Soap with Soul: the Irish self-care project with inclusivity at its core

Soap with Soul aims to reimagine our approach to inclusivity

If you’re looking for some self-care treats with a conscience, a new Irish start-up has launched just in time for Christmas ordering.

Soap with Soul is an initiative by Dublin-based social enterprise We Make Good, which supports emerging creatives who have overcome adversity to set up their businesses. Partnering with ChildVision and Coolmine Therapeutic Community, they have developed a range of hand-crafted soaps and self-care products, created by those conquering addiction or living with disabilities.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the most vulnerable in society have been pushed to the fringes, and have struggled to find ways to cope, both financially and mentally. Soap with Soul aims to tackle the stigma of disability and addiction, empower its makers to redefine the harmful stereotypes that follow them, and truly push for a more inclusive landscape for creatives.

Soap with Soul is handmade in Dublin, using locally sourced botanicals, and the process to support its creators is really where it shines. We Make Good provides on-the-job training and income for the soap makers, and aims to support them with either steady employment with Soap with Soul, or moving them through to mainstream employment.

ChildVision, which supports young people with sight loss and additional disabilities, have already been working on enterprise projects throughout the pandemic, but partnering with We Make Good has allowed them to boost their profile. Amanda Deaton, Project Lead for Lifelong Learning with ChildVision, said: “This project is about harnessing their creativity and letting them, and the wider community, appreciate their ability to create something beautiful and useful. The knowledge that they can do something of value brings a real sense of purpose and that can be, quite literally, life-changing”.

Coolmine Therapeutic Community, an addiction treatment provider, provides community and residential services to people and their families to overcome addiction and achieve long-term recovery.

Speaking about the launch of Soap with Soul, Caroline Gardner, co-founder of We Make Good, said: “Covid has really shown us that we need to change the way we prioritise the environment and work for a more equal society, where we focus on leaving no-one behind. These soaps exemplify these communal values in a really tangible way. They each come with a little story in the wrapper of how the project supports the makers to reach their potential, making them a really inspiring gift for this Christmas”.

Soap with Soul launches today, and is available to buy online from We Make Good