For over a decade, The Wright Soapery has kept Champaign-Urbana squeaky clean with its small-batch, artisan soap collection.

Owner Jackie Wright runs the small but mighty soapery out of her home with the help of her friend, Suzanne D’Andria, and her husband.

“I just thought I’d give soapmaking a try one day, not expecting to really like it or for it to really go anywhere,” Wright said. “I had no expectations; I just wanted to see what it was like. I quickly found out it was amazing.”

During college, Wright earned an art degree and started working in visual communications. However, after making soap for the first time after graduation, the “healthy obsession” took precedence.

“Even though I’ve been making soap for 15 years, there is always something new to learn, whether it be in the science side of it, formulating recipes or the creative side with design and scent combinations,” Wright said. “It’s just always something new and exciting.”

Through her soapmaking, Wright exercises her creativity with every single batch to continue creating unique soaps for customers.

The Wright Soapery offers classic scents like lavender and lemongrass but also works to formulate new combinations. Some of the more notable scents include Havana Cherry — a combination of cherry, coconut, tobacco and coffee grounds from the local Page Roasting Company — and Hey! Mr. Tangerine Man, a combination of tangerine, yuzu and bergamot.

In addition to devising new scent combinations, Wright enjoys experimenting with pour techniques.

“I like to experiment with how the soap is going to flow at different temperatures and different points in trace, which is kind of how thick the soap is,” Wright said.

Different pour techniques offer a wide assortment of soap designs, which are further enhanced by offbeat color combinations. Wright draws inspiration from nature and trending color combinations. She also likes challenging standard color-scent combinations with creations like an orange-colored, lavender-scented soap bar.

“Soapmaking is part science and part an artistic expression,” Wright said. “In creating some of the designs that I do, that’s when I get to utilize the creativity with different color combinations.”

The Wright Soapery not only maximizes its artistic expression to create distinctive batches of soap, but it also goes outside of the box when it comes to the simple science of soapmaking.

Standard soap recipes require a base and a fatty acid. The Wright Soapery uses lye, a base, and various plant-based fatty acids to create its soaps.

Notably, the soapery does not use palm oil in its soaps. Many industries use the ingredient for its versatility; however, palm oil production fuels destructive harvesting patterns. Since palm oil is in such high demand, its sourcing contributes to severe deforestation and habitat loss.

By straying away from palm oil, The Wright Soapery upholds one of its core principles of being an eco-friendly business. The company also avoids single-use plastics by opting for certified biodegradable packaging to reduce waste.

Aside from the experimental and production sides of the business, Wright enjoys the community that has grown around her small soapery.

The Wright Soapery doesn’t have a storefront, but Wright still finds ways to connect with C-U’s soap lovers.

“We treat the farmers market in Urbana as kind of our brick and mortar,” Wright said. “We’re there every Saturday. We love being a part of that. We love feeling as if we’re part of the community.”

The Wright Soapery sells its soaps online as well but has built up a sizable base of regular customers at the farmers market over the past 13 years. Wright has grown to enjoy the opportunities to connect with others through the business.

“We really feel that it’s important to be a part of the community and give back to our community as much as we possibly can,” Wright said.

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