Hog & Tallow
Based on the Somerset, Devon border, Hog & Tallow's soaps are made to a traditional method using lard and tallow from their own smallholding and from trusted organic farms, including us here at The Organic Butchery. It also makes use of top-quality waste products from nearby microbreweries and dairies, along with foraged botanicals. Using by-products from other producers is a wonderfully simple way of avoiding unneeded waste and it happily avoids the need to use imported materials such as palm oil. As Hog & Tallow is a plastic-free business, paper packaging is carefully recycled and reused. The result of all this work? Beautiful soaps, candles and balms scented with delicate natural fragrances, which are kind to the environment and make wonderful gifts.
The Hog & Tallow team found that beef suet and pork lard are fantastic moisturising fats to complement the make-up of the oils in our skin. With this, they formulated a simple soap made with hard animal fat, West Country rapeseed oil (rich in vitamin E), water (or local waste beer) and lye. Sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye, is a solution used for washing and is the essential chemical element that transforms fats into soap. The scent comes from pure essential oils; waste dried flowers from a local grower and foraged poppy seeds are also added.
To make soap from animal fat, Hog & Tallow first renders it down to draw out impurities before mixing it with the rapeseed oil, heating it and combining it with the lye and water. The whole mixture is then gently blended until it reaches ‘trace’. This simply means it’s mixed until it emulsifies and thickens. At this stage the gorgeous scents and botanicals (from their own garden next to their workshop) are added, the soaps are poured into moulds and vibrant dried flower petals are sprinkled on top.
As we love nothing more than partnering with small, British businesses which share the same values as ourselves, we stock a variety of soaps from Hog & Tallow. In the range, you will find single soaps named ‘Dirty Gurty’ and ‘Pig in the Bath’ both of which come beautifully wrapped in paper. ‘Pig in the Bath’ is made with tallow from our happy, healthy, grass-fed cows combined with British and soothing lavender essential oil. Also made from beef tallow, 'Dirty Gurty' is infused with comfrey and scented with geranium essential oil. Comfrey was traditionally used as a healing oil for sprains and bruises; geranium is known for making skin radiant and promoting a positive mood.
We’ve more recently added to this range by offering two gorgeous soap gift sets - the first set includes ‘Dirty Gurty’ and ‘Pig in the Bath’ and the second features 6 mini soaps (sweet orange, peppermint, lavender, tea tree and charcoal, geranium and calendula and sweet fennel and poppy), we think they both make a gorgeous present which have a sustainable story behind them. If soaps weren’t enough, we’ve added two of their candles within our range, again made with our own tallow we are now offering lavender and sweet orange, both of which feature pure essential oils and dried botanicals on the top. Made from old beer bottles, it’s just another way Hog & Tallow are reusing something that would otherwise be wasted.
Find out more about Hog & Tallow here.
