History of Soap

The production of soap is thousands of years old. Around 4500 years ago, the Sumerians in the delta of the Euphrates and Tigris made soap from ash and animal fats. This soap was primarily used for healing injuries and is believed to be the oldest documented example of a chemical reaction.

However, hygiene was not always taken for granted. It wasn’t until the 19th century that attitudes changed. The German chemist Justus von Liebig declared soap to be a symbol of prosperity and culture for nations.

"THE USE OF SOAP DOES NOT DEPEND ON FASHION, BUT ON THE SENSE OF BEAUTY, WELL-BEING, AND COMFORT THAT COMES FROM CLEANLINESS. WHERE THIS SENSE IS CONSIDERED AND NOURISHED, THERE WE FIND BOTH PROSPERITY AND CULTURE."

(Justus von Liebig, 1803-1873)

After the introduction of liquid soaps and shower gels decades ago, traditional bar soap took a back seat. Soap dishes and the accompanying soap bars almost completely disappeared from our households. We were swayed by mass-produced liquid soaps and shower gels in colorful plastic bottles.

The time has long since come for something tried and tested: our gently stirred natural soap is made according to a traditional Viennese soap recipe based on the relatively ‘new’ production method of cold stirring. This method was first mentioned in the ‘Brockhauslexikon’ in 1895 and has been refined and improved time and again by soap makers. Friedrich Weiss, the founding father of ‘Stadlauer cold-stirred coconut oil soap’, was a master of refining and using cold stirring. After realising that passion and commitment were not enough to compete with large corporations, he saw quality, refinement and wonderful fragrances as his top priorities. This uniqueness was almost forgotten due to his sudden death in spring 2006. But Sonja Baldauf was able to keep his work alive and founded StoBa Seifenmanufaktur, now WIENER SEIFE GmbH.

„TRADITION IS NOT THE WORSHIP OF ASHES, BUT THE PASSING ON OF THE FLAME.“

(Jean Jaurès, 1859-1914)