Rob Walker got fresh in his New York Times Magazine "Consumed" column this Sunday. "Cleaning Up" surveys homemade soap-making—a cottage industry that has become increasingly profitable.
Apparently making soap is "kind of addictive" and once hooked, so-called "soapers" can sell their wares online. And it’s no wonder so many entrepreneurs are coming clean. Not only can they charge a high price for soap—one called the Zum Bar sells for $5—they are meeting a constant demand. "Practically everyone uses it every day," a seller points out, "and it has to be replaced often."
Web sites like Etsy and IndieFriendly help connect them with a market. Many contain organic ingredients (eg. goat’s milk, olive oil, honey) and aim at eco-conscious buyers, other just take a cue from plastic surgeons and go for that "natural look."
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