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·• •·
The History of Soaps and Detergents
Luis Spitz
L. Spitz, /ne., Highland Park, 11/inois, USA

Bubbles Since Antiquity: Yesteryears

When was soap, as ir is known today, discovered? Who discovered i r?
Which were the produces used by the various ancient civilizations to clean the body and to do la u
ndering Where does the name soap come from, a name which is very similar in ma ny languages?
E.g., Sapo (Iralian), Savon (French), Seifo (German), Saippua (Finnish), Szappan (Hungarian).
The origin of che name "soap", as well as the date and circumstances of discovery are not know
with precision. Most scholars agree that the discovery was acciden tal. The name is attribu ted to
Roman legend.
What is known and proven is thar healrh is directly relared to cleanli ness and the use of soap an
water. Data proves thar the infant mortaliry rate is lower when che consum ption of soap is higher in
cou ncry.
A brief history of soap follows. lnterested parties can find extensive published material on r
hiscory of soap--please refer to che list of references.
Mesopotamia, derived from the Greek for "land berween the rivers", is an area berween the Tigr
and Euph rates rivers, presencly in southern Iraq. This region, referred to as the "cradle of civilization
was known as Sumer, and Sumerian was che spoken language.
The ciry of Ur in Sumer is identified in the Bible as the home of the patriarch Abraham.

z
A
G

MEOITERRANEP.N SEA
M
T

..) 1(
' .._/
. '(). '

!f -,
EGYPT 1 1
f.l R B1 N
( ,,.1/,
Ni,.R. u E E R

Ancient Mesopotamia.

Dating :::2500 BCE, che oldest literary reference to soap was found in a Sumerian clay tablee written
cuneiform and relates to che washing of wool. In another Sumerian tablee, from 2200 BCE, rhere is
formula for soap that consiscs of water, alkali, and cassia oil.
2 e L.
Spitz

Sumerian tablet.

The concept of cleanliness has religious beginnings. Among the

ancient Hebrews, the importanc of cleanliness far health was recognized,
and laws were instituted to enfarce washing of the han befare and after
a meal, and of the hands and feet befare entering the temple. The other
aspect w spiritual cleanliness. A rabbinical saying states that "Physical
cleanliness leads to spiritual purity." Lat on, the expression that
"cleanliness is next to godliness" was used by George Whitefield, the
Britis religious refarmer, and by John Wesley (1703-1791), the celebrated
Anglican preacher and founder the Methodist Church, in his Sermon 93
delivered in 1778.
But cleanliness was not always next to godliness. For centuries, bathing
was used far rituals and w unrelated to cleaning and keeping clean. The
early church disapproved of the bath. St. Francis of Assi listed dirtiness as a
mark of holiness. There are three passages in the Old Testament in which
the wo soap appears, but there is no evidence that soap, as we know it now,
was used in Biblical times. I n t Good News Bible, which uses
contemporary English, the three passages appear as fallows: Jeremiah 2:2
"Even if you washed with the strongest soap, l would still see the stain of
your guilt."; Malachi 3:2, "B who will be able to endure the day when he
comes? Who will be able to survive when he appears? H will be like strong
soap, like a fire that refines metal."; Job 9:30, "No soap can wash away my
sins." In t passage from Jeremiah, the Hebrew word borit is translated as
soap, but borit is best translated as a "sa from a plant", "a substance to clean
with". Borit was probably natural wood or vegetable herbs obtaine from
burning indigenous plants from Israel, Egypt, or Syria. These passages in
the Bible are metapho far spiritual cleanliness and religious purification via
physical mind in a sound body" w their idea. There were public baths in Athens at
cleanlines the time of Socrates (469-399 CE). The Romans al built public baths and
s. encouraged cleanliness. The great public baths in Rome became luxurious
The club and bathing became very popular. The Roman Empire built many
ancient aqueducts, which supplied water n
Egyptians
also had
religious
rituals
that
demande
d
clcanlines
s. Their
priests'
hea were
shaved
and they
bathed
severa!
times a
day. They
also
showered
and
scrubbed
with
sand an
then
anointed
the
graven
images of
their
gods with
oil. The
Greeks
were the
first to
bathe for
aesthet
reasons.
They had
no rules
far
cleanlines
s on
religious
grounds.
"A sound
 The History of Soaps and Detergents •

only for drinking, but also for washing and deaning. For the Greeks and Romans, washi ng consist
of having hot baths and either beating the body with twigs or scraping off dirt with a strigil shaped
a shochorn. By encouraging dcanliness, the Roman Empire suffered very little from the plague a
pestilences of the times. When the barbarians overthrew the Roman Empire, ali of the aqueducts, bath
and public drains were destroyed. During the Middle Ages, i n an era called "a thousand years without
bath", millions died in the cities. The Black Death of 1348 killed 25% of the inhabitants ofltaly, Spai
France, Germany, and England.
An often quoted legend tells about animal sacrifices made to the goddess Athena at her temple
Rome's ancient Sapo Hill. When it rained, the animal fat (which remained from the sacrifices) mix
with wood ashes and was washed clown the side of the mountain. Roman laundresses washi ng do
downstream in the Tiber River found that the yellowish "soapy" waters made their dothes whiter a
deaner. The name for "soap" might havc originated on Sapo Hill.
Another theory asserts that the ancient Gauls stumbled upon soap i n an effort to extraer oil fro
tallow. Perhaps they experimented by boiling it in water that had been leached through beech tree ash
The excavations at Pompeii, a city destroyed by an eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in 79 CE, revea
complete soap factory. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE) was the first to mention so
in bis Historia Natura/is around 70 CE. He indicated that the Romans secured soap from the Gauls, a
he described in detail the bathi ng procedure in the Roman Bath: Passing to the baths proper, the citiz
en tered the tepidarium, in this case a warm air room; then he went to the calidarium, or hot air roo
if he wanted to perspire still more freely, he moved into the laconium and gasped in superheated stea
He then took a warm bath and washed himself with a novelty learned from the Gauls, i.e., soap ma
from tallow and the ashes of the beech or elm. Humans have used soap substitutes or "natural soap
since primitive times. These were usually plant substances containing "saponins", detergent deanse
naturally produced by sorne plants. Soap plants are common to the Fertile Crescent, the birthpla
of ancient civilizations. The American lndians kept dean without soap. They used roots and soa
like leaves: soap bark, soap root, agave and yucca roots. The Navajo lndians made soap with yucc
The soapy part comes from the root of the plant. lt was peeled, sliced, pounded, dropped into wat
and churned into suds. lt was even good for a foamy shampoo, bue ie had to be well rinsed to avo
irritation. American lndians also washed with fuchsia leaves and agave, and scrubbed with soapwort le
washdoths. In South America, lndians still use soapbark and soapberry.
lt is believed that thc Phoenicians were the first to develop soap maki ng into an art. The Arabs,
Turk Vikings, and Celes all made soap. Soap making was brought to England by the Celts i n c. l
000 C from there, its use and manufacture spread throughout Europe. Since the production of soap
depen on boiling fats and oils with an alkali, soap making began in countries around the
Mediterranean whe olive oil and a fleshy plant called Sarilla were found in abundance. Sarilla is still
grown i n Spain, Sici and the Canary lslands, where its ashes provide the necessary alkali.
In the ninth century CE, Marseilles, France, was already famous for soap making. Then two oth
great European centers for soap manufacture grew up in Savona, ltaly, and Castilla, Spain. Englan
first soap produceion began in Bristol i n the twelfth century and by the fourteenth century, soap w
bei ng widely manufactured in Britain. There was still a reluctance to use soap for washi ng the body
to the sixteenth century. Like bathing, only the rich could afford fine soaps. Cromwell, in 1712, almo
taxed deanliness into oblivion in England. Soap monopolies, combi ned with heavy taxes and hi
prices, kept manufactured soap scarce until well into the nineteen th century. Napoleon paid two fran
for a bar of perfumed Brown Windsor, an inflated price for 1808. In 1853, when Gladstone grudging
repealed the English soap tax, he condemned soap as, "most i njurious both to the comfort and heal
of che people", bue soap makers heaved a sigh of relief, and soap making became something of a boo
industry. This became a turning poi ne in social attitudes toward personal deanliness.
4e L. Spitz

Two French and one Belgian chemist made industrial soap production possible.

