Congratulations to Nicci & Maureen! This contest is now closed.
We love finding hidden gems in the Fraser Valley. For several years we have seen products from this local business, but have never visited until recently. So happy we finally had the chance to check out Rustic Soap Co.!
Rustic Soap Co. is run by Tawyna Walsh, who started making her own soaps after her young son suffered from eczema. What started as a hobby, or rather an experiment, in 1999 has now blossomed into a thriving soap-making venture! The Rustic Soap Co. retail and soap-making shack opened in 2006.
Tawnya’s workshop is located in a quiet neighbourhood in Chilliwack. The dainty soap shack is adorable and it smells divine – an aromatherapy junkie’s heaven! Tawnya is full of happy energy and we loved learning about the soap making process and the local, natural ingredients she uses.
Rustic Soap Co. offers a great line of products. We love the handmade soaps made with vegetable oils, dried herbs, grains & pure essential oils. They contain no artificial colours, fragrances or preservatives. Ginger Lime, Spiced Orange, Rosemary Mint, Licorice Treat – the names of these soaps sound good enough to eat! Tawnya also makes goat milk soaps and other specialty bars including a hemp pet shampoo bar.
Soy candles, essential oils, room sprays, bath salts, herbal salves, body polishes and a line of baby skincare compliment the great handmade soap collections. They all smell ahhhh-mazing!
Tawnya often creates private label products for wedding favours, bed and breakfasts and other businesses that want to offer a special something to their guests and customers. What a great idea!
There is something so lovely about visiting the workshop of an artisan and watching how the product you are about to enjoy is made from start to finish. A photo montage on the workshop wall outlines the full procedure and Tawnya happily explained the process to us. Depending on when you visit, you may get to see her in action! We watched her slice up some soap bars, which will make their way over to the drying rack to cure for several weeks before being labelled.
There is indeed a rustic charm to Tawnya’s soap shack. We love the old-style merchant feel of Rustic Soap Co. -the brown paper wrap tied with a simple string, the stamped logo and vintage signs.
It is a delightful place to visit and we would love to send two of our lucky readers for a visit to Rustic Soap Co. Please leave a note below to be entered to win one of two $25 gift certificates (valid in-store only). Contest closes May 4, 2011.
For an extra entry into the draw, please Tweet the following: I entered to win a gift certificate to Rustic Soap Co. from @FVPulse: http://ht.ly/4G0mC.
Rustic Soap Co. is a part of the Chilliwack Circle Farm Tour. The Fraser Valley Circle Farm Tours are self-guided tours in the Fraser Valley (Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows, Langley and Agassiz/Harrison Mills). They allow you to explore farm-gate vendors, local artisans, charming eateries, heritage sites and much more, all at your own pace, in your own vehicle. They are a great way to meet some of our local producers – be sure to check one out this year!
Rustic Soap Co.
www.rusticsoap.com
42537 South Sumas Road, Chilliwack
Ring: 604.823.4461
How talented this Lady is. Not only in the production on her soaps etc. but also the market that she serves and the packaging is so in keeping with the name of her product. How lovely it would be to visit a bed and breakfast and find this lovely product waiting for you.
I am always so amazed at all the local talent we have in our Fraser Valley. I have just found this business and intend to visit very soon.
Norma Gosling
Abbotsford
Winning would be a nice treat and a good excuse to get out to Chilliwack to see my sister!
I noticed the Rosemary Mint Soap in the picture…one of my wife’s favorite combinations.
Tawnya – a truly rustic women. She lives and breathes everything that is natural…
We are never a day without a bar of Rustic soap in our house. When the supply runs low, I send my husband Greg to visit his Landcruising buddy Sheldon (Tawnya’s husband) to reload on soaps, lip balms, and bath salts.
Annually, I organize a 8 Week Fitness Challenge that is geared towards physical health and wellness through nutrition, exercise.
I feel that Tawnya’s Rustic Soaps’ natural (no additives) concept is a contribution towards Health and Wellness for Women and Families. Every year Tawnya donates several Gift Baskets for the Winners of the Challenge. The ladies LOVE them.
I personally have so many favorites that it is impossible to name them all, however, my all time favorite lip balm is the peppermint. The lip balm is non greasy and feels great on your lips leaving them soft. Great to use in any season.
Looking forward to stopping by during the Fraser Valley Circle Farm Tours.
Petra Niemeyer
I LOVE learning about local places to shop that offer natural products so my family and I can continue to improve the quality of our life by reducing chemicals in any way possible. I would LOVE a trip out to Chilliwack to check out this shop and pick up some lovely soap and more. Very intereseted in the lip balm….we are currently in need of a few new lip balm sticks in our hosue and I just keep forgetting to pick some up at the store…so now I’ll maybe wait and pick some up at Rustic Soap….sounds like the peppermint one is amazing!
Love Tawnya’s Soap – by far the best handmade soap I have tried – and I LOVE the way the shop smells… so heavenly.
Tawnya is a lovely and talented lady with a beautiful spirit to match and I LOVE her product. I haven’t tried the goat milk soap yet, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity.
My young son also suffers from eczema! Tawnya, I’d love to talk to you about your experiences with this and what products you recommend.
Thank you for all your donations to our SEA CRUISE costume party and for the Belly Balm!
