It so happened that each country has its own, so to speak, business card. For France, for example, these are Champagne wines, Chanel flavors and, of course, the world-famous Marseille soap, dating back a thousand-year history.
From Aleppo throughout Europe
This is exactly what can be said about the brownish-greenish bars of soap that appeared in France in the XII century. A detergent for washing and washing, made from olive oil and laurel, was brought from Syria by the Crusaders. Soon, the Europeans themselves began to manufacture their favorite product, and the French particularly succeeded in this, replacing the laurel with aromatic Provencal herbs. Briefly, the history of the formation and development of soap making in this country can be represented as follows:
- 1370 - the first officially registered soap maker appeared in Provence. It was K. Davin, who, in addition to oil and herbs, used ashes from plants grown on highly saline soils.
- 1593 - J. Pruenois opened the first Marseille soap factory. After 67 years, the number of such enterprises was already 7, but even their products (more than 20 thousand tons per year) were not enough to fully cover the population’s requests for goods.
- 1688 - the king assigned the name "Marseille" to the soap produced in Provence. And then he pointed out that it should consist exclusively of vegetable oil, in particular, from Provencal olive. The use of animal fats was strictly prohibited, the violation of which entailed the confiscation of all the property of the unfortunate soap-maker.
- 1789 - 49 factories for the production of aromatic Marseille soap are already operating in Marseille. It is known that Catherine the Great used it with pleasure, which led to special amendments to the agreement between the two countries and a significant reduction in duties when importing this product from France to Russia.
The end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries became for French soap makers a new stage in the production of a popular detergent and washing agent. At this time, chemist N. LeBlanc invented a new method for producing soda - an essential component in the composition of Marseille soap. It did not contain more vegetable ash, which allowed several times to increase the production of detergent and at the same time reduce its cost. A little later, cheaper oils from the southern continents began to be imported to Europe, which also played into the hands of Marseille soap makers - they began to be used along with Provencal olive oil.
Hard times
Some decline in the production of Marseille soap began to be observed in the XX century. At first it was connected with the participation of France in the First and Second World Wars, and then with the rapid development of the chemical industry and the advent of a new detergent - washing powder. Nevertheless, the Marseille soap, reviews of which in our time remain extremely positive, continue to be used by many residents of the entire globe. It’s good that you can buy original goods from France today without any difficulty in almost any corner of the world.
What caused the popularity of this detergent, which does not pass over time, and how to determine its authenticity?
The secret of success of the Marseille soap
Requirements for the composition, formed at the time of its occurrence, remain immutable to this day. And although the French masters have kept strict secrets of production and the composition of genuine Marseille soap for several centuries, the basic requirements for it are still known. Here they are:
- Allow no more than 6 components in production;
- provide a composition of 72% vegetable oils;
- completely eliminate the use of animal fats, preservatives, dyes.
In addition, the real product from Marseille is traditionally made in the form of a cube (although recently it is often possible to meet the so-called Marseille liquid soap in bottles). Its characteristic features are typical stamping along all sides and natural color. Its shades can be different: from brownish-greenish to yellowish-white - depending on the type of oil used in the manufacture of detergent.
Keeping tradition
There are currently 4 large enterprises in France that continue to produce genuine Marseille soap for washing and washing. Their work is regulated by the Charter of Quality, signed in 2011, which describes the technology of production of goods and secures the geographical origin established many centuries ago. It also protects the Marseille soap makers from possible fakes and guarantees the preservation of traditions formed over centuries.
The main competitor to soap from Marseille
It should be noted that Castilian soap appeared almost simultaneously with the French . This is also a natural product, because they also make it only from vegetable oils. The main difference in price: Castilian is much more expensive than Marseille. The reason is simple: in Castile, exclusively extra virgin olive oil is used for soap, while Marseille soap makers use cheaper, but in no way inferior in terms of useful properties, third-pressed oil.
Scope of use
Detergent, including concentrated gel of the well-known brand Meine Liebe “Marseille Soap”, can wash any fabrics, with the exception, perhaps, of natural ones - wool and silk. As time has shown, this wonderful natural product successfully copes even with persistent pollution. At the same time it does not cause irritation of the skin and allergies, and therefore, it is quite suitable for washing both outerwear and underwear or children's things.