• 1787: Nicho/as Leblanc invenced che process of obtaining caustic soda from common sale (sodiu
chloride).

• 1823: Michel Eugene Chevreul discovered that che chemical nature of fats and oils were glyceride
When glycerides react with caustic soda or caustic potash, soap is produced and glycerine
liberated.

• 186 1: Ernest Solvay invenced che ammonia-soda process for che production of soda ash (sodiu
carbonate) to be used widely in soap and glass making. He used common sale, ammonia, carbo
dioxide, and lime for his process.

The mear packing busi ness was established in che latter pare of che nineteench cen tury. During me
preparation che mear packers saved large quancities of che inedible fats and oils by-produces to mak
large-scale soap production an economic realicy. Leblanc's invention and che mear packing busine
made it possible to produce soap that was affordable by everyone.

Marseille Soaps
In soucheastern France, che Provence is a region of che Camargue in which olive oil, sale, and soda as
were readily available for soap making. In che sixteenthth century, Marseille became che first offici
soap producing region in France. Jean Batiste Colbert, a minister of Louis XIV, che Sun King, issue
The Edict of Colbert on October 5, 1688, prohibiting che use of animal fats for che production of Savo
De Marseille (Marseille soap). The soap had to con tain 72% of vegetable oils (pure olive oil, copra, an
palm oil) to ensure qualicy. In che ni neteench century, most of che olive oil was replaced by cocon
and palm oils. Each cube shaped bar of Marseille soap had to be stamped with che statement, "Contai
72% Extra Pure Oíl". Many bars also had che weight in grams stamped on one of che sides.
Being gentle on che hands and che cloth washed, these soaps became so popular that by che l 88
chere were about 100 Marseille soap producers in France. During che last decade, Marseille soaps,
name remembered and associated with qualicy soaps of the past, were rediscovered due to che rise
interese in vegetable-based, natural produces. The craditional opaque, cube-shaped soaps are sold main
as specialcy gift soaps. In che last few years, both cube- and regular-shaped opaque and translucent toil
soaps have appeared in Europe and elsewhere, with and without the 72% claim.
Cube shaped Marseille Soap.
 The History of Soaps and Detergents e
Marseille Soap Flakes, Powder, and Liquid Decergencs are offered in Europe by severa! companie
In Icaly, ic is inceresting to note chac, Procter & Gamble's Ace Detersivo Marsiglia, in powder and liqu
versions, show a Marseille Soap Bar, in spite of che produces being detergen es and not soaps. Och
companies also use a Marseille shaped soap illustracion for non-non produces.

Soap Making in Colonial America

Soap making was one of che firsc trades in early America. The chore of making soap fell on wome
Surplus animal fats and oils were saved to make soap 2-3 times a year. The facs and oils were melte
i n a large iron keccle, which hung on a rod over a fire, and !ye was mixed i n using a long-handled i r
spoon. A rule-of-chumb formula was used. By experience, ic was known chat che strengch of che l
(alkali) determined che success of good soap maki ng. Ifan egg or a pocaco could float to che surface, c
lye had che right strength.
Soap makers arrived in 1608 ac Jamescown, Virginia, on che second ship from England. At c
begin ning, che soap chey made was used for laundering. Fine coilec soaps were imported from Europ
bue few could afford to buy chem. The soap maker and che candle maker usually worked together. Bo
used callow as che base raw material. Candle making was more proficable than soap making due to
higher demand. Benjamín Franklin's facher was a candle maker who wanced his son to be a soap make
bue Benjamin became a printer. The first Uniced Scaces patent was granced in 1790 to Samuel Hopkin
a soap maker, for processing potash by a new method.

The Oldest Living Brands

Yardley ( 1770)
The young William Yardley paid King Charles I a large sum of money in return for a concessio
to man ufacture soap for all of London. Decails of his activicies were lose in che 1666 Great Fire
London, bue it is known chac he used lavender fragrance for his soaps. In 1770, Yardley's origin
English Lavender soap was incroduced. Created for gendemen to use when shaving, che rich fragra
lacher quickly became a favorite wich che Jadies too. Yardley was che first branded soap in che worl
proclaiming its name on every bar.
In 1913, che firm adopced as che crademark for ali of i ts lavender produces Sir Francis Wheade
Flower Sellers Group, one of a set of fourteen paintings known colleccively coday as Cries o/ London.
7 Flower Sellers' charming, sentimental qualicy endured and scill adorns sorne of che Yardley Lavend
Soap packages. Yardley was established in che United Scaces in 1921, and by 1928, a foil faccocy exist
in New Jersey. In 1960, a new factory was builc in Tocowa, NJ. In 1978 )ovan, che well-known make
of Musk Oil, purchased che U.S. rights for Yardley and scarted producing che Yardley Old Engli
Lavender Fragranced Soap, advertising ic wich che slogan, "Mosc Soaps have a Slogan, Ours has
History." The Lavender bar was followed by five ingredienc bars: The Cocoa Butter Soap, The Oacme
Soap, The Hard Locion Soap, The Aloe Vera Soap, and The Baby Soap.

Yardley Old English Lavender Fragranced Soap- 1920's.

6e L.
Spitz

Sir Francis Wheatley's Flower Sellers Group-1913.

After )ovan, severa) companies owned Yardley. In 1979, che British-

based Beecham Group acquire
)ovan. )ovan ceased operation in 1984. In 1990, Yardley of London, che
British parent company, w pu rchased by the New York-based firm of
Wasserstein & Perella. In 1991, che Maybelline Compan owned by
Wasserstein & Perella, purchased che right to manufacture and sel! Yardley
produces in Norc America. In 1996, Maybelline was sold to L'Oreal
Cosmctics. In 1997, Yardley of London crcated a independent
organizacion in che Uniccd Scaccs. The Wella Company bought the
rights to thc Yardle name outsidc of the Uniced States in 1998. In
December 2001, Wclla purchased Yardley U.S., an Procter & Gamblc
bought Wella in Scptembcr 2003. In Occobcr 2005, che Lornamead
Group
fro che
Unitcd
Kingdom
purchased
boch che
U.S. and
English
Yardley
operacion
s.
Sever
a! types
of Yardley
soaps
have been
incroduce
d during
che last
few ycars.
In 2003,
six Yardle
London
Moisturiz
ing Soap
bars were
launched
with a
wide
range of
ingredient
s under
che
Secret
Cottag
produce
linc.
These
bars were
Flowering
English
Lavender,
Natural
Oatmeal
&
Almond,
Sweet
Summ
 The History of Soaps and Detergents e
Aloe & Cucumber, Natural Performance, Early Morning Rose, and Baby Gentle Natural Moisturizin
Soap-Dermatologist Tested.
In 2004, Yardley introduced two specialty bath lines: Natu re's Slices Bar Soaps and the Apotheca
Line.
The 2008, four Naturally Moisturizing bars were re-positioned: English Lavender with Essenti
Oils, Fresh Aloe with Cucumber Essence, Oatmeal & Almond with Natu ral Oats, and Lemon Verbe
with Shea Butter.

