilai podi, traditionally used to clean and condition hair. 

“We branded it as a natural hair wash powder and conditioner. By simply mixing it with water, people could use it as a natural shampoo. It cleaned and conditioned hair in one step, leaving it silky and lustrous. This product marked our entry into online sales, expanding our reach beyond our hometown," she adds. 

Also Read: Discarded temple flowers bloom into cosmetics, colours & compost

Akathiya Natural currently offers 21 products across skincare and haircare. For the Indian market, they have three soap variants: coconut milk soap, brightening soap, and charcoal soap. Their skincare range includes face packs like the brightening glow pack, neem and turmeric packs for acne-prone skin, and a de-tan pack. In hair care, they offer a hair pack, hair wash powder, arappu, shikakai, hair oil, rosemary oil, rose hydrosol, and aloe vera gel. 

Growing beyond borders

Their products did not remain local for long. One of the customers, impressed by their quality, tested the products in a lab and confirmed they were 100 percent natural and pure. That customer, based in the US, became a regular buyer and even reached out to Nithya to learn soap-making.

Later, the customer began selling soaps in the US but soon faced challenges because the different weather conditions and skin types required changes. She reached out to Nithya for advice.

“We modified the formulations, creating conditioning soaps instead of cleansing ones to suit the colder climate. This collaboration led to bulk orders, and we took care of the production while she managed the sales abroad. We never planned to start exports, it happened organically," Nithya adds.

Besides selling under their brand, they also manufacture white-label products for other brands. “We currently produce for the ISHA Foundation and export to three US-based companies.” 

Setting up a licensed manufacturing unit

A key milestone was getting a drug license for soap manufacturing, the first of its kind, in the Theni district. 

“In India, soaps are categorized under drugs, so if you want to export, you need a drug license. Securing the license wasn’t easy. It required setting up a compliant facility, testing every batch, and following strict standards. Now with the license, we can export to most countries,” she says. 

The license allows Akathiya to curate soaps, according to specific requirements. “Currently, we have received an order for a Malaysian client. We also sell products under our brand name and they are available on e-commerce sites. Those who buy from our facility get a 20 percent discount," she shares.

The facility and production process

The couple has a 1,300 sq ft double-storey space, with a capacity of 3,000 soaps per day (1 lakh a month). 

Each piece of soap undergoes a 30-day curing process before it’s ready for use. 

"The facility is structured for efficiency and hygiene. The ground floor handles production, cutting, and packing, while the top floor houses the office. Separate godowns store raw materials and finished goods. The staff works under strict hygiene protocols and equipment is cleaned after every batch,” she says.

Every product is handcrafted, but Nithya uses machinery where it helps. “For example, we use a blender and a soap-cutting machine designed by my husband Rajapandi to speed up the process and ensure uniformity," she says.

Nithya says while herbs and leaves are procured locally for production, oils come from certified organic suppliers in Delhi. She adds that all raw materials are organic certified so the quality is standardized.

Empowering women, building community

Beyond building a business, Nithya is happy to positively impact the community. Today, Akathiya Natural employs around 12 women, and Nithya is determined to improve their lives. 

“Since we’re from a tier-3 city, I want to help elevate their financial and living standards. For that, I need to pay them salaries closer to what companies in cities offer. I’m confident I can do that.”

Revenues and recognition

Nithya states that their business, which started with just Rs 7,000, reached Rs 30 lakh in turnover last year.

That’s when they began expanding operations. In January 2025, after they received the drug license, they crossed Rs 25 lakh in sales in two months. By the end of this year, they aim to exceed Rs 2 crore.

Along the way, Nithya and Rajapandi have received recognition through awards from organisations like Shakthi Masala, The Madurai District Tiny & Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA), and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII). Yet for Nithya, the biggest reward has been watching her small idea grow steadily, staying true to its roots. 

Being the first entrepreneur in the family, Nithya shares a piece of wisdom with aspiring entrepreneurs. “It will take time. You have to be consistent. A business is different from a job -- it won’t give you the safety of a monthly salary at first. But if you give it 100 percent effort, and remain consistent, the rewards will come,” she says.

“From the forgotten recipes of my grandparents to a manufacturing unit exporting across borders, my journey with Akathiya Natural is a testament that tradition and innovation don’t have to be opposites. With the right vision, they can thrive together. As much as we have demand for such products abroad, I hope I will be able to spread more awareness in India and bring people back to their roots," she signs off.

(Chandhini R is a Kerala-based journalist specialising in human interest, entertainment, and art and culture stories)

Also Read: How Dolphin IBA's donkey milk beauty products from Kerala reached 40 countries

Look up our YouTube Channel