Accessory: Natural Linen Gift Bag

Aren't all handmade natural soaps the same? . . .

The answer is NO!

Saying a soap is "handmade" says nothing about quality of the ingredients or the knowledge and skill of the soapmaker!

Chagrin Valley is not just another soap and skincare company. We are committed to healthy skin, healthy people and a healthy planet.

We are a USDA Certified Organic Company specializing in luxurious, organic, handmade natural soaps and shampoo bars rich in natural glycerin for healthier skin and hair.

It's all about the ingredients! Inspired by our love of nature, we use organic herbs, seeds, flowers, vegetables, fragrant spices, fruits, pure essential oils and purifying clays for their exceptional skincare benefits and to provide natural color, aromatherapy, texture, or gentle exfoliation. Nothing artificial, nothing synthetic, no GMO’s, just natural wholesome ingredients.

Chagrin Valley's Natural Soap & Shampoo Bars Are...

• all natural
• made with USDA Certified Organic ingredients
• handcrafted in small batches using the old-fashioned Cold Process Method
• made with sustainable and fair trade ingredients
• certified cruelty-free
• free of detergents
• free of synthetic fragrances
• free of synthetic colors
• free of artificial preservatives
• free of artificial foam boosters
• free of alcohol and petroleum products
• free of synthetic additives
• free of GMOs
• biodegradable
• mild and nourishing
• rich in natural glycerin
• magnificent long-lasting lather
• cured for 8 to 10 weeks

Our soap making process uses only natural and organic ingredients. Why add artificial ingredients to a handmade product?

"Are All Handmade Soaps The Same?"

"12 Reasons to Use Natural Soap"

Yes!

Chagrin Valley Natural Soaps Are Made Using Natural & Organic Ingredients and Are Biodegradable!

What Does Biodegradable Mean?

By definition, biodegradable means capable of being broken down by the action of living things, like natural bacteria, into simple substances that are not harmful to the environment.

If You Are A Camper Or Backpacker, Please Read On...

There are many soap makers out there with good intentions who are claiming that their biodegradable soap or shampoo is safe to use in rivers and streams.

Bringing a natural biodegradable soap on your multi-day backpacking trip is a great way to keep yourself feeling refreshed. But, even biodegradable soap can eventually pollute lakes and streams if it is not used properly.

The bacteria that break down natural soap are present mostly in the soil.

That means that even with biodegradable ingredients, you want to use this soap bar away from freshwater sources like lakes, rivers, and streams. 

So, please, do not bath, wash your face, or do your dishes, even with biodegradable soap, in any river, lake, or stream.

Some suggestions

• Use a bucket to bring your water to an area at least 200 feet away from all sources of fresh water.
• Lather up sparingly.
• Always dispose of the grey water into the soil (NOT the water source). It is also best not to pour the entire soap solution in one spot. So, you can:
• Sprinkle small amounts of grey water in a wide arc (imagine slinging the water out of your pot, as opposed to pouring it).
• Or dig a small hole (like a cathole) in which to pour the soapy water. The idea is to surround the soap with the organic soil compounds that not only helps speed up decomposition, but also helps prevent surface runoff when it rains.

Is Natural Soap Really Better for Camping?

Absolutely! Commercial soaps, body washes, shampoos, and dish soap contain synthetic ingredients. Many of these ingredients include artificial colors and scents, detergents, and chemical preservatives, such as parabens, phthalates, and petrochemicals. These chemicals do not break down quickly.

Traces of these chemicals will remain in nature for many, many years and can have a potential negative impact on plants and animals.

A biodegradable natural soap is made with natural, organic ingredients that break down efficiently when exposed to the bacteria found in the soil.

There’s no substitute for nature. Together we can protect it from impacts like overuse, trash, and harming endangered wildlife by following the principles of "Leave No Trace."

Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve is a USDA Certified Organic Company

The most important consideration in any business is its customers. Today's world of misleading claims, false advertising, and simple deception, often leaves consumers trying to discover the truth about personal products and their ingredients.