Pears ( 1789)
The history of Pears Transparent Soap began in 1789 when Andrew Pears opened a barbershop
London's Gerrard Street, Soho district, a fashionable residential area. He manufactured cream
powders, and other beauty aids. Wealthy dientele used his products to cover up the damage caused
harsh, highly alkaline soaps used in Britain in those days. Mr. Pears recognized che potential for a pur
gentle soap and began to experiment with the production of a fragranced transparent soap for delica
complexions. In 1835, his grandson Francis became a partner. Later, in 1862, Francis's own son Andre
started working with his father and became a partner.
Another partner, Thomas J. Barratt, son-in-law of Andrew Pears, a very creative, enterprising
perso
was in charge of promotions. Due to his novel approach to advertising, he is considered "The Fath
of Modern Advertising". At the Paris Exhibition of 1878, Barratt saw a well-known humorous plast
statuette, called You Dirty Boy, of an old woman washing the ears of a boy who was very unhappy abo
it. He purchased it for f.500 from G. Focardi, a well-known sculptor, and had it carved in marble. H
placed it outside his office. Terra cotta reproductions were offered due to the large demand for both t
You Dirty Boy and for the advertising materials that followed.

You Dirty Boy by G. Focardi- 1878.

8e L. Spitz

Thomas J. Barrare, "The Father of Advertising", was a pioneer in usi ng works of art as sources f
advertising. He made advertising history by buying paintings from artists and offering them to t
public as poster-reproduced, high-quality chromolithographs.
He acquired an 1886 painting done by Sir John Everett Millais, a very popular pain ter in Britai
entitled A Child's World. The painting depicced a curly-headed little boy-Millais' grandson-blowi ng
soap bubble ch rough a clay pipe. The pai nting was recitled Bubbles and was issued as a chromolichograp
in 1897.
For advertising purposes, a small transparent Pears Soap was added to che comer of che pictur
making Bubbles che most celebrated and reproduced soap advercising of ali time.
The origi nal painting was exhibiced in che Art Section of che 1893 World's Columbian Exposi tio
in Chicago. Small colored reproductions of che advertising picture were discributed to visitors.
The Bubbles chromolithographs had a companion pri nt, Cherry Ripe, which feacured a lovely youn
gi rl.

Bubbles Poster by Sir John Everett Millais-1886.

The Pears' Annuals started in 1891. They contained art and licerary icems such as Charles Dicken
Cricket on the Hearth, followed by A Christmas Caro! in 1892, 1he Battlefar Life in 1893, 1he
Chimes 1894, and 1he Haunted Man in 1895. The Pears' Annuals also had illuscrations, sorne in color
by famo artists, includi ng Archur Rackharn, Charles Green, Frank Dadd, and ochers. Pears and rnany
produc were advertised on the fron t or back cover, and at times, large postcard size inserts were incl
uded. Ea year, two, chree, or four (in 1915 six) large-size chromolichographic prints, of excellent
quality a strongly resembling the original paintings, were offered for sale by mail at a cose of 1
shilling. A tot of 102 Pears chrornolithographs were offered from che first issue in 1891 to che last
offering in 192 Ali of the Pears chrornolithographs are highly valued collector's icems roday. Sorne of
the original Pea
 The History of Soaps and Detergents e
pai nti ngs are in the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight Village, Wirral, which has one of t
most importan t art collections in England. The Pears' Shilling Cyclopaedia, a yearly reference book f
everyday use, started in 1897 and is still published today.
Fou r Pears slogans that became classics are as follows: "Pears Soap Matchless For The
Complexion "Good morning . . . Have you used Pears Soap? How do you spell Soap dear? Why Ma,
Pears of cours and He won't be happy till he gets i t!" There were many inceresting Pears magazine
advertisemen ts, lik "The Fi rst Message from Mars - Send u p sorne Pears' Soap"; "Peace, Purity,
Pears"; and, "As Pears So dissolves Beauty evolves." An often quoted advertisement from 1900
shows the American and Briti flags and the text reads: "Pears' Soap and an Anglo American Alliance
Would lmprove the Complexio of the Universe."

•The Transparent Soap·by

Pears.

Pears enamel advertising sign.

10 e L. Spitz

A Pears Soap advertisement that appeared in 1884 in che British magazine, Punch, showed a
ragge tramp with a pipe in his mouth stating, "Two years ago I used your soap, since then 1 have
used n other." Two other U.S. companies also used che same tramp to advercise cheir soaps. An N.K.
Fairbank White Scar Soap trade card shows che same tramp sitting at a table wich a pipe in his
mouth writin a long letter asking for a bar of soap, and on che picture che caption is, "This picture
was first used che N.K. Fairbank Company in 1884." J.S. Kirk's White Russian Laundry Soap,
which won che Fir Prize at che 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition, also used che same
tramp, shown sitting at desk writing chis note: "I used your soap cwo years ago and have not used
any other since." Thus, chr companies fought for the privilege to have che "friendly tramp" use
their soap. lt is not known wh the first to use che tramp motif was or who copied whom. Unilever
records indicate that Pears was t world's first registered commercial brand. A.& F. Pears Ltd. became
part of Lever in 1914.
TheuFriendly Tramp"-"I used your Soap two years ago since when 1 have use no other
 The History of Soaps and Detergents
e
Companies of the Past There were many soap
companies at the turn of the
century. Sorne became large and
famous with we known brands.
A few of the old ones are still
remembered today. The fast
growing, big soapers boug the
important smaller ones. Many
other firms faded away, leaving
behind a rich, but difficult to tra
history of the many brands and
promotional material used i n a
market that was fiercely
competiti from its very beginni
ngs. The United States Bureau
of Census listed 238 soap
factories in the Unit States in
1935.
Chicago was the home of
many soap companies. Armour
Soap Works, now the Dial
Corporatio a Henkel Company, is
the only company from che past
that still exists in Chicago today.
Chicago w a preferred location.
Railroads, which started in 1850,
were operating ali over Illinois
by 1860. Grai and livestock were
shipped into Chicago for the
growing meat packing industry.
Chicago's stockyar offered an
ample supply of animal fat for
the soap industry.
Chicago might have been
the "soap capital of the world".
William Wrigley, Jr. carne to
Chicago 1891 at the age of 29 to
sell the soap bis father made in
Philadelphia. He also sold baking
powder a as a premium, Wrigley
offered chewing gum made by
the Zeno Manufacturi ng
Company. The chewi gum sold
very well and he promoted it
with prcmiums: lamps, rugs,
books, and even revolvers. 1895,
the old letterhead, which
featured a young girl rising from
the earth holding a bar of soap, w t largest sale of any one brand of
replaced by packages of Wrigley's laundry soap on earth.
Juicy Fruit and Pepsin Chewing The 1893 Chicago World's
Gum, and the words "Manufacture Columbian Exposition was thc
of Chewing Gum". 9th World Fair to be held. Ali
In addition to Armour & previo fairs, including the first
Company, three other Chicago onc in 1851, were in Europc
based soap companies-J. S. Kirk, except for the 1876 Fair, which
N. Fairbank, and Swift & was held Philadelphia. Kirk had
Company-produced large its own large exhibit at the
quantities of well-known soap Chicago Fair. In a spccial 1893
brands. Youth Compani Magazine, the
World's Fair issue, a Kirk
Chicago Soap advertisement indicates that they
Companies sold 47 million pounds of so in
1892, a very impressive quantity
J. S. Kirk & Company (1859)
even by today's standards. The
Across che Chicago River, and Kirk plant was located on a pri
nearly oppositc Old Fort Dearborn location on Michigan Avenue in
(built in 1803), stood the first hou downtown Chicago. As the
in Chicago, erected in 1795 by importance of Michigan Avenue
Jean Baptiste Pont Du Sable, who grew, c local residents
was popularly known as "The complaincd about che malodors
Fath of Chicago". In 1804, it coming from che plant's large
became the John Kinzie chimney. The buildi was
residence. James S. Kirk had demolished and a new plant was
boiled soap since 18 in Utica, built in 1916 at che North
NY. He moved to Chicago in Avenue Bridge far from che
1859 and built bis plant on the downto location. J.S. Kirk was
site of Old Fort Dearborn. 1867, sold to Procter & Gamblc in
he moved to a new plant on the 1930 for $10 million.
historie site of the Kinzie In 1990, after 60 years of
residence. producing ali of che Kirk soap
This plant was destroyed i n produces, and later Procter and
the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, but Gamb soaps, detergents, cooking
was rebuilt into the largest soap oils, fatty acids, glyccrine, and
pla in America at the time. lt was liquid cleansers, the plant was
an imposing five-story factory,
closed a demolished.
with a 182-foot chimney with the
"Kir name on it. Thc factory
walls had large advertising signs
for Jap Rose, White Russian,
Juvcnile, a American Family
Soaps. The plant was on thc
river, close to the Tribune
Building and the Michig Avenue
Bridge. The volume of soap
produced by Kirk was impressive
even by today's standards. 1886,
the company sold 22 million
pounds of Whitc Russian
Laundry Soap, claiming it to be
12 L.Spitz

