EVER GREEN

Laurel, mint, citrus: the Zurich-based company Soeder and the VitraHaus have jointly developed a new natural soap called EVER GREEN. The fragrance is inspired by the VitraHaus garden and produced from plant-based oils following traditional methods. EVER GREEN natural soap is available in the VitraHaus Shop as well as at Soeder locations and its online store.

In this interview, the two founders of Soeder, Hanna and Johan Olzon Åkerström, and Till Weber, Creative Director Interiors & Scenography at Vitra, explain how a garden visit led to the creation of a fragrance and why Soeder soaps are more than just functional products.

The scent of EVER GREEN natural soap is inspired by the colourful vegetation on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein. How did you transform this inspiration into a product?

Till Weber: We met several times in the garden. I remember how we stroked the different grasses and took in their earthy aroma – and then the mint with its fresh scent. There were so many different components that came together to create an overall impression of the garden.

Hanna Olzon Åkerström: We then interpreted these impressions in our laboratory using natural fragrances.

Und wie riecht EVER GREEN?

Johan Olzon Åkerström: It's a fresh scent – you can really detect the mint. And the sweetness of citrus fruits, orange and lime. The earth is symbolised by patchouli. Laurel balances the top and base notes with its complex spicy nuance, which is further intensified by the addition of rosemary. The fragrance of EVER GREEN is very accessible and similar to the garden, a thing of beauty you want to experience again and again.

Till: EVER GREEN has character – like an expressive piece of furniture. We wanted something distinctive, something with identity and strength.

How do Soeder's natural soaps differ from supermarket products?

Johan:Most soap today is made from synthetic surfactants, which many people don't even realise. We produce real soap in the traditional manner, by saponifying natural plant-based oils that we procure and process ourselves in our Zurich factory. Natural soap is much gentler on the skin. You can use it not only for washing your hands, but also for showering – it's good for the whole body.

How did a special soap come to be developed for the VitraHaus?

Till: The VitraHaus is meant to be an all-encompassing experience for visitors – with the architecture and the various interior scenarios where we showcase Vitra furniture. The shop and the products on offer are also part of the experience. Then there's the café, which emphasises fresh, high-quality regional food. Having our own soap adds another wonderful component to this immersive experience. With EVER GREEN, we bring the garden and landscape surrounding the VitraHaus inside, just as the architecture does with its views of nature. And last but not least, there's the ritual of washing hands: with EVER GREEN, we make it a sensual experience.

Hanna: The combination with the VitraHaus works very well for us. We are a soap producer, but we don't just make a functional product. We see our bottles as an interior object, something well designed that people like to look at.

Why the name EVER GREEN?

Hanna: The name works on many levels. First of all, laurel is an evergreen plant, staying green throughout the year. Green is an important keyword, as we were aiming to bring nature and living things into the home.

Till: It's a nice play on words. An evergreen is also a song that's played over and over again, a classic. On the one hand, the name is clear and understandable, but it also leaves room for new associations.

The soap comes in a specially designed bottle ...

Hanna: It all came together so well, the scent, the name and the design of the bottle. One of our employees experimented with linoleum printing. We deliberately wanted to get away from digital methods and instead explore a traditional technique with a tactile dimension. That's how the laurel motif came about.

Till: The abstract motif of the laurel leaf with flowers is screenprinted directly onto the glass of the bottles. This results in a really nice material quality.

Can VitraHaus visitors test the EVER GREEN soap?

Till: EVER GREEN is available in the restrooms of the VitraHaus. I'm eager to see how people respond. I think the time and dedication we put into it really comes across in the fragrance and its quality.

Hanna: For a product to work, it needs depth and authenticity. When we developed EVER GREEN, these elements were already there – we didn't need to invent something. The collaboration was also a lot of fun. But the soap shouldn't be an intellectual product – it should simply be part of everyday life. It should feel good on the skin when washing hands or showering, that's the most important thing.