• We want our customers to know that we are committed to transparency in everything we do.
• We want our customers to know that when we say "organic," we mean it.
• We believe that in becoming a USDA Certified Organic company, our customers do not have to wonder if we really use certified organic ingredients or if our organic products are truly organic.
• So we choose to be a certified organic company and abide by the strict standards required for organic certification.

Some of my favorite products are made with ingredients that just do not exist as certified organic. Why? At this time there are no standards created for ingredients specifically used in the personal care product industry. Organic certification of personal care products is based on the organic food standards set by the National Organic Program of the USDA.

But since we are a certified organic company, we are required to submit documentation that even our "non-organic ingredients" were produced without the use of toxic pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), sewage sludge, or irradiation.

Why Did We Become a Certified Organic Company?

What Do All of the Organic Labels Mean?

Organic Soap Labeling

Are Your Products Vegan?

All of our products are made with simple, natural, and organic ingredients. They are never tested on animals (except our human volunteers). We are certified Cruelty-Free by Leaping Bunny!

However, not all of our products are vegan because some are made with goat milk, yogurt, honey, eggs, or beeswax.

Our soaps and body care products contain no animal fats; we use a vegan base of natural plant oils and butters.

At Chagrin Valley Soap, we provide a full list of ingredients for each of our products. In this way, you can make an informed choice about a product that is right for your lifestyle.

Look for the symbol (shown on the right) on our packaging and on the product pages of our website to indicate vegan products.

Please check out this page for a list of our vegan products.

All of Chagrin Valley's natural soap, shampoo bars, and personal care products are certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny.

 Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve has been Leaping Bunny Certified since 2013. 

The Leaping Bunny Program was developed in 1996, by The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), to identify and support companies that are doing their part to help eliminate the unnecessary use and mistreatment of animals to test cosmetic products and ingredients. The CCIC is made up of eight animal protection groups including the Humane Society of the U.S., as well as groups from Canada and Europe.

At Chagrin Valley we do not test our finished products on animals (other than human volunteers). But what about the raw materials, the ingredients we use?

Many products display labels claiming that their finished product is ‘not tested on animals’ but this does not guarantee that the product ingredients are actually free from animal testing. 

The CCIC Standard is a pledge that a company makes to remove animal testing from all stages of product development. Our pledge to buy ingredients that are cruelty-free is integrated into the purchase agreement for all of our suppliers.

Personal care products displaying the “real” Leaping Bunny logo are certified ‘cruelty-free' using the internationally recognized Humane Cosmetics Standards. These rigorous standards require that no animal testing is performed or authorized for finished products or any of the ingredients in any stage of product development by the company, its laboratories or its suppliers after a fixed cut-off date. All Leaping Bunny companies are subject to independent audits and pledge commitments that are renewed on an annual basis.

This annual renewal is a key requirement that sets the Leaping Bunny Program apart from other cruelty-free certification programs. Companies that manufacture products, as well as their ingredient suppliers, must annually recommit to upholding their promise to not conduct animal testing on any finished products, ingredients, or formulations.

Why is this annual commitment renewal important? "Because product formulations change, suppliers come and go, and manufacturers develop innovative lines to meet consumer needs. But we know that compassionate consumers need to be confident that no animal testing is involved in the products they use."

At Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve . . .

• we do NOT test our products on animals
• we do NOT use ingredients tested on animals
• we do NOT sell into markets that require animal testing
  
  

The Leaping Bunny Program provides
the best assurance to consumers
that they are making compassionate shopping choices
by purchasing Cruelty-Free skin care!

Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve is a USDA Certified Organic company.

We are required to submit documentation that ALL of our ingredients, even our "non-organic ingredients," were produced without the use GMOs.

Since the U.S. National Organics Program forbids the use of genetic modification in products to be certified as organic, purchasing organic is a great way to lower your exposure to GMO’s.

Genetically Modified Organisms refers to any animal, plant or microorganism that has been changed in a lab at the gene level. It is also known as “genetic engineering."

Read more about "Non-GMO Skin Care Ingredients"