The besc-known Kirk brands were: Kirk's Flake Soap, Kirk's Flake Chips, Kirk's Naphtha So
American Family Soap, American Fa mily Flakes, Kirk Olive, Cocoa Hardwacer Cascile Soap, and
Rose Tra nsparent Soap for che Toilcc and Bath, which was che firsc adverriscd cransparcnt soap in
United States.

SPECIAL PR EMIU MS
Given FREE For

AMERICA N FAMILY
SOAP WRAPPERS

-,.... t ...," .-:" .. t:',t-:r. :!. _:t:;. ...... --

• "4 ........,......... ,.. ..._t_J C-·....-.. ...:-
IMrottT 1 11 t
,.,...r:; --=:;.t;;·..:=:': ':, .':':w :.::.
..-w . ,..._ ._. _ ._-' _,,_ ,.._ .. _ ......,...,...,1.... ....
. ....... - - . 1 . . . ._ . . . , , .._.
il' . . ... . . . t ol o . .. .
_
.... ...... .,....,. ..,.. """"'.....
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Pre:mium Stor•
IOI E. Autht1 """' 1•lt.lnllo 1547 Milwauli• A •._ ,, S., t
Q.l2 S. llal.t.d 1. X.11 IJd 1658 81 W.....t A.,.. ..,.-.,:::>

Jam a S. Kirk & Company, Chicago

Kirk's Soap-Bar or Chips Trolley Sign.

 The History of Soaps and Detergents
•

N. K. Fairbank Company (
1865)
Nacha niel Kellogg Fairbank
(1829-1903) born in Sodus, NY,
went to Chicago in 1855. Seven
yea after his arrival, he invested
in Smedley, Peck ,and Company,
a lard and oil refinery. In 1865, he
boug che firm and renamed ic
the N .K. Fairbank Company.
The company grew to over 1000
employe and opened branches in
many cities. Soap manufacturi ng
began in 1882. Copeo, Clarette,
Chica Family, lvorette, Mascot,
Santa Claus, Silver Dust, Sun
ny Monday Lau ndry Soap,
Tom, Dick a Harry, Pummo
Glycerine Pumice Soap, and
other brands were produced
Two of che many produces
introduced in 1883 became very
popular: Fai ry Soap and che Gold
Du Washing Powder, also called
Jap Rose Soap Wooden Crate. Gold Dust Scouring Powder.
The "White, pure, floacing"
Fairy Soap package showed a
drawing of a little girl sitting on
an ov shaped soap with che
capcion, "Have you a little
'Fairy' in your home?" A drawi
ng of che Gold Du Twi ns,
Goldie and Dusty, sitting i n a
washtub illustrated many
washing produces. Sorne people
sc remember che Gold Dust
Twins, who became che symbol
for che Fairbank Company. Gold
Dusc was washi ng powder and
che busy twins deaned,
"everyching and anything from
cellar to atcic." Extensi magazi ne
advercising was used wich che
slogan, "Lec che Gold Dust
Twins do your work." Today, Go
Dusc items are very popular, and
are also racher coscly colleccibles.
14 e L. Spitz
 The History of Soaps and Detergents •

Like most soap companies, Fairbank used a wide variety of advertising tools. The beautiful
illustrated booklet "Fairy Tales" had poems, acrostics, and advertisements. An example is "The Fai
Acrostic."

F is for "Foremost," "Fairest" and "Fine";

A is for ''Able" to do it each time;
1 stands for "Ideal" in everything great;
R means the "Rarest" yet found up to date;
B is for "Better," "Brighter" and "Best"
A is for ''Acme," that stands every test;
N means "no rival," and that is no jest;
K tells you "keep it" and you will be glad,
S is for "Standard" the best to be had.
F is for "Fairy" white, Aoating and pure;
A stands for ''Always" the good kind, and sure;
1 is for "Ido!" of rich and of poor;
R is for "Real Merit," the sort that will stay,
Y is for "You," and you need it each
day. S is for "Soap," the boon of ali
health;
O is for "Our" kind, better than wealth;
A is an "Acrostic," you see it, we hope;
P is for "Perfect" and "Pure" FAIRY SOAP.

The following is another interesting Fairy Soap advertisement: "Sense Cents Scents" and, "Peop
with Common Sense pay but five common cents for a soap with no Common Scents/ That's Fai
Soap." Lever Brothers purchased the Fairbank Company from Heckler & Company and phased out t
Gold Dust Twins products in the late 1930s.

Swift & Company ( 1892)

Gustavus F. Swift moved his cattle dealing business from Cape Cod, MA, to Chicago. In 1892, he ma
his first soap product, Pride Washing Powder, with the help of two N.K. Fairbank Company employe
who were hired. Pride Bar Soap and Cream Laundry Bar followed. In 1898, Swift bought the bra
and the formula for Wool Soap from Raworth & Schotte. Wool Soap was heavily advertised usi ng
stre banners, trade cards, postcards, booklets, magazine advertisements, and dealer premiums.
Coupo were distributed in 1930 with the offer to, "Buy One Cake Wool Soap and Get One Wool
Soap Fre Wool Soap trade cards showed two little girls, one dressed in a proper length nightgown
and the oth with a nightgown that shrank and showed her bare behind. The lucky one said, "My
Mama used Wo Soap," and the other complained, "I wish mine had."
This is the story in a beautifully illustrated colored booklet entitled ''Alphabet- Pretty pictures a
truism about children's friend Wool Soap", "A true story told in verse and pretty pictures which we
tru will interest both young and old."

