John Phanthoupheng, the founder of UNNA & CO., was born in Laos and raised throughout Asia and Canada. He has traveled extensively throughout Asia, Canada and United States of America, as well as across Europe. Between 1990 and 2003, John visited Thailand many times and was increasingly drawn to its exotic beauty and rich culture. What he discovered was a land filled with an abundance of the finest organic, all-natural ingredients that feeds the skin and soothes the senses.

In 2003, John met Wanna Unnafakung, the daughter of a certified Thai Pharmacist and Herbalist who specialized in traditional Thai herbal medicine. It was through this meeting of the spirit that John was led down a new path to self-discovery and became enlightened by the philosophies of Dr. Unnafakung. Dr. Unnafakung's passion for natural herbs motivated John to fully experience and savor the unique benefits of Asian healing and therapeutic remedies. Over time, the two collaborators masterfully created and patented one of the most distinctive soaps ever made.

Inspired by Asian healing and therapeutic remedies, John Phanthoupheng created and named the company UNNA & CO. as a dedication to Dr. Jarun Unnafakung. In Thai, 'Unna' translates into warmth and harmony. Soon after the product launched in 2003, the soaps won the Best Product Design at the Bangkok International Gift Fair. In December 2004, John brought his exotic soap company to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada where it is headquartered today.

Our Inspiration

“I believe that women, mothers, wives and sisters are attracted and stimulated by their senses. visual beauty, tender touch and, of course, chocolates. I was inspired to create a product that would cater to all their senses while de-stressing the mind, body and soul. The natural and organic ingredients, the soft touch of the handmade keepsake silk boxes, the vibrant colours and warm notes of the soaps and the design of the boxes and labels to imitate chocolate boxes completed my vision.” - John Phanthoupheng

UNNA & CO. exotic soaps offer all-natural benefits for the unique skin types of both men and women. With its all-natural ingredients, rich aromas and gentle exfoliating properties, UNNA & CO. exotic herbal soaps will thoroughly cleanse and nourish the skin while lifting the spirit.

UNNA & CO. delicately blends only the freshest herbal ingredients with the purest of botanical essential oils to create a natural, colorful and aromatic soap collection. All of the ingredients found in the UNNA & CO. exotic soap collection are grown organically on a plantation estate in the Kingdom of Thailand and purchased at the organic and natural markets under the patronage of the HM the King of Thailand Royal Project.

“What makes our soaps immensely different from the other brands is our unique blend of exotic ingredients from the Orient. Most soaps currently on the market are made solely from olive oil. Our exotic soap collection uses 100% pure extracts of Coconut Oil, Sesame Oil, Sunflower Oil and Rice Bran Oil, one of the powerful sources of Vitamin E (antioxidant) existing in nature, that provide our soaps with extra nourishing properties that help replenish and soothe the skin. We also use a rare mix of Asian herbs, including Turmeric and exotic fruits like Managosteen for overall well-being. Another special ingredient is natural charcoal which is made from burnt coconut shells and acts as an all-over body detoxifier drawing out negative ions from the skin.” - John Phanthoupheng

After each of the soaps has been hand-milled and cured in tropical temperatures for 5 to 6 weeks, it is then carefully hand-moulded into the shape of a precious stone so no two are exactly alike. The soaps are then beautifully packaged in an elegant keepsake box, hand-made from natural hand-woven Thai silk. The silk boxes are hand-dyed to match the vibrant colors of each soap in the collection.

“All of our silks are handmade in Northern Thailand by various families at their homes. The continuous support for silk weaving at home will encourage the preservation of traditional silk weaving method passed from the old generation to the new generation.” - John Phanthoupheng