A Black woman-owned soap business in Massachusetts was recognized earlier this year for its sustainable practices.
According to The Harvard Crimson, Barbara Thomas is the founder and creator of Artifact Soapworks, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her business is gaining visibility not only for its benefits to the skin but also for its eco-conscious approach. Her numerous soap products are completely vegetable-based and don’t include animal products.
In February, the soap extraordinaire was honored by the Sustainable Business Network, a non-profit dedicated to building a more environmentally sustainable local economy. She was one of seven leading green-driven small businesses in Massachusetts that were selected to receive the 2024 Sustainable Business Award.
Thomas was overwhelmed with gratitude for the recognition, as her business was mighty yet small: “I had no idea that a small business as small as mine, let alone someone working out of their studio, was on the radar for such a prestigious award,” she said in an interview with The Harvard Crimson. “Because the types of people that win this award are farms or indigenous shellfishers or people with brick-and-mortar.”
Barbara Thomas sources her soap ingredients through local farms and other small businesses
Thomas also relies on Catania Oils, a local family-owned operation, for high-quality olive oil and shea butter. Staying true to her eco-conscious values, she keeps her production process low-impact by using hand tools instead of machines, cutting down on energy use wherever possible. She also hosts events to educate others on making soap at home, emphasizing the positive impact of homemade soap products.
“Some of the people who take my class do start their own soap businesses,” Thomas said. “And I’m like, ‘You don’t need to outsource to other countries, there are local places here you can use and this is the best way that I can teach you to save water or to upcycle soap molds.’”
What makes Thomas’s soap unique is its art-like element. She offers her soaps in a variety of colors, sizes, molds and designs, including smiley faces, animals, ancient Greek gods and mermaids.
“Anyone can make square soap, but I like to make soaps that look like artifacts,” Thomas shared.
What sparked Barbara Thomas’s interest in soap making?
Thomas said her passion for soapmaking started during her time as a college student studying integrated chemical engineering at MIT in the early 1990s. One of her professors offered extra credit for batch-processing projects, and she chose to make soap.
“I decided to make soap, and I started giving it to my family and friends during Christmastime,” she said. “Just like when you have, like, a fruitcake that you give out – something that’s traditional and delicious or only expected during the holiday seasons in December.”
Her family’s support of her idea led to her making Artifact Soapworks a legitimate business venture.
Thomas aims to be transparent with customers, primarily using vegan and clean ingredients and applying chemical engineering to create eco-friendly, people-safe soaps.
“There are all these other companies out there making square soap and making promises,” she said. “I just tell people my soap will clean you.”