A is for Alphabet read this one through and learn ali the good that Wool Soap can do.
B is for Baby so pink and so white who is bathed with Wool Soap each morning and night.
C is for Children immersed in a tub now take sorne Wool Soap and give them a scrub.
D stand for Dip, which we take in the sea Wool Soap, comes in here, for you and me.
E for Early the time to arise and bache with Wool Soap - that is if you are wise.
F stands for Faultless, as you surely will see that Wool Soap for the bath and toilet will be.
16 e L. Spitz

G is for Goose and of cou rse he doesn't know Wool Soap is the best of ali in this row.
H stands for Hurrah! We've found i t last the famous Wool Soap, which can't be outclassed.
I is for Indian who sees with delight a really clean red man Wool Soap did i t right.
J is for Judge he is healthy and stout, he uses Wool Soap--the secret is out.
K stands for Kisses the baby wan ts th ree bathe with Wool Soap she is sweet as can be.
L is for Laces the richest and best well washed with Wool Soap a critica! test.
M stands for Model the word people use when quoting Wool Soap and stating their views.
N is for Nations progressive and great who use Wool Soap and are right up to date.
O stands for Object we have one in mind to talk for Wool Soap the best of its kind.
P is for Present the best time to try a ba r of Wool Soap with quality high.
Q stands for Question which soap is quite pu re? Why Wool Soap of course, in that rest secure.
R is for Ribbons as good as when new Wool Soap will do just the same thing for you.
S stands for Success which comes at our call if we use Wool Soap when soap's use at ali
T is for Tria! ali soaps to com pare Wool Soap win if the tria! is fair.
U is stands for Uncle of American fame he uses Wool Soap let's ali do the same.
Vis for Victory Wool Soap has won, and yet its mission only begun.
W stands for Wool Soap remember i ts name keep singing its praises and spreading its name.
X is a cross, which we will ali have to bear but usi ng Wool Soap will lessen our care.
Y is the letter that still stands for You. lt means use Wool Soap whatever you do.
Z stands for our Zeal of which we are proud when we talk Wool Soap we talk right out loud.

Swift offered many other soaps and cleansers: Maxine Elliott Complexion Soap, 1902; Sunbrite
Cleanse 1907; Pride Clea nser, 1909; Wool Soap Chips Borated (later renamed Arrow Borax Soap),
1912; Vani Fair Beauty Soap, 1920; Quick Naphtha Chips, 1923 (name changed to Quick Arrow
Chips in 192 and Quick Arrow Flakes i n 1931); Snow Boy Washing Powder, 1929; and Swift's
Cleanser, 1945. T three best known and most widely advertised products were the followi ng: Pride
Soap for the laund (Fig. 1.1O); Pride Washi ng Powder for general cleaning purposes; and Wool
Soap for toilet and bat laces, fine fabrics, and woolens. In 1968, a new modern soap plan t was built
in Hammond, IN, for t production of both a generic Aoating soap and a new toilet soap named One
Soap for the Whole Famil
Swift could not establish a viable bar soap business against the major competitors, and the s oap pla
was closed in the mid-1970s.
Wool Soap did not shrink woolens and was
Swift's Pride laundry soap.
an "ideal bath soap:•
 The History of Soaps and Detergents •

Other Soap Companies from the Past and Their Brands

A parcial list of the many soap companies from the past and sorne of cheir well-known brands is
present in Table 1.1.

Ta ble 1.1. Other Soap Companies from the Past and Their Brands

Company Brand
R.W. Bell & Co.......................................................................................................... Soapona, Buffalo
Beach Soap Co......................................................................... ..............................White Lilly,White Pearl,FullValue
B.T. Babbitt's, lnc........................... ........................................................................ 1776 Soap Powder, Best Soap
Comfort Soap Co.................................................................................................. Comfort Soap, Pearl White Naphtha, Tip Top
Cosmo Buttermilk Soap Co............................................................................... Buttermilk Toilet Soap
Cudahy Soap Works .......................................... ................................................... Old Dutch Cleanser
David's Price Soap Co.......................................................................................... Goblin Soap, Old Dutch Cleanser
Enoch Morgan's Sons Co........................................................................... .........Sapolio, Hand Sapolio
Gowans & Strover's .............................................................................................. Oak Leaf, Home Trade, Miners
The Grandpa Soap Co......................................................................................... Grandpa Soap,Tar Soap
Hartford Chemical Co.............................................. ........................................... Lavine
Haskins Brothers Co................................................................... ..........................Tribly Soap
Hecker Products Corp......................................................................................... Sunny Monday Laundry Soap
James Pyle............................................................................................................... Pearline Soap
C.L. Jones .............................................. ................................................................... Tulip Soap
Kendall Manufacturing Co................................................................................ Soapine, French Laundry Soap, Home
Kirkman & Sons, lnc............................................................................................. Savonia, Kirkman's Floating Soap
Fairchild & Shelton ............................................................................................... Ozone Soap
Larkin Soap Co....................................................................................................... Créme Oatmeal, Modjeska, Boraxine, Sweet Hom
Lautz Bros. & Co.................................................................................................... Acme, Gloss, Marseilles White, Snow Boy
Los Angeles Soap Co........................................................................................... White King, Cocoa Naphtha, Sierra Pine
Manhattan Soap Co.............................................................................. ...............Sweetheart Soap
Minnesota Soap Co.............................................................................................. Eureka, Top Notch, Peek A Boo, White Lily
G.E. Marsh & Co.............................................................. ....................................... Good Will Soap
Oakite Products, lnc............................................................................................. Oakite
Oberne, Hosick & Co............................................................................................Sweet Sixteen, German Mottled, White
Prussian
The Packer Mfg. Co............................................................................................... Packer's Tar Soap, Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap
Paciñc Soap Co...................................................................................................... Citrus, Vogue
Potter Drug & Chemical Corp................................. .......................................... Cuticura
Resinol Chemical Co............................................................................................ Resinol
The Rub-No-More Co.......................................................................................... Rub-No-More Washing Powder
Schultz & Co............................................................................................. ...............Star Soap, Gold
G.A. Shoudy & Son ............................................. .................................................. Wonderful Soap, Telephone Soap,Tip Top Soap
W.M. Waltke & Co.................................................................................................. Lava, Oxydol
J.B. Williams Co........................................................ ................................... ...........Jersey Cream Soap, Shaving Soap
Allen B. Wrisley Co................................................................................................ Olivilo, Carnation, Cucumber,Gardenia

The Big Soapers of Today

The Co/gate Palmolive Company (1806)
William Colgate was an appreneice soap maker ae che age of 15 in Balei more; at 17, he wen t to N
York to work for a soap maker. In 1806, at ehe age of 23, he ren ted a two-story brick building ae
Dutch Sereet in lower Manhaeean, NY, and converted ie into a home, factory, and seore. The fi
produces were toilee and lau ndry soap, bue he also sold starch and candles. When he started, most so
was homemade. They were crude, coarse, and harsh on the skin with un pleasan t scents. Colgare offer
a much improved qualicy perfumed soap to the urban crowd, and also provided a personal delive
service. Pale Soap was one of the firse produces.
18 e L. Spitz

