951 soap.........

Hoping to move at some point during 2006 - depending on how long our renovations take and how far our rather magre budget goes - (as long as we can transform our rat infested hovel in Abruzzo to a clean and sparse dwelling we'll be there. But in the meantime (please don't pick me up for starting a sentence with "but")

My business is making soap and skincare products (no jokes about fight club please) You would think a perfect thing to transfer to Abruzzo. My 2 main ingredients are Sweet Amond Oil and Olive Oil Pomace - surely these products should be easy to source in the area - but where on earth do I start - my Italian is appalling at the moment (OK I've got till 2006!) but I wold like to source new suppliers before I leave the UK or it could kill my business.

anyone any ideas?

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/30/2005 - 11:49

Shiv, I know it sounds daft, but, who supplies you now ? any chance of starting with them, or the labels off any containers ? see if you can pick up any leads from there...
good luck
(fight club ??? there is no fight club, nobody's talking about it anyway ?!?!) ;)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/30/2005 - 11:58

current suppliers will charge huge-ish shipping fees (althought they probably source the ingredients from Italy in the first place). when language skills improve will try and track makers chat room or similar - great makers network in the UK - Hope there's similar over there
thanks
Shiv

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/31/2005 - 07:29

Google "fight club" they have two rules though... :D

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/31/2005 - 09:00

[QUOTE=Shiv]current suppliers will charge huge-ish shipping fees (althought they probably source the ingredients from Italy in the first place).[/QUOTE]

Umm you're thinking of exporting olive oil and almond oil to Italy? Followed by a coal exporting business to Newcastle?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/31/2005 - 09:53

No, the lady was asking for advice, and I suggested contacting her current suppliers for their sources... Ohh, and specialist coals, from Wales were frequently taken to Newcastle, I suspect that as the Mining industry is now almost finished there is, or will be openings in that business too.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/31/2005 - 10:43

[QUOTE=GeorgeS]No, the lady was asking for advice, and I suggested contacting her current suppliers for their sources... [/quote]

"Please tell me where you source your supplies from so that I can go direct to the suppliers and not have to continue paying you." It's not exactly a business proposition with a lot of interest in it for the supplier is it?

FWIW, almond oil is most likely to be sourced from the USA, California in particular, because they produce large quantities using mechanical harvesting. Olive oil sold for use in cosmetics is refined olive oil, the cheapest grades available, since there's no point in using the good stuff. If one is particularly fussy it's possible to look up in the British Pharmceutical Index the specification for either oil.

[quote]Ohh, and specialist coals, from Wales were frequently taken to Newcastle, I suspect that as the Mining industry is now almost finished there is, or will be openings in that business too.[/QUOTE]

One must be careful to draw a distinction between metaphor and reality.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/01/2005 - 06:25

its probably more complicated than it initialy sounds - I can't just use oil from the local guys it has to be a consistant chemical make-up or the mixture doesn't saponify and therefore has to be refined and the suppliers approved by the body that does all my testing or they won't issue a safety certificate - and then I can't sell it legally (that's Brussels for you!)- I probably will end up importing it from somewhere or other - I just want to avoid doing so if at all possible - I too disagree with all the "miles" stuff - I'm sure I'll find refiners somewjhere in Italy. thnaks for all your advice chaps!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/01/2005 - 07:52

Shiv, I am sorry for drawing criticism to you, I wish you all the best in your project, Good Luck. :)