Merchant Spotlight • MW Soapworks
One of the great joys of running a community-centered business is getting to know and work with the myriad creative makers and crafters who reside in our region and make up our merchant base. This quarterly post spotlights some of these talented folks and their inspiring, nourishing, creative endeavors.
MW Soapworks is a queer-owned, natural soap and skincare company located in the heart of downtown Bellingham at 1310 Commercial Street. Andrea (she/they) and Teddy (he/him) run the business together.
MW Soapworks’ was the first soap we sourced for Madrona Gifts back in the day. We love their focus on clean, natural ingredients and their wide selection of fragrance-free options. Northwest Woods, Lavender Field, Orange Lavender, and Bug Off are the four we keep in regular stock, all made with pure essential oils. All of their soaps are palm oil and phthalate free, important factors for us in product selection.
Why Palm Oil Free?
Palm oil is major driver of deforestation around the globe, which means it is a huge contributor to greenhouse gases and climate change. We are so happy to work with like-minded small businesses that make sustainability a priority in their product production and sales.
How long have you been in business and how did you learn your craft?
I started making soap in 2013 after YEARS of wanting to. I grew up in Whatcom County with its rich arts community, and my family attended a lot of makers markets. I always always always ended up at the soap vendors’ tables sniffing all of the wonderful things. I loved all of the delicious smells and the creative ways the makers were using plants, natural ingredients and essential oils; I admired the people who were making such wonderful gifts. Over the years, I looked into making soap myself but always talked myself out of it due to lack of time and my living situation. Soapmaking is a chemical process requiring good ventilation and safety precautions, so I felt like the circumstances had to be just right. In 2013, I finally jumped in and have never looked back. I started with very small batches of product and just a few markets, expanded my offerings slowly, and grew from there over the years. Now we’re making tons of plant-powered products – so many different soaps, infused balms, natural deodorants, face and beard oils, perfume oils, and much more. I started in the very small kitchen of a one-bedroom apartment, moved into an 80 square foot studio in my Birchwood neighborhood home, and then in 2021, expanded into our storefront downtown, where we have our gift shop up front and a workspace in the back.
What is the guiding principle/mission of your business?
We create natural skincare and self-devotion products for a healthy you, healthy community, and healthy planet. In our storefront, we decided to focus on natural skincare, eco-swaps, artisan gifts, and community. Currently, we have about 45 different artisan makers featured, including candle makers, textile artists, jewelry makers, potters, incense makers, and many more. Teddy and I love the energy of community markets, so we really wanted to lean into supporting other small businesses and lifting up the kind of community we want to see honored every day. As a queer and woman-owned business, we understand the importance of highlighting other makers in marginalized communities. Showcasing the work of individuals from diverse backgrounds like Black, Indigenous, Latinx, LGBTQIA+, and AAPI is just one way that we can help change the world around us, spread more joy throughout the independent maker community, and celebrate the talent we are so fortunate to connect with.
Share your favorite or best-selling product in your shop. Why is it a favorite?
Lemongrass soap is a favorite of Andrea’s.
People absolutely LOVE the Black Mission Fig soap and Northwest Woods soap. We’ve had a really hard time keeping them in stock, especially around the holidays. People also really enjoy our infused Sore Muscle Balm and our Coconut Lime Natural Deodorant.
Andrea's favorites: I have a really hard time choosing favorite soaps because I refuse to make anything I don’t like, but I love our Northwest Woods soap and always come back to the Lemongrass soap, as well. I am a sucker for anything citrus! I love the comforting essential oil blend of our Healing Face and Neck Oil more than anything else in the store – I tell people it’s like a warm hug.
Teddy's favorites: I’m a big fan of minty fresh scents, so our Lavender Mint soap is probably my personal favorite. As someone with facial hair, I’ve also been rather fond of the Tundra beard oil. It helps keep my whiskers soft and smelling nice throughout the day, which I greatly appreciate. Something new for me lately is having a facial skincare routine, so I’ve been getting a lot of use out of our Rose Water Toner, as well.
In what ways, big or small, do you apply sustainability in your business practices?
I grew up with an incredibly strong connection to nature and have wanted to honor that connection in everything that I do. I actually graduated from Western Washington University’s College of the Environment with a degree in Environmental Education. The more research I did as a consumer (and later as a maker) of skincare products, the more I learned how dangerous some of the ingredients we use daily are, not just only for our bodies, but also for the waterways that carry these same harsh chemicals into our precious ecosystems. Over half of what we put on our skin gets absorbed into our bloodstream, so I wanted to keep our products as healthy and natural as possible for all parties involved.
We’re also very proud that both my in-home studio and our storefront are powered by sustainable green energy. Our home is equipped with solar panels that help funnel clean energy back into those programs for others to use, too. We are still constantly working to improve our business practices and look for more sustainable options but it definitely takes time and research. One thing we are currently working on is looking for more sustainable packaging solutions. Like so many others, we are always on the hunt for ways to cut out more single-use plastics – the compostable/recyclable tape that we’ve tried so far has been a hit!
What is your favorite place to spend time in the region? Why is it special to you?
Stimpson Family Nature Reserve
I am a huge fan of the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve. I'm disabled and have had some mobility issues worsen over the past few years, but Stimpson continues to be one of my favorite places to slow down and connect with nature. My walks in places like Stimpson Reserve and the Hoh Rainforest actually inspired the scent our Northwest Woods soap. It features Cedarwood and Fir essential oils and smells just like you're walking in a Pacific Northwest forest right after it rains. Love it!
Where can customers find you, and what are some ways they can show their support?
They can find us right in downtown Bellingham at 1310 Commercial Street. Our normal hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 6. Customers can check out our products online anytime at mwsoapworks.com, sign up for our email list, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram at @mwsoapworks. We still do a variety of popup markets, so following along on social media is a great way to hear about upcoming events. We are also so fortunate to sell some of our products with other stockists like Madrona Gifts. (For a full list, check out our stockists page on our website.) We all know that dollars spent locally have a greater impact on our community than dollars spent elsewhere, but not all support has to be financial! We always appreciate social media followers - liking, sharing, and saving our posts helps boost our online presence and doesn't cost a thing. If you have tried our products and love them, please consider telling your community about us, whether its through writing a kind google review, through word of mouth, or by gifting our products to your favorite small business lovers.
Gratitude to Andrea and Teddy for their contributions to our business and our greater community, and for their stewardship of the planet we all share!