Other soap companies and their produces became pare of che Colgare Palmolivc Company.
timeline of the various mergers, company name changes, and produces follows:

1806: William Colgare opens a starch, soap, and candle shop on Dutch Street in New York City.
1807: Francis Smith is made a partner in Smith and Colgate.
1857: Colgate & Company is formed upon the death of William Colgate.
1864: B.J. Johnson Soap Company opens in Milwaukee and later becomes Colgatc & Company.
1872: The three Peet Brothcrs (William, Robcrt, and James) start a soap company in Kansas City, K
1872: Cashmere Bouquet soap is registered and patcnted.
1898: Palmolive Soap is introduced by che B.J. Johnson Company.
1906: On its 1OOth anniversary, therc are 106 different kinds of toilet soap, and 625 varicties
perfumes.
1914: The Peet Brothers build a soap plant in Berkeley, CA.
1914: The Crystal Soap Company of Milwaukee is acquired.
1923: The Palmolive Company office moves to Chicago, IL.
1926: The Palmolive Company merges with Peet Brothers to form che Palmolive-Peet Company.
1928: Colgate Company merges with che Palmolive-Peet Brothers Company.
1929: The Kirkman & Son Company of Brooklyn, established in 1837, merges with the Colgat
Palmolive-Peet Company.
1953: The present Colgare Palmolive Company Corporate name is adopted.
1970: Irish Spring is launched in Germany under the name of lrische Frühling and in che rest
Europe as Nordie Spring.
1972: lrish Spring is introduced in the United States
1987: Colgate acquires the Softsoap liquid soap business from Minnetonka Corporation, creati
Softsoft Enterprises.
1991: Murphy Oil Soap is acquired
2006: Colgare purchases Tom's of Maine
2007: Kansas City Soap Plant sold to WF Limited.

Colgate's sales volume reached $13.8 billion in 2008, with a net income of $1.7 billion.

1be Palmolive Building

The Are Deco style Palmolive Building, a 37-story office building located on Chicago's Miehig
Avenue (the Magnificent Mile), designed by the Holabird & Root architcccural firm, opened in 19
and has bccome an ieon on the Chieago skyline. On its top was a revolving beacon, named in hon
of Colonel Charles A. Lindbcrgh's Right over the Atlantie Ocean. President Herbert Hoover turn
on che Lindbergh beacon with che push of a telegraph button in che White House on the night
August 28, 1930. Lindbergh refused the honor, and the beacon was renamed the Palmolive beaco
The beacon stopped operating in 1981. The building was home of che Gillette Safcty Razor Compan
Esquire, Cosmopolitan, and Good Housekeeping magazines, as well as other firms. From 1967 to
1987 housed Playboy Enterprises and became known as the Playboy Building. In 2000, it was
dcsignated a Chieago Landmark and in 2003 it was added to the Nacional Register of Historie Places.
It was decid in 2002 to transform this historie building into exclusive luxury condominiums and to
rename it "T Palmolive Building".
 The History of Soaps and Detergents e

The Old Water Tower and The Palmolive Building-Chicago.

Octagon Proáucts
Thc octagon shapc was the trademark of a light yellow Octagon Laundry Soap with rosin, first
market in 1887. lt was sold for general houschold purposes. Later, a white version containing
silicate w introduccd. Other Octagons brands followed: White Floating Soap, Naphtha White,
Soap Chips, Soap Flakcs, Soap Powdcr, Scouring Clcanscr, and a toilet soap.

Octagon Coupons
From its early days, and lasting for many dccades, each Octagon wrapper featured an octagon-shap
redeemablc coupon. Bcautifully designed "Octagon Soap Premium List" catalogs listed many premium
A 32-page catalog from 1901 lists prcmiums redeemable for differcnt quantities of coupons, from a vc
few to many: children's picture books, a collcction of patriotic songs for 1O wrapper coupons, and f
1600 wrappers, a gentlcmcn's or a ladics' solid silver watch.

1he Colgate Clock

For the 1906 centcnnial of the Colgare Company, an octagonal shaped 38 ft. diameter dock desi
was creatcd, inspircd by thc Octagon laundry soap. A largcr 50 ft. diamcter dock replaced the old on
which was sent to Colgatc's Clarksville, IN facility. Thc dock daimcd to be the world's largest, a
started marking time Dcccmber 1, 1924 on top of the eight-story Colgate Building in Jersey City, N
overlooking the Hudson River. The dock was visible for up to 20 miles and bccame a landmark.
Next to the dock was "Colgate's Soaps Perfumes" signage which remained until 1985 when it w
replaced with a large Colgate toothpaste tube sign.
20 e L. Spitz

Octagon-shaped Colgate dock became a landmark and was visible up to 20 miles

away.
The Colgate dock in recent times.
 The History of Soaps and Detergents e2
In 1986, Colgare closed che Jersey City soap plant and razed ali che buildings, saving che dock wic
che Colgare sign, and moving it to che Jersey City waterfront at Exchange Place to be pare of a ne
project. The dock with che sign is still chere, bue as of 2008, che redevelopment project has not yet bee
realized.

The Procter & Gamble Company ( 1837)

The first majar depression, known as "The Panic," took place in 1837, che year Martín Van Bure
was elected Presiden t. In October of that same year, che Procter & Gamble Company was farmed
Cincin nati, OH. William Procter, a candle maker, carne from London, England, to Cincinnati. Jam
Gamble, a soap boiler, emigrated from North Ireland. They were brothers-i n-law, bue it took many
yea befare they decided to farm Procter & Gamble with a total capital of $7, 192.24. They made
soaps an candles in a yard behi nd a small shop. James Gamble, 34 years old, ran che facrory.
William Procter, 3 years old, ran the office and store and also delivered che produces in a wheelba
rrow to customers. The were 18 soap and candle makers in Cincin nati at che time.
By 1840, Procter and Gamble had outgrown their simple place at 6th and Main Street and move
to their first factory, a group of small buildi ngs adjacent to che Miami Erie Canal and clase to c
stockyards. Procter contin ued to attend only to sales and finance and seldom went to see che factor
Gamble never went to che down town offices. They met on Saturdays. Their busi ness grew; che
facto had 80 employees and by 1859, sales exceeded $1 mi Ilion, maki ng i t che largest man
ufacturi ng operatio in Cincinnati. In che late l 850s, th ree of che five Procter boys joi ned che firm-
William A., George H and Harley T.-as well as chree of che six Gamble boys-James N., David B.,
and Will ia m A. In 187 che com pany was making 24 varieties of soap and che second generation
was ru n ning che firm. Willia Cooper Procter, from the third generation, joined the family business
in 1883.
The company grew rapidly, and to speed up the rate of growth, they bough t established so
companies. In 1927, Procter pu rchased the William Waltke Company (faunded in 1893), "Soap Make
and Chemists" from St. Louis, MO. Waltke had two majar produces: Oxydol and "Lava Chemic
Resolven t Soap contai ning vegetable oils and pu mice to quickly remove greasy, inky, and stic
substances from hands and face without injury to che skin." The dark gray-colored Lava was launche
in 1928. Now it is a green-colored, fresh scent bar called The Hand Soap. The most remembered La
advertisement was as fallows: "World's worst bath soap, World's best hand soap." The Lava brand w
sold to the Block Drug Company in 1995, and Block sold it to the WD-40 Corporation in 1999.
In 1930, Procter purchased the J.S. Kirk Company and its important American Family bran
Procter became a leader among 432 nacional soap manufacturers. Sales reached $1O million during c
fiscal years of 1887-1890 with an average annual net profit of a half a million dollars. One hu ndre
years later in 1987, U.S. sales reached $12.4 billion incl uding ali of the Procter produces. Operatin
income was $1 billion.
In 2005, Procter & Gamble made a major acquisition by buying The Gillette Company far $
billion. Procter & Gamble is the world's No. l seller of household produces. 23 brands reached over o
billion US dollars in sales. Tide, Ariel, and Gain detergents, and the Olay produce line are sorne of che
billion dallar brands.
Total sales reached $83.5 billion in 2008, with a total net income of $12 billion.