Magda
Great article and I wasn’t aware of Rustic Soap, so glad the article was done to introduce us to the owner and the company
It looks like amazing soaps, would love to come check your store out
looks like one of those shops that you cant help yourself but go in and purchase a lot. they look like they have amazing products. would love to win and try them out:)
I LOVE homemade soaps! That is all I use at home!
Definitely going to check out Tawna’s shop. Sounds lovely!
Thank you for showcasing these wonderful talented people and their Stores. Wouldn’t know about them otherwise. Haven’t tried homemade soaps before – sounds like something that is a must to do….. Rustic Soap Co. is on the list for sure now!
Yes as a man, I do appreciate the scouring effects of Tawnya’s ‘Kitchen Sink’ soap. It is perfectly abrasive. One product that I swear by is the moisturizer lotion. I use a dolop in my hair and wow I get the same results as my favourite gel but without all the terrible crustiness. I know it sounds crazy, but try it… it smells great too! My favourite flavour is creamsicle.
Kybosh
This sound like a place to go and see. I love natural soaps
We have received Rustic Soaps gifts from my sister who lives in Sardis and love them! It would be nice to visit the shop ourselves!
Would love to come and talk to Tawnya re soaps and lotions for eczema suffers like myself qnd my mother! Also interested in the pet line for my dog!
Wow – another gem in Chilliwack! I’m thinking we’ll have to start looking for a house out there! Love your soap, hope I win!
I know I would love the scent of her shop. Would love to visit.
Creamsicle Bath Salts? Mmmmmm! We did the Chilliwack Circle Farm Tour 2 years ago, but missed this store!
It’s great to know there’s something for ecsema sufferers. My dtr has been plagued with that for several years.
I use Tawnya’s products and give them to my family and friends as well. Love the stuff! Excellent! And Tawnya is such a lovely young lady. She makes time for everyone that walks into her store… she is amazing!
How wonderful, out of necessity came this lovely business, I will surely visit when we get some warm summer weather. Good Luck to you Tawnya.
These are great products! I’ve been using them for about 6 years.
your soaps sound fabulous and would love to try them.Just one question, would they be alkaline?
Your soaps sound fabulous and I would love to try them. Are they alkaline?
Very quaint looking store… and I bet it smells DELICIOUS!!
Tawnya is a wonderful gal and makes great products, the scent in the shack is amazing, makes you want to buy one of everything. See you soon Tawnya.
We have been selling Rustic Soaps in our shoppe in Aldergrove for 8 years now… and we love them all. The baby line is super too… everything all natural… thanks Tawnya!
Can’t wait to check out this shop. We just renovated our bathroom and her packaging would look so perfect on our apothecary shelf.
Wow…I love the old farm feel of her store. I must check it out…the products sound fabulous!
Awesome. More local products to gobble up. Yeahhhhhhhhh
I make a point of buying local and supporting local businesses. I love homemade soap, the soap in the grocery stores cannot compete. The scents, the feel of the soap and to see it being made is an experience in itself. Using Twanya’s products is one step towards living sustainably and smelling good at the same time.
I have use and new homemade soap as I do like to support local and independent business.
I first began my interest in natural products due to my son having exzema and knowing that there must be a product that is as much natural as posible. This opportunity would be good for my self and son. We would both smell great.
thank you for your consideration
Always looking for natural products to use at home. I am looking forward to checking out your products!
I think I could smell all the yumminess from the shop while reading the article!
Can’t wait to make a trip out there & discover the store myself!
Good luck & thanks!
This place sounds wonderful! Can’t wait to visit on my next Chilliwack run with my Avon deliveries.
Looks fantastic!! Love homemade soaps and these look decadent!
i look forward to taking my mom out there
I love the soaps and I would love to go a check out the site
Love handmade soaps, definately will be a stop when we do the circle tour this year. Thanks to introducing me to this artisan.
I must venture out to your shop, my husband loves exfoliating soaps and natural soaps and I used to purchase specialty soaps for him from Cooumbs and Naniamo but Chilliwack is much closer. I am also a huge fan of soy candles as I find the scents are better.
Shall be venturing out soon.
I met Tawnya when she began her business in the basement of her Sardis home. I was delighted to be her neighbour! Now her Rustic Soap Co. has developed into a successful career which allows her to work from “the soap shack” behind her home in Greendale.
Everything Tawnya creates is simply amazing.Her passion and personality certainly shines through her products in the wee shop.
I have shared many of Tawnya’s handcrafted body products with friends and family. My own family always know where to find something special for me! Actually, it’s time for a trip to visit Tawnya and pick up my favourite soap.
I love the scents of handmade soaps, I will check this out on my next trip to Chilliwack.
LOVE Rustic Soap Co.!!! The scent when you walk into the soap shack is heavenly, and brings you back to nature. Tawnya who is always there to greet and chat is such a lovely welcoming soul
Her products are amazing, have used them for years!! My son and I are addicted to her herbal hemp lip balm gotta try it…. Love ya Tawn
Can’t wait to try some of these soaps out, look fantastic, I bet they smell even better!
I love Tawnya’s products because I know they are handmade and natural. I love her shop and find it hard to leave. She is a top notch biz woman which I have gleaned from. I have so many fav’s of Tawnya’s products it’s hard to narrow it down. I find her room spray very effective to make a room smell so nice.
I love these products – the liquorish one is my favourite! It would be a blast to cruse through the shop and once again stock up my house with such lovely, natural products.