The end of a soapy era

I had someone ask me when they saw me in person the other day, "when are you going to do a big soap restock? It looks like you're running out!" and I realized it was time for me to do another blog post. Or maybe the first blog post here about this? I know I've talked about it in multiple places but more and more I suspect that might only have been on social media. Ah - it looks like I did make a post over on Patreon, but must have forgotten to cross-post here. So here's the big official word.... 

Yes. Soap is going away. 

I know, I'm not happy, either. 

But here's what's been happening. It started with the start of Covid, when a few of my distributors turned to only selling to health care facilities (for which I commend them, those were rough days when it came to finding PPE). Since then the ones who didn't close down have turned back to selling the way they used to, but it's just been a cascading failure of things since then. Many fragrance distributors had to switch from plastic bottles to glass, because for a while bottle makers switched gears to making PPE. Glass bottles are heavier, which meant higher shipping costs, which meant people bought less, which meant companies had to raise prices. 

When I wrote that blog post I linked to above last October, I said that to make a profit I'd have to raise my soap from $5 to $8... prices on supplies have risen since then and that this point to keep going I'd have to raise my prices now to $9/bar, and then in six months raise it another dollar, and in six months raise it another dollar after that. Y'all.... like I said in October, we'd all agree my soap is worth that, but I'm unwilling to raise my prices that much.

Meanwhile, a handful of my favorite fragrances have been discontinued by my favorite distributors - and my favorite fragrance distributor even went out of business last year. They've all been feeling the tariff crunch since early 2025 - and even if those tariffs are deemed unlawful soon, damage has already been done. Businesses have had to find different distributors, businesses have had to raise prices, businesses have gone out of business. 

I don't want to raise my prices but I also don't want to go out of business because I was too stubborn to do so. I'd rather walk away from the soap, which would also give me more time and energy to focus on new ceramics and new yarn colorways I've been wanting to make. 

Part of why I do what I do is that I love it, and the thought of having to double my soap prices .... I don't love that. I wouldn't be making soap for the joy of making it. I would be feeling tense the whole time I was making it, feeling as if I would be gouging people even when I would really just be trying to make a profit so I could keep making soap. I don't want to feel bad when I'm making something. And I don't want that negative energy to go into what I make and send your way. Everything I do for HaldeCraft, I do with intention and joy and I know y'all feel that when you get something you love. 

So, yes. This is the last of the soap. It's the end of an era. I started making soap as a hobby in the late 90s, brought it into Hanks Yarn & Fiber when we had the yarn store, and transferred it over to HaldeCraft in 2010. But y'all, we'll get through it. Take a look at Stinky Lewis soap, Bookish Apothecary, and Pretty Bird Soapery! Those are three of my favorite local soapmakers (plus they all sell online and ship) and I can personally vouch for the awesomeness of their wares.