FAQs

Why seashells?

When we discovered that millions of seashells are discarded each year we wondered if there was a more sustainable alternative. Soap was the perfect solution. It set us on a path to harness their naturally cleansing and restorative properties, which you can read about here.

Where do your seashells come from?

All of our seashells are collected from sustainable British fisheries. After the edible part has been removed for human consumption, the seashells are discarded. Rather than seeing them go to landfill we process these seashells into a material that forms the basis of our soaps.

Can your soap kill coronavirus?

While we have not tested our soaps directly for their effectiveness, washing your hands with bars of soap is known to be effective against coronavirus. As an article in the Guardian by Prof Pall Thordarson outlines — unlike alcohol based products, soap contains fat-like substances known as amphiphiles that are extremely effective at attacking the weakest link in a virus. Rendering the virus inactive (i.e. dead).

What if I have a shellfish allergy?

There are several groups of shellfish, including Crustaceans (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp) and Molluscs, such as Bivalves (e.g. mussels, oysters), Gastropods (e.g. limpets, snails), and Cephalopods (e.g. squid, octopus). While some people are allergic to all shellfish, others are only allergic to certain groups. The most common allergic reaction is, for instance, to Crustaceans. The allergy is a response to the proteins contained in the flesh of the shellfish.

We use scallop shells in our soap, which are part of the bivalve group of molluscs. While a thorough cleaning process helps to remove visible remnants of where the allergens are contained, there could still be traces of the shellfish allergen contained in our soap. If you have an allergy to shellfish we recommend that you avoid using our products or consult an allergist. For more information, you can read here and here.