Sælusápur is a soap production that creates unique handcrafted soaps using local material such as sheep tallow, wild herbs, glacial clay and sheep milk originating from their own sheep farm.
Sælusápur is located at Kelduhverfi in north east of Iceland. Relatively isolated part of the country where there are few job opportunities as most of the people living in the area make their living of farming. The area is very extensive geographically.
Sælusápur were initially produced at the farm as a side production from materials from the area. Production methods are based upon old tradition and the basic recipe is from the owner's grandmother. The idea to start a company came when the owner participated in a start-up course, held by the Innovation Centre Iceland in rural North East Iceland in 2008 when Iceland went through a difficult economic crash. The idea got a special price at the end of the course that motivated the owner even more.
The sheep farming has been one of the main fields of industry in Iceland from the beginning of the settlement. It has had its up and downs but through the years farmers in Iceland have used almost everything that can be used off the sheep, wool, meet, bones and tallow to earn a living and create products to sell.
No machinery is used at the production and everything is done by hand. Sælusápur soaps are cold pressed soaps, contain only 5 ingredients that are preferably available locally and the sixth ingredient is a by-product of the farm, sheep tallow. Icelandic herbs are added to the soaps and are collected during summer time. Other local ingredients that are used include, sheep- and cows milk, goat tallow and clay from Jökulsá river. Sælusápur also produce lip balm and scented candles made of sheep tallow and soya wax to broaden the selection.
In 2016 the company received a reward/acknowledgement from the Regional Business Development Agency for entrepreneurship and development of a production company that increases the value of local resources.