Anna and Elsa’s mother, Mari Tiira, founder of Elsa’s Eco-Workshop, recounts:

photo: Mari Tiira

It was 2018. Our wonderful blended family was expecting a surprise baby. Already during pregnancy, we knew that not all was well with the baby, but on October 9, 2018, we held our tiny, sweet, and very much alive daughter in our arms. However, Elsa had developed a reversed circulation and a hole in her heart during pregnancy. This became clear to us when Elsa turned 3 months old; until then, we had been living a wonderful, cotton-soft baby routine at home. Elsa's life ended at 4 months and 9 days old. She lived a beautiful, love-filled, and complete life as a child of our family.

photo: Elsa Ilona Tiira

So, I was unable to work, and the decision to retire was not far off.

I slumped onto the couch, grabbed the remote, and watched everything on Netflix.

Then I got bored. Ideas started to emerge, and one of them concerned my other daughter, Anna, who was 11 years old at the time.

photo: Anna Tiira

Anna has always had very sensitive skin. At some point during Anna’s infancy, I realized that the occasional rash was caused by laundry detergent. I had honestly tried 30 different brands, and all of them, even the very sensitive ones, caused a rash on Anna’s skin. The suitable detergent I was using at the time suddenly ran out in all stores, and I had to decide whether to try a new one again. After searching online, I found instructions on how to make a chemical-free laundry powder myself. It would only require three or four ingredients found in stores. Excitedly, I bought these ingredients and grated my first homemade laundry powder at home, put it in a beautiful glass jar, and marched to the outdoor sauna to wash clothes. Before I had even started the first load, I dropped the glass jar on the floor, and the powder mixed into a thick mass of glass shards....

photo: the first laundry powder

I slumped back on the couch, disheartened. However, I went back to re-read the laundry powder recipe, and this time I read the text all the way through. The instructions clearly stated that Marseilles soap should under no circumstances be grated into the laundry powder! It contains fat and can clog the entire machine. I had used Marseilles soap for the first powder because it was the only one I could find in our supermarket, and as the glass shards spread across the laundry room floor, I had unknowingly just saved our fairly new washing machine from destruction.

Well, what soap should have been grated into that powder then? A new term,

Cleaning Soap flowed into my subconscious. Where could I get it, why wasn't it sold in stores? My laundry powder was only one ingredient away!

I delved into the fascinating world of soap. I went through a long theoretical study, and once I understood the safety practices involved in soap making, I dared to start making my first soap. It became:

photo: The first cleaning soap

I was so proud of myself. I had made a truly effective, chemical-free, and biodegradable laundry powder that was perfectly suited for Anna's skin. And this time, the powder made it safely into the washing machine.

I had been swept up in a whirlwind of enthusiasm, and at some point during my soap experiments, I realized that the upcoming Christmas was an opportunity to package my passion, so I started experimenting with different recipes for bar soap too. I formulated various recipes for hair, body, and cleaning. I wanted to infuse the soaps with my new, enthusiastic personality and Elsa's baby softness. Colors, scents, and vitality once again filled our home and my soul.

Working with my hands was healing and wonderful. At some point during my soap-making craze, Anna remarked that we didn't have that many relatives, so maybe I should sell these soaps?

I laughed at Anna's suggestion. We were living life shut down by Corona, and I knew that due to Corona, there would be no Christmas markets either. But that idea began to take root, and after reading a few encouraging books and messages, a light bulb went off in my head. I could create a job for myself out of soap making, a job I would love and that I could still manage with my current work capacity. That's when the dreaming and product development began, which has now continued for almost three years.

Later, I realized that Elsa's Eco-Workshop soaps have not only healed me. The company, named after our youngest daughter, heals minor and major ailments across Finland. Our soaps contain rich-lathering soulfulness, fragrant family-centricity, and a deep-rooted Finnish lake-region essence that springs from my own roots.

All because of one broken glass jar.

Taru was one of the first testers of the soaps and shampoos, and her feedback on the products was crucial during the development phase. Taru also served as a wonderful model in our product photos.

Elsa's Eco-Workshop underwent a transformation at the beginning of 2025. With Tupperware ceasing operations in Europe, Kati Klinga, a Heinola-based female entrepreneur who had dedicated 26 years of her life to Tupperware, entered the open market, of course! With Kati, we designed a brand new home sales concept and brought in a massive 100 consultants with a bang. The concept proved to be perfect, as Mari had already dreamed of a home party concept since the early days of Elsa's Eco-Workshop. Corona had just closed all possibilities for it, so this idea had been buried under others.

Thus, we gave up reselling, the online store, and our fundraising concept, and decided to put all our eggs in one basket.

As the concept changed, it was also time to renew the brand image and rename the business. We have decided to expand our business internationally, and for that reason, a new name would serve our new direction. In honor of the new name, we brought wonderful new products to the market: the long-awaited deodorant creams Aurinkokylpy deo and Avanto Deo, as well as the citrus salt soap named Aurinkokylpy.

Spring 2026 brought a fresh new breeze. Piia Katila from Peräseinäjoki became the Sales Director, and the entire business model became fresher.

Elsa will never return in physical form. But she is EkoElsa's little boss, the root of ideas, and the heart. Elsa's life has immense significance, and it grows bigger day by day.

❤️

EkoElsa is passionate about helping those in need. We donate soap to crisis areas, low-income individuals, and for all good causes. Additionally, we have created charity soaps, which you can read more about here.