Packaged to perfection

The company produces about 7,000 tons of soap a day, 80 percent of that by sunshine home employees, and the rest by employees on company premises, Wang says.

There was even a shortage of soap when COVID-19 broke out because sunshine homes were closed, he says.

"Many people with disabilities stay at home after graduating from special education schools and have no chance to work or have contact with society. This project allows them to do paid work and make friends so that they will become healthier both physically and mentally, and provide the greatest help to their families.

"Several employees have even married after meeting in a sunshine home."

Chen Lei, 38, with severe intellectual impairment, started working in a sunshine home in 2005, and his bodily coordination has significantly improved since he started wrapping soap in 2009, Wang says.

Having soap packaged manually increases production costs by about 10 percent above what they would be if the process was automated, Wang says.