We're already in week 3, and our decision to send out weekly newsletters in blog and vlog format is still on schedule! Three cheers for us!
Would you rather watch a video than read a blog?
This week's topic is eggs, Mari's favorite subject of all time. Already during the founding phase of Elsa's Ecoshop, a chicken coop was being built in the backyard, and the chicken breed was chosen according to the product, meaning silk chickens first, then Silkkitipu bar shampoo.
But first, let's catch up.
Mari and Jenni had a brainstorming session last week. The idea was to bring more excitement into their lives and more interactions with people.
Last spring, we moved two adjacent commercial spaces: the shop and the factory, into one space. The factory store was closed, and we decided to focus solely on manufacturing and online sales. A small shop was left at the entrance for picking up online orders.
Everything was fine, but the longing for chatting with people grew too strong. We enjoy being able to serve and collectively find suitable products for the customer. We love hearing feedback about our products face-to-face; it gives us immense energy. So, we got busy and completely revamped the workshop. The shop area tripled in size and became a cozy space that made our own hearts beat with joy.
We warmly welcome you, our most important person, to our shop. The factory shop is open every weekday, Monday to Friday, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Our address is still Vuohkalliontie 9, Heinola. Even if you're not familiar with Heinola, you'll find us right by the motorway exit, close to the ABC service station. In addition to Mari and Jenni, you'll often find little Pepe in the shop, who greets all guests with open arms.
We immediately had guests in the shop from as far as the Netherlands and Germany. The Germans had stayed in Mari and Pekka's guesthouse in their backyard, which can be booked through Booking.com. The feel of the soaps in the backyard sauna had been so transformative for them that after visiting Lapland, they returned to Heinola to buy more soap before heading home. Thank you, wonderful guests!
Last week, we also hosted a group of students from Samiedu who came to learn about the soap factory's operations. The group consisted of adult students studying natural resources, and we had fantastic interaction. If they wished, the group also got to cut blueberry forest soap under Jenni's guidance. The group's teacher was delighted with how we had organized the factory's different sections for operation and planned to use us as an example in her teaching. We were so proud of ourselves after such praise.
Autumn fundraising
has started briskly! We can still take a few groups to start in September. Feel free to contact us using the form found here! We offer a free starter kit and solid support for your fundraising. Profitable fundraising always gives you at least 30% profit from your sales, and when sales exceed €200, the profit is already 35% of the total sales!
Now, let's talk about eggs for a moment.
A chicken egg is an incredible package! Firstly, it can be stored raw at room temperature, but once cooked, it must be kept in the refrigerator. The egg is a true miracle of life. In one small package, there is the entire beginning of a tiny chick's life. Mari has been witnessing this miracle for three years, as Silk chickens are diligent sitters, and Mari has "incubated" some chicks, or brought them to life in an incubator.
Egg for hair
Eggs have been used to wash hair for centuries. Elsa's Ecoshop products are built on the wisdom of traditional knowledge. Mari formulated Silkkitipu bar shampoo for her own coarse, naturally curly, and dry hair. Right from the first uses, she noticed a silky softness and improvement in her scalp. Her washing intervals also extended up to four days. This product had to be available to other people with coarse hair too!
An egg is a true nutritional powerhouse. Its proteins and fats nourish the hair follicle, making new growing hair more vital and stronger. Eggs contain vitamins B, A, D, and E, as well as trace elements such as selenium, iron, iodine, folic acid, and choline. The egg yolk also takes care of scalp health, and sebum and itching completely disappear. New hair grows stronger, shinier, and softer.
At Elsa's Ecoshop, bar shampoos are made using the traditional cold process method. The advantage of this method is that natural raw materials, such as egg yolk, can be added to the product in significantly larger quantities than in the compression method. Pressed bars, which are made from cleansing surfactants, are often too harsh and primarily contain only detergents. They cannot incorporate sufficient amounts of natural raw materials, nor can they include nourishing vegetable oils that care for the scalp. The traditional method's bar shampoo has a unique shampoo recipe that leaves just the right amount of conditioning oils on the hair and scalp.
Egg for pets?
After Pepe came into Mari's life last autumn, it was time to introduce a new kind of bar shampoo for dogs. Pepe is a poodle, and he has a magnificent and curly coat. A poodle's coat is washed regularly and often trimmed. After washing, the coat needs to retain its fluffiness, but tangles should be able to be blow-dried out. For this purpose, egg yolk is also perfectly suitable.
Pepe bar shampoo was created, a 2-in-1 hair-care bar. The difference from human products is that essential oil and silk were omitted from this bar. Pepe bar shampoo is therefore suitable for all dogs, but especially good for dogs with special coats. After washing with Pepe shampoo, the dog's skin is nourished, and the coat grows stronger and fluffier.
At the end of the video, it turns out that Jenni from Elsa's Ecoshop didn't know what a bidet is! This intimate hygiene fixture might only be familiar to the older generation, but let's ensure that young people also understand. You might encounter these in fancy hotels, and it's good to know what they're for:
Bidet (French: bidet) is a washbasin intended for perineal washing, where a horizontal jet of water facilitates washing intimate areas and other seated rinsing. In Nordic countries, the increasing popularity of bidet showers used with toilet seats has further reduced the popularity of traditional bidet basins; basins are more common elsewhere in Europe and the United States. Basin-style bidets also work in areas where fluctuating tap water pressure prevents precise temperature adjustment. If necessary, warm water can be brought in a separate container. The development history of the bidet actually began with a washbasin placed on a low stand. The bidet connected to the sewage system is a French invention from the 17th or 18th century. (Wikipedia)
With these images and feelings, have a fun week everyone, and eat eggs and use Silkkitipu bar shampoo!
Watch this blog as a video on YouTube
Best regards, Mari Tiira, founder of Elsa's Ecoshop
