About

The Old Dominion Soap Company Way

With over 25 years of soapmaking magic, Carole Kindel of Old Dominion Soap Company has been keeping much of Virginia (and beyond!) clean for a quarter of a century-and that is no small feat.

Carole handcrafts each bar of soap with all natural vegetable oils, essential oils, and cosmetic grade fragrances using the classic cold process method of soapmaking. 

The philosophy is less is more. Minimal ingredients. Minimal packaging. Maximum benefits for your skin. She crafts soap that is meant to be used (daily, we hope) and strives to keep ODSoap's products accessible for all.

Feeling dirty? We got you. 

How it started

One fateful day back in 1998, Carole was flipping through her favorite magazine, Mother Earth News. Two articles stood out: worm farming and olive oil soap making. Thankfully, she didn't want to be disowned by her kids, so she dove into soapmaking. 

Now, Carole was no stranger to entrepreneurial adventures, she was a regular in the craft circuit with various handmade creations--even owning her own quilt store at one point. Creating comes naturally to her, so once she filled her 900 square foot house with bars of soap, she decided to turn the hobby into a side business selling at the Farmer's Market in Old Town Alexandria. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

 

How it's going

After 25+ years, I'd say it's going pretty well. In the early 2000's, Carole quit her fulltime job and dedicated her life to soap. It sounds dramatic, but it's kind of true. Over the years, she hit the craft circuit hard, had three different brick and mortar shops, moved more times than I can count, taught countless soapmaking classes, and has kept making soap. She has grown the business, scaled back the business, started another soap business (filthy clean!), closed the business . . . but she always comes full circle, back to Old Dominion Soap Company.

When she's not making soap, she can be found felting wool down at the river. And she's happiest when she's surrounded by her four grandchildren.

 

We couldn't do this without you! 🤗

Hugs and high fives to YOU! Thank you so much for supporting this *very* small family business over the last quarter of a century. The connections and friendships that have been made (and that are to come!) are treasured. Thank you again for shopping small and championing handmade.