Welcome To The Guild of Craft Soap & Toiletry Makers
The Guild of
Craft Soap & Toiletry Makers was formed by a group of
dedicated crafters in September 2007. The Guild officially launched on Friday 14th Sept 2007.
The Guild has two very
specific aims:
(1) to raise awareness of the legislative standards that are
in place that apply to craft soap and toiletry makers
(2) To register as members of the Guild crafters who work in
compliance with this legislation and who hold relevant
public liability insurance
It is not generally known that in order to legally sell a
crafted soap or toiletry product to the public that it must
meet legislative guidelines. The reason for this is public
safety.
About The Legislation
The legislation sets standards. It ensures that every ingredient in
handcrafted soap & toiletry products is safe to use on the human
body. Some ingredients are banned
because they've been found by scientific testing to be potentially
harmful. Other products are banned or restricted because they are
potential allergens. The aim of the legislation is to protect the
general public and the craft soap & toiletry maker.
Who can join the Guild?
The Guild is free to join and is open to:
Any craft soap & toiletry maker within the European Union area who can demonstrate that they are in compliance with the legislation by producing written evidence from a qualified person that their formulations have been assessed and passed as satisfactory, and who hold product insurance where applicable.
We made the decision to accept applications from non UK based crafters in February 2010.
The Guild does not set standards, our aim is to raise awareness of those that already exist.
What do I gain by joining the Guild?
You
are making yourself known as a craft soap & toiletry maker who cares
enough to comply with the relevant legislation. You can let your
customers know this by stating that you're a member of the Guild on
your promotional literature.
You can also tell other people about
the Guild and encourage them to join. This will isolate and identify
those craft soap & toiletry makers who aren't in compliance.
Additional information about the Guild
The Guild exists to raise awareness of existing standards. The Guild does not set standards, these have already been put in place by Government. Neither does the Guild involve itself in approving suppliers of raw materials and products. As raw materials used in craft products must be safety tested and certified before the end product can be legally sold, standards in the area of supply are maintained by those who test the products. Testing is carried out by chemists who have undergone specialist training. Contact details for the Society of Cosmetic Scientists are included on our FAQ page
Honorary members
This section of the site is dedicated to people who have greatly influenced or contributed to the development of the craft soap & toiletry industry. People listed on this page may or may not be active crafters (retail) but their contributions deserve recognition - click here
The Guild Logo is only to be used by our members. Any other use is only with our written permission!