In Focus with The Bristol Soap Company

With Christmas on the way, we’re shining a light on makers working in our buildings. If you’re looking for gifts that are made locally and made with care, you won’t have to look far.

This week we caught up with Chloe, founder of The Bristol Soap Company. From her workshop at Easton Business Centre, she handcrafts natural, plant-based soaps, balms and skincare, all from recipes she developed herself. 

Chloe started the business in 2018 and first joined us at Redbrick House before moving to Easton. This year she’s added new stockists across the city, started running workshops, and she’ll be taking a chalet at Bath Christmas Market. We caught up with her to hear more.

How do you explain to people what you do?

“I handcraft natural, luxury, plant based soaps and skincare using high quality, plant based and ethical ingredients. I’ve developed every recipe myself, and it took a lot of experimenting and learning to create the final products in my range. My current range includes soaps, lip balms, body balms, bath salts and other facial products. 

I make soap using the cold process method, creating the highest quality end product, preserving the natural properties of the lovely natural ingredients. I only use essential oils and natural botanicals to colour and fragrance my products. 

I am responsible for every part of the process from the initial idea, product development and perfecting, making, packaging and labelling and selling. It is usually just me but I get a bit of help from family and friends over the festive period to keep up with demand!

I love making and creating my products and it’s such a brilliant feeling to know people love using the things I have made.”

How did you get started?

“I started building the business in 2018. I have always been passionate about leading a more sustainable and responsible life, as well as loving to use and make, high quality, lovely products and based the business model on these things. 

I have a firm belief that no business should exploit people, animals, or the planet, and these are the founding principles of The Bristol Soap Company. Every item is made with care, intention and is lovely to use!”

Why Spaceworks?

“I was drawn to the ethos of Spaceworks and the fact that it was a not for profit organisation. I felt it aligned with my own business ethos and also meant that as a start up, it was affordable for me to get workshop space. 

I started at Redbrick House and loved the atmosphere of the centre. It was really great as I was working alone but got to see other regular users of the space which was really nice. Once I outgrew that space, I moved to Easton Business Centre. I can’t imagine running my business from anywhere else. I love my workshop and it is such a brilliant, supportive space to run my business from. I feel very fortunate!”

What’s been a recent highlight for your business?

“This year has been a really positive year… I have started running some workshops which have been a really lovely addition to my current offering and have received really positive feedback which has been great. I have been growing my stockists this year which has been a big highlight for me. I am now stocked in quite a few amazing bricks and mortar shops around the city. And to end the year with a bang, I have got a chalet at Bath Christmas Market which is exciting!”

What Do You Want to Shout About?

“One thing I’d love people to know about The Bristol Soap Company is that, alongside my commitment to creating beautiful, natural products, I have strong values at the heart of everything I do.

I believe that making products people genuinely love and feel good about using goes hand in hand with running a responsible business. I believe if you have to exploit other people or the planet, then you don’t have a viable business. At a time when the world faces so many challenges, from climate change to growing division, I think it’s more important than ever that businesses take responsibility for the choices they make and the impact they have.

I know I can’t change everything, but I can make conscious choices about how I do business, the products I create, how I source my ingredients, and where I sell my products.  That’s what The Bristol Soap Company is all about, creating lovely, high quality natural products, while doing everything I can to run a responsible, and ethical business.”

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If you’re looking for Christmas gifts that are handmade in Bristol, Chloe’s range is a lovely place to start. You can browse the full collection and order online at thebristolsoapcompany.co.uk. You’ll also find products in shops across the city, and at Bath Christmas Market this year.