SARAYA is a leading global manufacturer of sanitation and hygiene products and dedicated to improving the well-being of the world through sanitation, health and the environment. Our line of business extends from hand hygiene products to all forms of sanitation such as food safety, infection prevention and control, and public health, as well as functional foods. This diverse range of businesses and commitments comes from a unique history.
SARAYA was founded in 1952 by Shota Saraya in Japan. Around the time of the foundation of the company, the Japanese economy was beginning its long road to recovery from infrastructural damage during WWII. This lack of infrastructure left the country with poor public sanitation, allowing food poisoning and dysentery to spread across the country. Realizing Japan needed a hygienic way to keep hands clean Shota developed Japan's first antibacterial liquid soaps in dispensers. Since then, SARAYA has been pioneering hand hygiene in Japan.
Later, in the 1970s, Japan was suffering from water pollution caused by petroleum-based detergents, which do not biodegrade. In response, SARAYA developed Yashinomi, a dishwashing detergent made from coconut oil, which was the main ingredient in our soap. This led the way for more environmentally conscious detergents to appear in the Japanese market.
Since the release of Yashinomi, SARAYA has been recognized for the use of natural ingredients and consideration for sustainability in its products. This spirit came from the clear flowing rivers of Kumano, Japan, a quiet town where Shota was born and raised. Here fresh air, green mountains and deep rivers lined with granite boulders left an impression on Shota, who always held the connection between health and nature. Since then, SARAYA has continued to encourage the well-being of people through products and services that inspire environmentally friendly solutions to hygiene, infection prevention and healthy living.