Sweetgrass Soaps is located in Coquitlam, B.C. on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem First Nation).
Sweetgrass Soap uses natural and organic ingredients. All products are vegan and contain no sulphates (a harsh additive that increases foam and irritates the skin and eyes and clogs pores) or parabens (ingredients used to prolong shelf life but also penetrate the skin and remain in the skin tissue causing skin problems). All ingredients are carefully researched and tested to ensure your skin stays perfect.
Owner and Founder, Francesca was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of the urban Indigenous community, then moved to the coast where she began her business. You can see reflections of her Indigenous roots across her products and traditions of her ancestors who were of the Ojibwe Nation on Lac Seul. Her Sweetgrass Smudge Spray carries the benefits of traditional smudging without the smoke, which works to maintain personal wellness by cleansing and purifying the soul.
Question: How are you supporting other local businesses?
Answer: Sweetgrass Soaps is 100% Canadian. I hired a local Business Consultant based out of Mission to help me grow and expand the Sweetgrass Soap brand. I purchase all supplies and packaging from local providers in Surrey and Langley (Voyageur Soap Supplies and Richards Packaging) and provide Sweetgrass Soap products for an Indigenous Holiday Gift Box created by WeAreTurtleIsland.com. We sell wholesale to a few other Indigenous-owned stores, including Reflections Books in Coquitlam, Sto:lo Gift Shop in Chilliwack, Cafe Guido in Port Hardy, and Cedar Root Gallery in Vancouver. We also sell products to the First Nations Health Authority.
Question: What social and environmental practices are you proud of?
Answer: My goal is to hire local Indigenous people and teach soap making and how to utilize ingredients from the earth. We do our best to keep our packaging as little as possible and only do the basics. Instead, we do naked bars with a paper label printed at home, or we do recyclable plastic jars. We hope to move away from packaging plastic altogether and are looking into a different alternative.
Sweetgrass Soaps was recently mentioned in Fashion Magazine’s Winter 2022 issue and BC Business Magazines Spring 2022 issue, and an article done by BC Business Magazine on reducing waste and utilizing flawed products to minimize waste, as seen here.
Francesca handpicks the sweetgrass she uses in her products by nearby marshes – it doesn’t get more local than that!
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Woman Owned, Indigenous Owned