Marseille soap
{{Short description|Traditional hard soap made from vegetable oils}}
Marseille soap or Savon de Marseille ({{IPA|fr|savɔ̃ də maʁsɛj}}) is a traditional hard soap made from vegetable oils that has been produced around Marseille, France, for about 600 years. The first documented soapmaker was recorded from the city in about 1370.{{cite web |title=Marseille Soap a brief History |url=https://frenchly.us/savon-de-marseille-uses/ |website=frenchly.us |access-date=18 July 2023 |archive-date=17 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717232113/https://frenchly.us/savon-de-marseille-uses/ |url-status=live }} By 1688, Louis XIV introduced regulations in the Edict of Colbert limiting the use of the name Savon de Marseille to olive oil based soaps.{{cite web|title=Association des Fabricants de Savon de Marseille|url=http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/tris/da/index.cfm/search/?trisaction=search.detail&year=2015&num=570&dLang=EN|accessdate=20 December 2015|ref=AFSM2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222113459/http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/tris/da/index.cfm/search/?trisaction=search.detail&year=2015&num=570&dLang=EN |archive-date=22 December 2015 |url-status=dead}} The law has since been amended to allow other vegetable oils to be used.
By 1913, production had reached 180,000 tons. Thus, in 1924, there were 122 soapmaking companies in the Marseille and Salon-de-Provence areas combined.{{cite web |title=L'histoire du Savon de Marseille |url=https://www.marius-fabre.com/fr/content/30-l-histoire-du-savon-de-marseille |website=marius-fabre.com |access-date=18 July 2023 |language=fr |archive-date=17 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717232112/https://www.marius-fabre.com/fr/content/30-l-histoire-du-savon-de-marseille |url-status=live }} However as of 2023, there were only four remaining, all part of an association called {{Lang|fr|Union des Professionnels du Savon de Marseille}} (UPSM).{{Cite web |title=UPSM – Union des Professionnels du Savon de Marseille |url=https://www.savon-de-marseille-traditionnel.fr/ |access-date=2023-03-02 |language=fr-FR}}
Production
File:Savons de Marseille 002.JPG]]
Traditionally, the soap is made by mixing sea water from the Mediterranean Sea, olive oil, and the alkaline ash from sea plants together in a large cauldron (usually making about 8 tons).{{cite web |title=About Savon de Marseille |url=https://savondemarseille.com/about/ |accessdate=18 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504065526/https://savondemarseille.com/about/ |archive-date=4 May 2019 |url-status=dead}} This mixture is then heated for several days while being stirred continuously. The mixture is allowed to sit until ready and is then poured into a mold and allowed to set slightly. While still soft it is cut into bars, stamped, and left to completely harden. The whole process can take fourteen days to a month.{{cite web |title=Cooking Marseille soap |url=https://www.marius-fabre.com/en/content/32-making-marseille-soap |website=marius-fabre.com |access-date=18 July 2023 |archive-date=17 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717225518/https://www.marius-fabre.com/en/content/32-making-marseille-soap |url-status=live }}
Today
Today there are two main types of Marseille soap. The original greenish-hued variety made with olive oil, and a white one made of palm and coconut oil mixture. Originally sold only in {{Convert|5|kg|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|20|kg|abbr=on}} blocks, they usually come in {{Convert|300|g|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|600|g|abbr=on}} squares nowadays. Though smaller and larger sizes are available, from {{Convert|15|g|abbr=on}} "guest soap" up to a {{Convert|10|kg|abbr=on}} self-slicing block.{{cite web |title=Savon de Marseille bloc olive 10kg |url=https://www.savon-de-marseille.com/fr/savon-de-marseille/586-savon-de-marseille-bloc-olive-10kg-3419590210418.html |website=savon-de-marseille.com |access-date=18 July 2023 |language=fr |archive-date=17 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717225520/https://www.savon-de-marseille.com/fr/savon-de-marseille/586-savon-de-marseille-bloc-olive-10kg-3419590210418.html |url-status=live }}
Marseille soap is frequently used for domestic cleaning, including hand-washing of delicate garments such as those made of wool or silk. In its liquid form it is commonly sold as a hand soap. It can also be used in agriculture as a pesticide.{{Cite web|url=https://www.coltivazionebiologica.it/rimedi-casalinghi-sapone-di-marsiglia/#Sapone_di_Marsiglia_puro|title=Sapone di Marsiglia come antiparassitario per l'orto|last=|first=|date=2019-08-10|website=Coltivazione Biologica|language=it-IT|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923221622/https://www.coltivazionebiologica.it/rimedi-casalinghi-sapone-di-marsiglia/#Sapone_di_Marsiglia_puro|archive-date=2020-09-23|access-date=2019-09-14|url-status=live}}