i am in the process of preparing to move to china and am wondering if i will find the kinds of natural products i prefer there.

are there reliable chinese brands which make natural soaps, shampoo, face wash, lotion, deodorant and such things?

what about laundry powder, dish soap, toilet cleaner, biodegradable all-purpose cleaner, etc...?

in a similar vein, are there chinese food manufacturers who make processed foods without chemical additives (meaning no preservatives, artificial colours, artificial flavours, chemical texturisers, etc...)?

i always prefer to use local brands to imported or international ones, anywhere i may be in the world.

any and all advice on these matters of simple natural living would be most appreciated. =)

thanks!

I think you made the wrong decision in coming to China if you're going to be nit-picky about all of that stuff. The simple answer is NO to all of it. People eat dogs and cats here and poop in little concrete drainage canals, okay. Good luck.

I would advise against buying any 'natural' products here. 99.9 percent won't be as labeled. Forget 'not tested on animals' products too. The law here states cosmetics etc must be tested on animals. The Body Shop refuse to sell on the mainland as they cannot guarantee the quality of their products.

I have seen a very limited stock of imported household detergents and toiletries in Paul's shop but they are super expensive!

Bring them with you, then get friends or family to ship them from abroad when you need to restock.

You best be ready to make a serious life style change if you come here. None of those things exist. Nothing here is as it seems. They make tofu using old tennis shoes. Can make an egg 100% out of chemical, including the egg shell. Food is a big gamble at best. Nothing is made or consumed here that is not laden with chemicals.
Plan on buying everything you need on line and from outside China....OR.....buck up and change your ways.

simple solution for deodorant: get a couple of crystal rock deodorant sticks before you go to china. these things last forever. one stick lasts at least 1 year or even longer (unless it breaks on you). and they're cheap.

www.amazon.com/[...]

Yep, nit-picky is not going to work in China, and will only make you annoyed and annoying.

Anyway, what is 'natural' about the idea of, say, shampoo, anyway? Cooked food is unnatural, was invented just a few score millenia back.

However, biodegradable makes sense - suggest you fly here on a plane that burns biodegradable jet fuel.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I am afraid that you might find China a bit shocking, if you are used to an all-natural lifestyle lol.

thanks for the constructive feedback.

i guess, like anywhere in the world, i will have to take the time to find the items which suit my aesthetics and values.

i am just curious, do any chinese people use this site or is it just for naive people like me and cynical laowie?

Mostly cynical laowai! It is frequently used as an outlet for us cynical laowai to vent China/Kunming caused frustrating/anger. ;-p

Regarding the cleaning products, I think you can make almost all cleaning products yourself can't you? I remember reading about someone who made everything they needed mainly using bicarbonate soda or something. Worth researching and trying before you come!

I have some non-cynical tips.

www.taobao.com, I get lots of natural stuff from there. Really proved an outcome, you can find anything on it!

Also, they sell great organic products at Salvadors. www.greenkunming.com/