Yorkshire Soap Company

What Yorkshire Soap Company does

Yorkshire Soap Company is a York-based, founder-owned manufacturer of handmade soaps, bath products, body care, and home fragrances, established in 2004 and operated by co-founders Warren Booth and Marcus Doyle. Production is concentrated in a single 'soap kitchen' facility in York, where the company makes vegetable glycerine-based soaps, triple-refined soap bars with extended fragrance longevity, novelty designs (such as the Fish In A Bag goldfish soap), artisan and patisserie-style soap cupcakes and slices, plus body care (hand wash, shower gels, body lotions, scrubs, lip balm, hair care and shaving), Eau De Parfum fragrances, and home scent lines using soy wax candle and wax melt blends. The catalogue spans 276+ vegan SKUs and 29 novelty soap designs, all formulated as palm oil free, paraben free, and cruelty free, supported by bespoke wedding and event customisation services.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model centred on its own e-commerce storefront (with free delivery over £50 and gift messaging) and company-owned physical retail stores in the Yorkshire region, complemented by a phone-based corporate and bulk gifting channel with volume discounts on orders over 30 units. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from £3.95 accessories to £26.95 Eau De Parfum, with gift boxes (£11-£16.50) and luxury hampers as higher-AOV bundles. Customer segments include gift buyers, vegans and conscious consumers, bath and body enthusiasts, home scenting enthusiasts, and corporate clients, served through a horizontal segmentation approach.

Marketing is multi-channel: organic social across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, SEO-driven category pages, and an email 'Soapscribe & Save' programme offering 10% off first orders. The company has invested in brand-building collaborations, notably a flagship Happy Valley TV series candle partnership that produced 2,000 units for public sale and raised £10,000 for its chosen charity, Overgate Hospice. There are no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, subsidiaries, or international expansion; the company is UK-only, bootstrapped, and operates without a parent company or external investors on the record.

Name

Yorkshire Soap Company

Legal name

The Yorkshire Soap Company

Website

https://yorkshiresoap.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Yorkshire Soap Company is a founder-owned York-based manufacturer of handmade soaps, bath products, body care, and home fragrances, selling direct-to-consumer via UK e-commerce, Yorkshire retail stores, and corporate gifting, with bespoke wedding services and a premium Imaginarium sub-brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handmade Soap and Bath Products

NAICS

Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (32562), Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Hand Soap & Hand Wash (CRABAEAC)

Keywords

• Handmade bath products
• Natural soap bars
• Vegan cosmetics
• Home fragrance candles
• Gift hampers

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Revenue generated from direct-to-consumer sales of handmade soaps, bath products, body care, candles, and home scents through e-commerce and retail stores. One-time purchase model with no subscription.
2. Corporate/Bulk Orders: Corporate gifting and large party orders with volume discounts available for orders over 30 units
3. Bespoke/Custom Products: Wedding and bespoke product services including personalised candles and custom scent creations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Yorkshire Soap Company manufactures and sells handmade soaps, bath products, body care, candles, and home fragrances from its soap kitchen in York, England. Products are made with natural ingredients including vegetable glycerine, pure essential oils, shea butter, and soy wax blends, and are positioned as palm-oil-free, paraben-free, and vegan-friendly. The company sells primarily direct to consumers through its own e-commerce site, physical retail stores, and corporate/bulk gifting channels, and offers bespoke services for weddings and events.

