Rinzing Choden Bhutia, originally from Sikkim, spent most of her life in big cities like Kolkata, Delhi, and Bengaluru. Despite enjoying her corporate career, she missed being surrounded by nature. “I wanted to return home for numerous reasons and live a clean, green life,” she shares.
Rinzing moved back to Sikkim in 2013, influenced by her desire for a better life for her child. “I was tired of living in small spaces with Delhi’s pollution all around. What I wanted for my child was to grow up in clean air, surrounded by nature and lots of space,” she explains.
Initially, she planned to build a plastic-free, sustainable homestay on her ancestral land in Kabi, Sikkim. Rinzing envisioned wooden huts made from sustainable materials sourced from nature.
But her plans shifted after a soap-making course at Petrichor, a vegan retreat in Gorubathan, West Bengal. “I really enjoyed those classes and wanted to learn more,” she says. This sparked the idea of incorporating soaps into her sustainable homestay concept.
Rinzing then dove deeper into skincare research. “I learned more about skincare. By the end of it, I was sure of what I wanted to do,” she recalls. This led to the birth of ‘Agapi Sikkim’ in 2019.
Agapi, meaning ‘love’ in Greek, is her handcrafted, cruelty-free skincare brand made from natural ingredients. “The plants we use have been employed for generations, passed down from one generation to the next,” she shares.
Rinzing saw locals use indigenous Himalayan plants to treat skin issues. Mugwort juice helps normalise blood pressure, while the leaves are used to stop bleeding. This traditional knowledge served as the backbone of Agapi Sikkim’s sustainable skincare products.
She envisioned Agapi Sikkim as a women-led business. “I conducted my first training session in Kabi. If it were cooking or baking, women would flock for a free session, but soap making was unconventional. Despite that, more than 20 women showed up,” she recalls.
Through free workshops, Rinzing trains local women in soap-making, providing them with opportunities to earn. “I source their products. This way, they don’t have to commit to a job and can grow at their own pace,” she says. 450 women have been trained so far.
“The most delightful thing about this is that there is a group of 10 women who have started their own brand after taking my workshop. This way, these women have not only the opportunity to learn something new but also make a living out of it,” she says.
Rinzing’s workshops also extend to rehabilitation centres, helping those recovering from addiction gain skills for future employment. She collaborates with the Sikkim government and self-help groups to reach women in remote areas.