Norfolk Soap
Soap making has a long history going back many centuries and has experienced somewhat of a renaissance in recent years as consumers have started demanding more environmentally sound products which contain less in the way of preservatives and other ingredients which may damage skins. Many local soap producers have sprung up and run small businesses producing hand made soap, often at their kitchen table.
In Norfolk there are several of these companies, most of which started as a hobby and progressed into selling at fairs or through local retail outlets. Many also have an online presence, allowing customers from anywhere in the world to order the fantastic range of products on offer. Many have also negotiated contracts with local hotels and guesthouses to supply guest soaps to visitors which make a welcome change from the mass produced ranges usually on offer.
By buying local you are supporting local jobs as well as getting a product which has not travelled half way around the world to get to your bathroom sink. Many also use as many locally produced ingredients as possible, exploiting the availability of ingredients such as Norfolk lavender to make beautifully scented soaps. Local soap producers will be listed in a Norfolk business directory, so if you are unsure whether there is one close by this is the best place to start your search. Check before visiting whether the factories welcome visitors and what the opening hours of the shops are, as many small producers are only open a few hours in the off peak season, if at all.
As well as the traditional bars of soap, many local producers are being innovative in their soap making and you will be able to source several much more unusual offerings. Strands of soap are made by one Norfolk soap maker. You simply place a few strands in your hand, add water and lather as usual. The result is clean, sweetly smelling hands and no slippery bar of soap to contend with afterwards. Many soap companies also make related products such as bath bombs, gift packs and shampoos, meaning that you can kit out most of your bathroom in locally made cosmetics and bath products. These are also the perfect thing to take to friends as a gift or for birthday and Christmas presents.
Many of the soap making companies are not in obvious locations and operate from industrial units or small premises off the beaten track, so you’ll have to use a Norfolk Business directory to track them down. It will be well worth your while to do so, and once you’ve started using natural soap you won’t want to return to the mass produced stuff sold in the supermarkets.