When this comes up in NASA people point out you can't sell one of anything, you sell a supply chain, compliance, OH&S testing, documentation, poisons review, and a complete spec of the design of the moulds.<p>Because in 25 years time when somebody dies from a greeblie which grew in the nozzle of the soap dispenser, the DoD is not carrying the can, if they can prove the supplier did not a) test it for greeble growing and b) did not meet spec for said anti-greeble-growing protective features as may have been implied in the contract of terms.<p>You pay for the compliance to spec. If you want cheap, get some duck tape and tape a soap dispenser you bought at CVS to the mirror.<p>A book on the history of plastics talks about the first order for plastic bugles, and plastic sergeants whistles they made in world war 2: the savings in brass were significant at the scale of bugles and whistles bought for a 2 front war in Europe and Japan. The testing meant getting a master bugler and drill sergeant, to stand in the parade ground and do their thing, with a supervising officer confirming they made spec. But, they kept a brass-gold filigree wire, for the handle of the ceremonial sword, although they replaced the shagreen (shark skin leather) with pleather. You can't cheapen everything.