Ya Otta Know Llamas Wooly Washer

What Is Felted Soap? Why Use It? 

Felted soap originated many centuries ago as a way to extend the life of a bar of soap and prevent it from slipping through your fingers. 

Felted soap is a convenient soap and washcloth in one. Wool is a gentler exfoliant than washcloths, and is appropriate to use on hands, face, or body.  Wool is also antimicrobial and biodegradable, so it can be reused, lasting for years when well-cared for (and later composted in your garden). 

What are Wooly Washers?

“Wooly Washers” are our version of felted soap. 

Each soap is wet-felted by hand for 20-30 minutes each. The process involves wrapping our artisanal soap in soft, 100% wool roving, then slowly agitating the soap + wool bundle in hot and cold water until the fibers become entwined and form a cohesive textile (felt) around the soap.

Designs are then meticulously needle-felted onto the surface by the artist, Ella Hauwiller. Depending on the complexity of the design, the needle felting process may take multiple hours to complete, making each beautiful Wooly Washer a unique piece of functional art. Wooly Washer Felted Soaps are thoughtful gifts, excellent for those with limited dexterity, and have been known to entice children into enjoying bath-time; they are also excellent for traveling or camping as the soap will not become slimy in your bag.

How to Use Felted Soap?

Wet soap and squeeze until suds emerge through the wool, then scrub away (scrubbing when the wool is soapy strengthens the felt and avoids pilling). As the soap shrinks, so too will the wool, similar to a sweater in the wash. Just like any other soap, allowing your Wooly Washer to dry between uses is best practice. Each purchase of a Wooly Washer includes a complimentary hardwood soap dish for this purpose.

When the soap is gone, make a slit down the side of the felt and slide in a new (smaller) bar. You may wish to fill the wool pouch with soap slivers from partially used bars. Alternatively, continue to use the felt as a washcloth, or fill with wool and use as a dryer ball, a cat toy, or an ornament. You may also choose to fill your pouch with potpourri and place it in your closet or sock drawer--the possibilities for re-use are many! To maintain the softness of the wool, consider adding a drop of lanolin to the felt with each new bar.

Our Promise: we only scent our soaps with pure essential oils for a truly natural, aromatherapeutic experience-never fragrance oils. We shop organic and local when available.  

What Happens When I Order a Felted Soap? 

Each felted soap is made to order, so please allow up to 4 weeks for creation and delivery, though typical delivery is within 1-2 weeks.

Select your Scent (options below):

1) Garrulous Gourd (orange, cinnamon, clove); 2) Cloudy Coast (lavender, lemongrass, clary sage); 3) Pompous Peacock (lavender, clary sage, palmarosa, geranium, peppermint); 4) Unscented

Background Color:

By default, the artist will decide the background color based on wool color availability and the mood of the evening (which is typically whimsical) however, we can accommodate most color requests. If you are a particular Penny and have a specific, (though delightful) color desire, you must email us directly at dirtydandelionsoap@gmail.com to make the request. We do, however, recommend throwing care to the wind and letting the artist pick on your behalf. Again, this is the default option if you simply send an order and do not email to specify your request (NOTE: the default mode will likely not result in the background wool being the same color as in the picture--the artist lady, she is fickle). 

Felted soaps are $36, $46, or $56 each, depending on the complexity of the design. A complimentary hardwood soap dish is also included in the purchase of every Wooly Washer, which further helps to extend the life of your soap.

Soap ingredients: Organic Extra Virgin olive oil, RSPO certified palm oil, organic high oleic sunflower oil, organic coconut oil, organic shea butter, cocoa butter, castor oil, rosemary oleoresin, & sodium lactate (a salt to increase bar hardness).

Please email dirtydandelionsoap@gmail.com to discuss color options, or any additional questions or requests that you may have. We love to customize your felted soaps!