Product overview

Yorkshire Soap Company is a UK-based handmade soap and bath products business operating from York, England. The company offers a broad portfolio of handmade personal care and home fragrance products through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform, physical retail stores, and bespoke/customisation services. The core product range centres on handmade soaps across multiple sub-categories (Novelty Soaps, Refined Soap Bars, Artisan & Patisserie Soaps, Glycerine Soap Bars, Botanical Soap Bars, and Whipped Soaps), complemented by body care lines (Hand Wash, Shower Gels, Body Lotions, Body Scrubs, Bath Products, Lip Balm, Hair Care & Shaving), home scents (Reed Diffusers, Glass/Tin/Votive Candles, Wax Melts), and Eau De Parfum fragrances. The company also operates a premium sub-brand called The Imaginarium offering bespoke fragrances and a gifting programme covering Gift Boxes and Luxury Gift Hampers. Bespoke services for weddings and events are available, and the company runs a loyalty programme called Soapscribe & Save. Products are predominantly positioned as handmade, natural, palm oil free, paraben free, and suitable for vegans, with a notable focus on Yorkshire-themed branding and local ingredient inspiration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Handmade Soap Bars Handmade soap bars produced in the company's soap kitchen in York using a vegetable glycerine formula, natural ingredients, pure essential oil fragrance blends, and moisturising shea butter. The range spans novelty, refined, glycerine, botanical, artisan/patisserie, and whipped variants sold to consumers and corporate gifting buyers.
• Novelty Soaps Unique handmade novelty soaps shaped into unusual forms such as Fish In A Bag (with an embedded goldfish toy), flower pots, tulips, and soap coins and tins. Designed as fun, gift-ready products positioned as differentiators that are "often imitated, never beaten."
• Refined Soap Bars Triple refined soap bars produced for long life and longer lasting fragrance using natural ingredients, pure essential oil based fragrance blends, and moisturising shea butter, sold in 17 Yorkshire-themed variants.
• Artisan & Patisserie Soaps Handmade artisan soap cupcakes and cake slices crafted in the soap kitchen in York, packed with moisturising oils to leave skin smooth and fragrant, available in 18 varieties.
• Bath Products Bath products including Bath Essence, Bath Foams, Bath Truffles, Bath Salts, Bath Bombs, and Bath Fizzers, sold to consumers for at-home spa-like bathing experiences.
• Hand Wash Handmade hand washes made with natural ingredients and available in six fragrances including Bluebells in the Wood, Citrus & Amber, Green Tea & Bergamot, Jasmine & Patchouli, Lavender Fields, and Rose & Honeysuckle.
• Body Lotions and Body Scrubs Moisturising body lotions for body care routines plus body exfoliation products including natural pumice stone, body brush, buffing botanical bag, and facial brush for skin exfoliation.
• Shower Gels and Shower Steamers Shower gels in various fragrances for body cleansing plus shower steamers that release aroma during showering for an at-home spa experience.
• Eau De Parfum Signature fragrance perfumes including Yorkshire Rose, Yorkshire Lad, Yorkshire Lass, Yorkshire Spirit, Yorkshire Woods, and Imaginarium collection scents such as Solitude and Voyeur, priced up to £26.95.
• Lip Balm Handmade lip balms in various flavours including Coconut, Earl Grey, Peppermint, Vanilla & Hibiscus, Rose & Jasmine, Gin & Tonic, Rum & Blackcurrant, and Grapefruit & Sea Salt.
• Hair Care and Shaving Hair care and shaving products including shampoo bars (Damaged Goods, Let It Shine, Salty Beach), conditioner bars, and shaving creams and gift sets.
• Reed Diffusers Reed diffusers for home fragrance, available in multiple fragrances with refills also sold separately.
• Glass, Tin and Votive Candles Scented candles in glass, tin, and small votive containers, made with soy wax blends for home fragrance.
• Wax Melts Handmade wax melt cubes that melt to release fragrance into the home, made with natural waxes and luxury fragrances including soy wax blends, available in varieties such as Sun Baked Figs, Rhubarb Crumble, Fields of Provence, and Yorkshire Moors.
• Gift Boxes and Luxury Gift Hampers Pre-curated and build-your-own gift boxes for occasions including Artisan Soap Gift Boxes, Bath & Body Gift Boxes, and Bath Truffle Gift Boxes, plus luxury gift hampers containing combinations of soaps, bath products, and home scents.
• The Imaginarium A bespoke fragrance and home scents sub-brand offering unique candles, reed diffusers, and wax melts inspired by whimsical themes, including candles named after the Happy Valley TV series collaboration.
• Bespoke Wedding and Event Services Custom fragrance and product creation services for weddings and events, including personalised scented candles. The company previously collaborated with Sarah Lancashire and Sally Wainwright on a Happy Valley-inspired candle, with 2,000 candles produced for sale and profits donated to Overgate Hospice.
• Physical Retail Stores Company-operated physical retail stores in Yorkshire where customers can purchase the full range of handmade soaps, bath products, body care, and home scents in person.

Quantifiable outcome

• £10,000 raised for Overgate Hospice charity

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Overgate HospicecoreOthers · 1 January 2023The company's chosen charity partner based in Elland, Halifax, West Yorkshire. Overgate Hospice provides palliative care for those affected by life-threatening illnesses. The company has raised £10,000 for the hospice through Happy Valley candle sales and provides ongoing monetary donations, raffle prizes, and gifts throughout the year.
• Happy Valley (TV Series)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with actress Sarah Lancashire and writer Sally Wainwright to create a bespoke Happy Valley inspired scented candle for the TV series end-of-season wrap party. The candle was given as a gift to all cast and crew. Due to customer demand, 2000 candles were produced for sale with all profits donated to Overgate Hospice.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lush: UK-based handmade cosmetics and soap manufacturer and the category leader in artisan bath/body. Directly comparable on handmade positioning, natural ingredients, and ethical stance, though at significantly larger scale and global retail footprint.
• Bomb Cosmetics: UK-based bath bombs and cosmetics brand with overlapping handmade bath product range, similar gift-led positioning, and comparable multi-channel DTC and wholesale distribution in the UK.
• Molton Brown: UK heritage bath, body, and home fragrance brand with overlapping premium positioning across hand wash, bath products, candles, and gift sets, competing in the same department store and gifting channels.
• Baylis & Harding: UK mass-premium bath and body care brand with a strong gifting focus and broad UK retail distribution. Comparable on gift-hamper and bath/body product mix aimed at similar price-sensitive UK consumers.
• Neal's Yard Remedies: UK natural and organic skincare and bath brand founded on ethical, natural ingredient positioning. Comparable on palm oil free, cruelty free, and natural formulations serving conscious UK consumers.

Broad incumbents

• The Body Shop: Global personal care retailer with UK heritage and natural/ethical positioning overlapping with Yorkshire Soap Company's bath, body, and gifting range. Operates at much larger scale across global retail.
• Elemis: UK-based premium skincare and spa brand with overlapping bath/body and spa-positioned products. Operates with a broader skincare focus and a much larger international spa and retail footprint.
• The White Company: UK premium home and lifestyle brand with overlapping scented candle and reed diffuser ranges, plus comparable UK gifting positioning. Wider lifestyle category but direct competition in the home fragrance segment.
• Rituals: Dutch premium home and body cosmetics brand with comparable luxury bath, body, and home fragrance positioning. Operates a much larger international store and DTC network across Europe and beyond.
• Jo Malone London: UK luxury fragrance brand with direct overlap in the Eau De Parfum and home fragrance segments Yorkshire Soap Company serves through its Imaginarium collection. Operates as a global luxury fragrance house under Estée Lauder.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yorkshiresoap
• Facebookfacebook.com/yorkshiresoap
• Instagraminstagram.com/yorkshiresoap
• TikToktiktok.com/@yorkshiresoapco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yorkshire Soap Company