TFM is the abbreviated form of ‘Total Fat Matter’ in soap. According to the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, in all toilet soaps, the TFM content has to be mentioned in terms of percentage on the wrapper of the product apart from the other details required under the rules.
The standard fixed by the Bureau of Indian Standard (formerly I.S.I.), the ideal and safe percentage of TFM in any toiletry preparation should be between 60 and 80 per cent.
However, having been unsure of the standard, even many of the reputed soap manufacturers have omitted ‘toilet soap’ from their name and simply state ‘bathing bar’. Similarly shaving soaps are marketed as showing creams without mention of TFM content.