SIKKIM: In Sikkim, nestled in the Himalayas, an impactful skincare brand using ingredients exclusive to the mountains is making a big difference. ‘Agapi Sikkim’, founded by Rinzing Bhutia in 2019, is more than just a business – it is a movement that sustains the local environment and its people.
Agapi comes from the Greek word “love”; a brand that specialises in handcrafted skincare products using locally-grown herbs and plants. But its mission to empower women and uplift communities sets Agapi apart.
Rinzing and co-founder Varsha Shrestha have built Agapi Sikkim into one of the most successful women-led ventures in Northeast India. The brand offers several natural products, from bath salts and oils to shampoos and scrubs, all made with ingredients sourced from local organic and sustainable farming.
Agapi has trained over 300 women, including tribal and rural women, survivors of domestic violence, and even those recovering from drug addiction. For many of these women, the training programmes are more than just a chance to learn new skills – they’re a lifeline.
“You’ll find training in many things, but skincare was untapped, so I took the risk,” Rinzing recalls. “Forty women showed up every day for 30 days. I realised they weren’t just coming for the training – it was a haven for them, a space where they could interact with other women. Ten of them started their brands.”
For Rinzing, this was just the beginning. Post-Covid-19, she expanded the training programmes to reach even more women, including survivors of sexual abuse and those living with HIV. “We trained them to become micro-entrepreneurs,” she says. “We also want to train sex workers and bring them into our office or production unit.”
At Agapi, the commitment goes beyond training women. It also supports them by purchasing products they create, as long as they meet the brand’s high standards. “We don’t pick products randomly,” Rinzing explains. “We check if they’re up to Agapi’s standards. Ours is a for-profit brand, but we believe in giving back to society.”
Rinzing’s journey to founding Agapi Sikkim is entirely personal. After years of working in the corporate sector, she returned to her home state of Sikkim in 2013. A passion for handcrafted soap-making, sparked by an online course, led her to start the brand with just three employees. Today, Agapi has over 50 products and a team of 12. “My journey started with handcrafted soap and expanded to scrubs and other products,” Rinzing says. “I explored everything in my kitchen. We tap herbs and plants that are locally available, working with small-scale farmers. We even use glass bottles to avoid plastic.”
Agapi’s products are lab-tested, certified, and sold through their e-commerce portal to customers in India and the United States. The brand has also gained international recognition, including a training programme at Bradley University, Illinois and a 15-second advertisement on Times Square.
“We were selected by Empowering Women Globally to attend the training in Illinois,” Varsha shares. “It was an incredible experience.”
She says through its innovative approach, Agapi Sikkim is transforming lives by offering natural skin care, empowering women, preserving indigenous knowledge, and promoting sustainable living. It’s a story of love, resilience, and the power of community, proving that business can be a force for good.
Agapi is proof enterprises with social responsibility can drive positive change, “creating a ripple effect of empowerment and sustainable development”.