Aleppo soap making
Manufacturing preparations
1- Choice of our noble raw materials
The master soap maker of our soap factory in Tunisia (managed by the company Bnature), contacts the different olive oil producers in the region. He chooses, according to specifications respecting the COSMOS standard, the one which is of excellent quality. Our olive oil from authentic “ALEPEO” soap is extracted mechanically (second pressure) without adding solvents which are very harmful.
2- Period of repair of equipment and personnel for the manufacture of Aleppo soap
Alepeo Aleppo soap is made only once a year (after the olive harvest period in December or January). Resumption of manufacturing requires preparation of manufacturing equipment: Cleaning the cauldron, cleaning the soap pouring location, cutting equipment and stamping seals.
Hiring qualified and specialized personnel in the manufacture of Aleppo soap (often we involve personnel from abroad).
3- Period of manufacturing of Aleppo soap “ALEPEO”
our manufacturing method is traditional and ancestral, based on the hot saponification method (this is an excellent method which gives us homogeneous, smooth soaps without excess soda).
This period (depending on the quantity to be manufactured) extends over 2 or 3 months. During this period the following steps are followed for each batch manufactured (a batch from our soap factory: transformation of 3000 kg of olive oil into Aleppo soap):
SAPONIFICATION:
1- Preparation of oil and soda
The master soap maker pours a preparation of sodium hydroxide (with a balsam of 18) into the cooking cauldron. He then pours in the olive oil, mixing gently. He leaves this preparation for a full day.
2- Saponification and washing
This step consists of saponifying the olive oil under the effect of heat (we only heat the preparation of sodium hydroxide which will help the saponification of oils). At the end of this step, we add the laurel oil in order to saponify the whole mixture (olive and laurel oils). After complete saponification, the master soap maker proceeds with washing.
3- Washing and liquidation
Washing the saponified paste is done gradually in several washes. When the soap paste becomes ready (smooth, homogeneous and without excess sodium hydroxide. The master soap maker tries to taste the saponified paste by spreading a drop on his hand), the master soap maker stops the cooking and leaves it to rest for at least 20 hours .
4- The casting of Aleppo soap
The next day, the soap paste is poured in spaces specially organized to receive the soap paste.
After a day of pouring the soap dough, we proceed to cut it with a rake-shaped knife.
At the end of cutting the soap, we proceed to stamping it with the seal in the name of the manufacturer. in our case it is the manufacturer's name "BASMAJI" is marked in Arabic.
Stacking and Drying
With great care, the soap thus cut and stamped is removed from the floor and then stacked on pallets, leaving cells between the soaps in order to allow air to circulate (which helps the soap dry).
The soap is left as is, for at least 9 months to dry in the open air.
After a minimum of 9 months of drying, the soaps are cleaned and leveled.