The LUFFALA Project

Skincare products which contain natural ingredients including indigenous plants and herbs from Rayong province.

LUFFALA, one of GC’s major projects, promotes jobs and incomes for women in the Nong Fab community in Rayong province. The community is a pilot location providing participants with an opportunity to learn and develop new skills resulting in a stronger community using its local strengths including indigenous herbs mixed with pharmaceutical-grade glycerin and premium-quality ingredients provided by GC Group to produce skincare products under the ‘LUFFALA’ brand which was extended to the ‘LUFFALA HYGIENE’ brand and LUFFALA Room Diffuser: Recreation Series.

The LUFFALA Room Diffuser: Recreation Series or air-refreshening essential oil has brought pride to the Luffala Community Enterprise, the Nong Fab Community in Rayong province. In cooperation with the Hom Mahad Group, the Khao Phudon-Khao Huai Mahad community and GC, this pleasant and environmentally friendly product was produced by extracting four aromatic compounds – Rain (Mint), Soil (Bustard cardamom), Tree (White mugwort) and Sun (Tayoy cardamom), inspired by the nature found at Huai Mahad Mountain. This product improves environmental awareness, particularly about our limited natural resources as well as the use of organically grown herbs by the Hom Mahad Group and the Khao Phudon-Khao Huai Mahad community. These four extracted aromatic compounds create the characteristic scents of the “LUFFALA Recreation Series.”

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Eleven years ago, GC and the Nang Fab Community came together to create jobs and support the community’s self-reliance with the LUFFALA brand of skincare products incorporating advanced manufacturing and packaging standards.

Rayong province features natural landscapes with an abundance of indigenous florae, beaches, and most importantly, the ‘Khao Huai Mahat’ mountain forest, a major water source in Rayong that supports a variety of plants and herbs that are used in the innovative LUFFALA skincare line. This collection uses GC Group’s pharmaceutical-grade glycerin as a key ingredient along with Rayong’s valuable and indigenous herbs.

The LUFFALA project, as part of this approach, was conceived to play a pivotal role in creating jobs for women in Rayong’s Nong Fab community, which was selected as a pilot location to enhance their skills in support of self-sufficiency. We truly believe that supporting communities and inclusive growth can positively contribute to sustainability.

Originating Pilot Community

The ‘LUFFALA’ Community Enterprise was established in 2010 to boost the incomes of families in the Nong Fab Community’s Housewives Group. This effort was in line with GC’s commitment to an improved quality of life and the well-being of communities in Rayong province using local knowledge to create jobs. GC collaborated with Mae Fah Luang University’s School of Cosmetic Science to develop a skincare and nourishing product made from local herb extracts, such as beach morning glory and monkey fruit, which was made into a ‘luffa soap’ eventually leading to the LUFFALA brand, which combines ‘luffa’ and ‘la’ (the article in front of a feminine singular noun in French). In 2011, the brand was registered as the Luffala Community Enterprise which later began to commercially produce skincare products.

LUFFALA has since continued to develop and produce a variety of products to meet the demands of consumers while maintaining high product quality standards. In 2017, the brand was selected by Thai Airways for use in their business class service.

LUFFALA is also known for its special packaging design. In 2019, LUFFALA, the Program in Cosmetic Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Suan Dusit University, and the Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn University, teamed up to compete in the 'From Folk Wisdom to International Arena' packaging design contest. They received the 4-Star OTOP Product designation which certifies product quality and competitiveness, and which provided an important boost in international markets. This important recognition was a source of pride to the community enterprise and local residents of Rayong province, which GC and its partners have pledged to continue to support.

All LUFFALA Community Enterprise products were registered as cosmetics products and approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Up to Now...The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way consumers live, leading to the creation of a ‘new normal’ and an increased focus on personal hygiene. To help constrain the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand while helping protect our skin from disease, GC, as a main sponsor of the Luffala Community Enterprise, partnered once again with Suan Dusit University’s Program in Cosmetic Science to develop a new product under the of LUFFALA HYGIENE brand. This hygienic liquid handwash helps reduce bacterial accumulation thanks to its key ingredients, including benzalkonium chloride, which can effectively kill the COVID-19 virus, premium-quality glycerin provided by GC Group, along with beach morning glory extract which keeps skin hydrated and soft. The Luffala Community Enterprise responded to physical distancing practices by remotely attending an online product formulation course, alongside experienced teachers who provided advice on guidelines. The course was offered by Suan Dusit University’s cosmetic science program. The liquid hand soap comes in two different scents: Baby Powder and Fresh Orange

Additionally, GC donated LUFFALA HYGIENE liquid handwash as part of a ‘survival package’ for agencies to support those affected by COVID-19. The agencies include the Rayong Provincial Red Cross Chapter, Rayong Area Regional Excise Office, Rayong Panyanukul School, Ban Huai Pong School in Rayong, and the Chonburi Child Development & Rehabilitation Center.

LUFFALA’s success is contributing to increased recognition of Rayong as more than just the home of modern industries and one of the three provinces of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development zone, which is attracting investments from around the world in targeted industries. The province’s agricultural sector is able to sustainably co-exist with an industrial zone within the province, helping to generate incomes for communities while preserving the environment and passing on traditions of indigenous cultivation of local aromatic herbs and plants to future generations. This collaboration is contributing to improved livelihoods and more resilient communities while maintaining traditional ways of life.

Learn more / order at:

1. LUFFALA Boutique Shop, Map Ta Phut, Rayong Province
FACEBOOK : LUFFALA_OFFICIAL
LINE: @LUFFALA
Shopee: LUFFALA_OFFICIAL

2. GC Circular Living Shop By CSC
Energy Complex Branch, Building A, 1^st Floor
Seacon Square Srinakarin Branch, Zone MUNx2, 2^nd Floor
LINE: @gccircular
www.gccircularlivingshop.com

3. The Gallery
Icon Siam branch, UG floor
Empire Tower branch, G floor

Last Update November 2021

News and Insights

GC and Patom Organic Living launch the 'Rayong Organic Living' project [Isranews]

GC’s ‘Luffala’ community enterprise project helps strengthen communities [Thansettakij]

“LUFFALA” Room Diffuser: Recreation Series Eco-friendly and Good for the Body and Mind

‘Luffala,’ a leading community enterprise [Thais don’t leave anyone behind program, TNN2]

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