Armour & Company ( 1867)

Armour & Company is remembered mainly far its faod produces, but few know that Armou r was
majar soap producer from che l 900s, long befare Dial Soap was introduced in 1948. Philip Danfa r
Armour started a pork smoking, pickling, and rendering operation on Chicago's Archer Aven ue an
Halstcd Strcet in 1867 when he purchased che Old Bell House far $160,000. Five years later, he move
to the Union Stockyards, which became che center of che meat packi ng industry in che Uni ted State
22 e L. Spitz

In 1984, Armour purchased che Wahl Brothers Glue Works at 3lst and Benson Streets. This planc mad
hide, bone glue, and fertilizer, and recovered grease. Grease was made into soap and around 1888, soa
manufaccuring began.
In 1896, a separate soap plant was builc and Armour Soap Works began its operation. The fir
produce, Armour's Family Soap, a laundry soap bar, was followed by ocher laundry soaps formulace
for che heavy-ducy jobs required for che households in those predetergent days: Armour's White Soa
Big Ben, Sail, Hammer, and White Flyer. Armour also became a leader in che manufacture of fine toil
soaps. As early as 1901, Fine Are, Armour's first toilet soap, was advertised in magazines. By 192
Armour was producing =60 brands of toilet soaps: Sylvan, Milady and Flotilla (a white floating soap
La Satineuse, La Richesse, Florabelle Rose, Virgin Violet, Sultan Turkish Bath, and many others. A ve
special soap was Savon Mucha Sandalwood and Violec. The package was designed by Alphonse Much
(1860-1939), che world famous Are Nouveau poseer artist. After che l 930s, Armour slowly phased o
che specialcy soap business.
In 1964, when che world's largest, most modern soap making plant opened in Montgomery, IL, c
company name was changed from Armour Grocery Produces Co. to Armour-Dial, Inc. Since 1986, c
company has been known as The Dial Corporation.
In 2004, Germany's Henkel GmbH purchased The Dial Corporation. In January of 2009, che Di
soap plant in Aurora, Illinois was sold to VVF Limited.

The Andrew Jergens Company ( 1880)

Andrew Jergens and bis next door neighbor scarted their business in 1880. The Cincinnati plant w
called Charles H. Geilfus & Company, proprietors of che Western Soap Company, Manufacture
of Fancy Toilet Soaps. In 1882, Andrew Jergens, Charles H. Geilfus, and W.T. Harworth formed
partnership. The newly named company, The Andrew Jergens Soap Company, at 180 Spring Gro
Avenue, had 25 employees and a one soap kettle operation. The company was to manufacture, bu
sel!, trade, and deal in soaps, oils, candles, flavoring extracts, perfumery, cosmetics, toilet arcicles,
an glycerine.
Herman and Al Jergens joined later and on June 28, 190l , che company was incorporated und
che laws of che State of New York as che Andrew Jergens Company, with an authorized capital stoc
of $1,250.00. Andrew Jergens was elected president, Herman F. Jergens became vice president, an
Charles H. Geilfus assumed che duties of secrecary and treasurer. In che early days, Jergens soap feacur
flower fragrances and beautiful package designs. Each brand had a distinct odor, true to che flower
represented. As early as 1911, che Andrew Jergens Company had 82 different brands of soap listed in i
cacalog; che majority were Jergens fragrance bars. During che l 920s, che Jergens soap line was reduce
The main lines that remained included che flower fragrance bars and Pure Castile, Hard Water, Pi
Tar, Health Soap, and Baby Castile. Most of che soap wrappers had che notation, "made by che make
of Jergens Lotion". In 1988, che Japanese Kao Corporation acquired che Andrew Jergens Company.

Lever Brothers Company (1884)

The English soap industry was very large and well escablished in che early and mid-1800s. Many firm
were established before Unilever, which became che world's largest, including Joseph Crosfield & So
(1815), John Knight (1817), and R.S. Hudson (1837). In che 1851 Great Exhibition in London,
bewildering variety of soaps was shown by 103 manufacturers.
William Hesketh Lever, later Lord Levenhulme (1851-1925), entered his father's prospero
wholesale grocery business in Bolton, Lancashire, England, at che age of 16. His first job was to c
and wrap soap. Shopkeepers received disagreeably brown-colored, anonymous, long, 3 lb slabs, whic
they sliced into pieces and sold by weight. In 1884, Lever, at che age of 33 and already a wealthy ma
felt that he had fully exploited che potencial of che grocery business and contemplated retiring; instea
 The History of Soaps and Detergents •

he decided to enter the soap business. He shrewdly anticipated the forthcoming great demand f
soaps. The industrial revolution was underway; population, urban arcas, and factories grew in numbe
The social and economic conditions were changing very quickly. A new middle class and a better pa
working class demanded more soap as they became more educated about health and hygiene.
On February 2, 1884, Lever registered the name "Sunlight" in England and in ali countries whe
the Trademark Act was in force. Once he had the name, he decided to break with tradition by wrappi
a single bar in imitation parchment with the colorful, boldly printed Sunlight name (Fig. 1.23). At fir
Sunlight was made for him by various manufacturers. As sales grew quickly in 1885, he leased Winte
Chemical Works i n Warrington to make a better quality produce with more vegetable oil and less tallo
The remarkably quick success of Sunlight demonstrated the potencial for "branded" produces, a
helped to change the entire soap industry. Lever could not satisfy the increased demand. He decided
build a soap factory together with houses for the workers on the banks of the River Mersey. On Mar
3, 1888, Port Sunlight was born and by 1889, the first soap plant opened together with the first hom
for employees. By mid-1890, 40,000 tons of Sunlight soap were sold in England alone.

Sunlight enamel advertising signs.

American ideas influenced Lever in the wrapping and "branding" of his soap, his novel promotion
and lively advertising. He signed contracts to place Sunlight piares in railway stations, positioned brig
looking posters in grey looking streets, distributed puzzles, pamphlets, and helpful hines on healt
Lever offered and gave a car and 11 bicycles to a prizewin ner who saved 25,000 Sunlight wrappi
papers. One promotion that lasted was the f.1,000 reward offered to anyone who could prove th
Sunlight "contai ned any harmful adulterant whatsoever". No one ever got the f.l ,000. But he did spe
f.2 million on advertising during his first 20 years of soap making. Famous illustrators, among the
Harry Furniss, Tom Browne, and Phil May, were commissioned to design soap advertisements.
Lever founded the Lady Lever Are Gallery in Port Sunlight, which has one of the most importa
art collections in England. Lever started publishing the Sun/ight Year Book and its companion, c
Sun/ight Almanac, in 1895. The name "Unilever" was coined in 1929 when Lever Brothers Limited a
the Dutch Margarine Union merged.
In January 1999, Sunlight soap was discontinued in the UK, and the end of an era carne
September 2001. Port Sunlight, once the world's largest soap manufacturi ng plant, closed after mo
than 100 years of operation. lts closing was due to the growth of shower gels and liquid soaps versus c
tradicional coilet bar soaps, as well as the old age of the plant.
Revenues in 2007 reached $58.6 billion, with a net income of $5.6 billion.
In 2008, the company's worldwide name was changed to Unilever.
24 eL Spitz

Milestone Brands: Origins and Development of Bar Soap

Categories
Soap Categories
The most important brands, starting with their introductory dates, are described under distinct "soa
categories "based upon mai n functions, marketing claims, and positioning.

