Nestled among a cluster of several hundred windswept islands, amid the startlingly clear waters of the fjords of western Norway, lies the Fitjar Islands Foundry; an artisan soap maker and scent design company that bustles with the kind of activity one would never expect to find in such a remote location. The Norwegian soap maker Fitjar Island Foundry is inspired by seagulls, sea breeze and alchemy.
The shaving cream is sold to wet shaving enthusiasts worldwide. “I am particularly proud of the shaving cream, because it is so difficult to make,” says the founder of Fitjar Islands Foundry, Jorunn Hernes.
The Fitjar islands, carved by the passage of time and the harsh Nordic climate, are mostly uninhabited and isolated. Their vegetation is untamed, scarce and wildly poetic. It is impossible not to be seized by the wilderness of nature around here.
Fitjar Islands Foundry is now in the process of developing a modern production facility at Port Steingard at Kråko, Stord. The production facility has a programmed space of approximately 400 m2 and a regulated total height of 10 meters. The building is planned at the harbor alongside a channel, and adjacent to the local brewery and restaurant ELØ – En Liten Øl (A Small Beer).
The present shop is, however, small and bright with shelves filled with shaving soaps such as Miklagard and Villmann, as well as regular bars of soap such as Folgefånn soap, Hulder soap and Coffee soap. But it is the online store that is the most important sales channel.
The biting cold wind here infuses the ever-changing landscape with a different scent dimension every moment. On a still winter morning, the breeze brings with it the coolness of the nearby glacier, flecked with undertones of the fresh spruce and juniper bushes that roam the islands. In the spring, the lilac-blooming heather adds its own sweet gentle notes.
The Fitjar Islands Production & Experience Facility, projected by Snøhetta, shall be an iconic building with an innovative and flexible layout. It will consist of both internal and external functions, such as picking and packaging area, storage, and production, but also a brand store, showroom, pop-up barber shop, and flexible meeting rooms.
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Related: Seaweed in as Shampoo Bottle
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Jorunn Hernes has received excellent reviews on the Internet, which is dedicated to shaving and soap. This is how the customer group grows. It also helps that more and more men are concerned with so-called wet shaving, and for this you need proper shaving soap or cream.
Founded on traditional soap manufacturing techniques and with exceptional attention to superior craftsmanship and quality, Fitjar Islands´s production embraces the importance of process in small-batch manufacturing. Wholeheartedly celebrating the beauty and humor of the little imperfections of an artisan method.
It all takes place in the Foundry at Fitjar, where each batch is carefully crafted and strictly controlled. Every Fitjar Islands product can be traced back to a real place and a real person, so customers know where they come from and how they are made.
Norwegian Soap Maker Inspired by Seagulls, Sea Breeze and Alchemy, written by Tor Kjolberg