Samos Olive Oil Soap

Samos olive oil soap is identified mainly as Traditional Green Olive Oil Soap or simply Samos Olive Soap. Synonymous variants of the name include “laundry soap” or “soft soap,” due to its use in washing clothes. However, in the island’s market there are also more refined versions for personal hygiene, enriched with herbs or essential oils from the nature of Samos.

The uniqueness of the product lies in the traditional production method, which in certain local units is reported to have been applied for more than 200 years, and in the use of local Samos olive oil. Key specifications of Samos soap, documented by local producers, are its manufacture from 100% plant-based ingredients (saponified oils, water, sea salt/lye) and the absence of chemical or animal additives.

The geographical production area of the traditional soap coincides with the island of Samos and, more specifically, with the regions where olive cultivation is intensive and where olive mills formerly operated or still operate today. Samos, an island with a significant mountainous mass, has small but high-quality olive oil productions, mainly on the northern side and in mountainous/semi-mountainous terrains. The geographical and climatic conditions, with abundant sunshine and soil-climate suitability for olive cultivation (particularly the local Throumpa Samos variety), are the cornerstone for producing the main raw material.

The production of traditional olive oil soap in Samos follows the hot saponification method (boiling), an age‑old technique that was passed down from generation to generation and is preserved by the remaining traditional units.

1. Raw Material: The main ingredient is Samos olive oil, usually old or high‑acidity oil, or even residues from oil processing. The local olive oil comes mainly from the varieties Throuba Samos (local variety, PGI product) and Koroneiki.
2. Boiling Process (Saponification): The olive oil is boiled in large tanks or cauldrons, traditionally using wood, at a high temperature (usually above 100°C). Lye is added to the oil, that is, an aqueous solution with a high content of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide – NaOH), although traditionally ash (especially from olive wood or scrub) dissolved in water was used, which contains potassium/sodium carbonate. This alkaline substance reacts with the fatty acids of the olive oil (triglycerides) in the saponification process.
3. Salting (Separation): After boiling, sea salt or a strong saline solution is added, a process known as salting. This results in the separation of the soap (which floats as a viscous mass) from the liquid serum, known as glycerin water, which contains glycerin (a by‑product of saponification), salt and excess alkaline solution. The glycerin, a natural moisturizer, traditionally remained partly in the soap, whereas in industrial methods it is often removed.
4. Congealing and Cutting: The viscous soap mass is transferred into large wooden or metal molds, where it is left to cool and set for several days. After congealing, the soap is cut into slabs or cubes, often by hand in small units, and left to mature and dry in a well‑ventilated space for a long period (several weeks to months), so as to reduce its water content and complete saponification. This traditional practice contributes to the hardness and shelf life of the final product.

Traditional Tools: Large bronze or iron cauldrons (sometimes built‑in), wooden ladles for stirring, wooden troughs or wooden boards for molds, and large, long knives with wooden handles for manual cutting were used. Stamping was done with wooden stamps.

Its value lies in its natural composition, based on the components of olive oil, and it is well indicated for dermatological use.

• Main Ingredients (Saponified):
  • Olive Oil Fatty Acids: After saponification, the triglycerides of olive oil are converted into fatty acid salts (soap). Olive oil is rich in oleic acid (monounsaturated), which produces soaps with emollient, moisturizing and mild cleansing properties, making it suitable for sensitive skin.
  • Natural Glycerin: Produced during saponification (as a by-product) and, in the traditional method, partly retained in the soap. Glycerin is strongly hygroscopic (binds moisture) and acts as an excellent moisturizer for the skin.
• Bioactive Compounds:
  • Unsaponifiable Fraction: Olive oil soap retains a small unsaponifiable fraction, which contains natural olive oil compounds that do not react with lye.
  • Polyphenols & Antioxidants: These include tocopherols (vitamin E) and other antioxidant substances, which help protect the skin from oxidation and have anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Vitamins: It contains traces of fat-soluble vitamins, particularly vitamin E and provitamin A.

Its purity, gentle action and biodegradability are the main factors of its high value.

The production of olive oil soap in Samos has a significant economic, environmental and social impact, even though its industrial scale is small compared to wine or oil.

1. Economic Utilization: It is a classic case of circular economy and added value. It ensures the exploitation of by-products and residues from olive pressing or of non-marketable olive oil (due to high acidity), turning a potentially wasted or polluting raw material into a useful and marketable product.
2. Preservation of Tradition & Branded Product: The existence of local soap factories, some of which have been operating since the early 20th century (e.g., references to factories from 1923), keeps a traditional craft alive and contributes to shaping a local identity for the product.

Environmental Awareness: Traditional green soap is 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly, in contrast to modern cleaners with chemical additives. Its use in household applications (such as washing clothes and cleaning) promotes a more sustainable way of life on the island.

The history of soap-making in Samos is part of the broader history of the island’s olive cultivation, which stretches back into the depths of time. While Samos is known primarily for its wine (muscat), the olive and olive oil have always been vital for survival.

Traditional soap-making on the island developed at the household level to meet the needs of each family, especially after the olive harvest. Turning old or acidic oil into soap was a common practice. Artisan production began to develop in an organized way during the 19th and 20th centuries, in parallel with the increase in olive oil production. Although Samos was a center of industrial development (tanneries, tobacco factories), soap-making remained mainly on a smaller, artisanal scale, in contrast to other islands such as Lesvos, which developed large-scale industry. Some local units cite the early 20th century as their founding date (e.g., 1923), a fact that attests to the enduring nature of the craft. The olive mills of Samos were the natural hubs around which this activity developed.

The use of Samian olive oil soap has been linked with various customs and traditions of daily life on the island:

1. Soap-Making Day: In earlier times, soap production was a collective or family process that took place mainly after the end of the olive season (late winter/spring), when surplus or lower-quality oil was available. This “day” was considered a women’s ritual during which the women of the household or the neighborhood cooperated in the boiling, stirring and cutting.
2. Purity and Innocence: Pure green soap was traditionally used for the first washing of newborns’ clothes (baby garments) due to its mild and hypoallergenic composition. It symbolized purity and the absence of chemicals.
3. Therapeutic Use: Because of its emollient and antiseptic properties (from the olive oil), it was used in traditional remedies for skin conditions, insect bites, and as a shampoo to combat dandruff and strengthen the hair.