• Purity, Beauty, and Heal th Soaps (1872-1947)

• Deodorant and Skin Care Soaps (1948-1967)

• Freshness, Deodorant, and Skin Care Soaps (1968-1993)

• Antibacterial, Deodorant, and Moisturizing Soaps (1994-2000)

• Ingredient, Antibacterial, Deodorant, and Moisturizing Soaps (2000-2009)

In time, sorne soaps introduced under one category have evolved and changed into a different category
mai ntaini ng original claims while developing new claims.
Since sorne brands did not have many changes or line extensions, they are added in the origin
category for simplicity sake, while others with many changes and variants are under their respectiv
categories with specific dates.
During the last decade severa! brands introduced many variants with emphasis on a large range
ingredients

Purity, Beauty and Health Soaps (1872-1947)

Cashmere Bouquet (1872)
Colgate's Cashmere Bouquet is the oldest U.S. made toilet soap. The name was registered in July,
187 by Colgate & Company of John Street, New York. The soap was part of a line of toiletries that
incl ude perfume, tale, face powder, and lotion. Each soap bar was hand-wrapped and individually
sealed wi sealing wax as a sign of good taste and luxury. It sold for 254, a very high price for a
soap produce that time. It became very popular with women who used it for its fragrance; it was
also kept in drawe to scent linens, lingerie, and handkerchiefs. By 1883, it was claimed that more
Cashmere Bouquet w sold than ali of the imponed toilet soaps from Europe.
The production costs of soaps were drastically reduced with the introduction of automatic so
presses in 1912, and wrapping machines in 1914. Cash mere Bouquet's shape was changed into a fl
oval bar, which was wrapped without the hand-applied sealing wax. The price was dropped from 25
104.
 The History of Soaps and Detergents •

Cashmere Bouquet advercising was refined, stylish, and reAected luxury.

Sir Arthur Rackham (1867- 1939), born in London, England, became very famous as an illuscra
of children's books, including Grimm's Fairy Tales, Peter Pan, A/ice in Wonderland, and others. He w
compared to che American Howard Pyle, che illuscracor of fancascic subjeccs. Colgare asked Sir Arch
to paint a series of aristocracic-style piccures because Cash mere Bouquec was known as che "Aristocr
of Toilec Soaps".
The four-color advertisemencs ran in che mid-l 920s in Ladies Home ]ournal Pictorial Review, a
ocher magazines. The original paintings were also exhibiced i n che Mecropolican Museum of Art i n N
York.

Beautiful 1922 magazine advertising.

26 e L. Spitz
In 1904, at the St. Louis World's Fair, a plodder and a new soap mili from France were exhibite
Both machines were purchased by Colgate, and Cashmere Bouquet became a milled soap. But it w
not known until May 1926, when an advertisement for Cashmere Bouquet appcared in the Ladi
Home Journal. The heading stated, "Now this 'hard milled' soap, used every day, kccps skin young an
lovely." In the text, "hard milling "was explained in great detail: "It is 'hard milled' which means that
is put through special pressing and drying processes that give each cake an almost marble firmncss. It
not the least bit squadgy. This special hardness is what makes it safe."
Roll milis are used to refine and homogenize soaps and they have nothing to do with "speci
pressing and drying". There is no "soft" or "hard milling". Consumers do not rcally know the meanin
of "hard milled", "French milled", or "triple milled", but these claims connote quality and long lastin
soap, so they are still used.
In 1991, a New, improved Cashmere Bouquet Mild Skin Care Bar, was introduced and in 1993,
was changed to Cashmere Bouquet Mild Beauty Bar.
Since 2000, only a Great Value Price 3-bar pack of Classic Fragrance Cashmere Bouquet Mil
Beauty Bar has been available, and only in limited markets.

lvory (1879)
The story is told that Ivory soap was invented by accident when one day in 1879, an operator left
soap crutcher (mixer) running during his lunch hour. The mix was lighter than normal due to the ext
air whipped into it, and the soap bars floated. Instcad of dumping it, the soap was sold to customer
who liked it and asked for more "White Soap", as it was called. Harley Procter wanted a catchier nam
and he found it in church one Sunday in the same year, 1879, when chis passage from Psalms 45:8 w
read: ''Ali thy garments smell of myrrh, and alocs, and cassia, out of the ivory palaccs whereby they
hav made thee glad." The Psalm inspired Harley Procter, who proposcd the next day to the members
of th firm the name "Ivory". The name was approved. The official date of the first use of Ivory Soap as
a trad name was July 18, 1879. The first cake oflvory Soap was sold in October, 1879, a ycar that also
saw th debut of the incandescent light bulb, the cash register, and the opening of Frank Woolworth's
first 5 an l O<t store in Utica, NY. In 2004, Mr. Ed Rider, the company's archivist, found an 1863
document in notebook written by James N. Gamble, who wrote, "I made floating soap today. 1 think
we'll make a or stock that way." So the old story of the accidental discovery oflvory passcd into
history.
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The History of Soaps and Detergents e2

The basic, simple story about lvory's quality, purity, and mildness has appeared in magazi
advertising since che very first advertisement, which appeared in che lndependent Magazine on
Decemb 21, 1882. The opening sentence read: "lvory is a Laundry Soap wich ali of che fine qualities
of a choi Toilec Soap, and is 99 44/100% pure."
The first advertisement started with a remarkable slogan and selling idea and has remained the sam
ever since. But Harley Procter had to fight for $11,000 to advertise lvory because his partners we
not convinced of the idea of advertising a single produce directly to customers. Up to chis time, sma
advertisements had been submicced to local papers by store owners, or by soap makers for che benefic
che store owners.

• 11 board! Ali . rdl

Down the tr t we fly!
Fa clcan, nd fina ra t
flashlna b)•!
h t mak ali so el n-
p" i what mean.

The ñrst lvory baby- Soap Box Derby-Soap packing crates were used
1886.

As lvory sales increased, new lvory stories were needed. Famous illustrators drew lvory babies a
children. Competitions were held with large cash prizes for che bese drawings-a new and revoluciona
advertising ploy for its time. The "lvory Baby" was used for more than 80 years before it was phas
out. In October 2003, che "lvory Baby" returned in lvory advercising. le mighc well have been an lvo
advertisement that led to defining advertising as "salesmanship in print". In 1885, lvory first advis
buying "a dozen cakes at a time". Housewives were told to buy a dozen cakes ac a time, remove c
wrappers, and stand each cake on end in a dry place; for unlike many other soaps, che lvory improv
with age. Test chis advice, and you will find che 12 cakes will last as long as 13 cakes bought singly
Old ideas are not really old. Today, most soaps are sold in m ultipacks, up to 20 bars per pack. Ne
marketing ideas are not always new, as proven by che 1885 "buy a dozen lvory soaps" promocion.