UF students hope Gator Glyss soaps will shine light on biodiesel

Gainesville.com
By Julia McClure, Correspondent
Published: Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 7:05 p.m.

What do you get when you mix frying oil and methanol with dedicated University of Florida students?

About Gator GlyssSoap Concepts LLC, a company started by UF students, produces Gator Glyss, a soap that the students say is organic and sustainable. It is made using glycerin, a byproduct of biodiesel production, which is good for the skin. Instead of using fragrances, essential oils are added to Gator Glyss that have been extracted from fruit peels collected from UF campus eateries. For more information on ordering the soaps, send an e-mail to GatorGlyss@gmail.com.

Biodiesel, eventually. And Gator soap in the meantime.

UF's biodiesel plant was forced to halt production last spring because of a variety of issues. After the plant shut down, two UF students started their own soap company to promote sustainability and biodiesel.

Eric Layton and Telly Concepcion teamed up to produce and sell sustainable, gator-shaped soaps to promote sustainable fuel and biodiesel production.

Layton, a fifth-year mechanical and aerospace engineering major, and Concepcion, a graduate of UF's Thomas S. Johnson Entrepreneurship Master's Program and former UF football player, started Soap Concepts LLC from their experiences with biodiesel at UF.

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