a little bit about macondo...
My name is Clara, founder of Macondo, and I want to tell you how it all started. Macondo was born from a belief. A belief in our own power to generate a positive change through our own actions. I believe we can all make a difference, no matter how small we think our actions are, or how little potential we believe they have to mean something in the bigger picture. But I know we can decide one day to make a small change in our lives and more often than not, that decision will mark the start of a path of individual growth towards a more compassionate and responsible way of living. Macondo is part of my own path. I started making my own soap a few years ago while searching for alternatives to reduce my personal waste in a world that simply cannot take anymore. This endeavour eventually grew into a business as I realised there was a need for more sustainable products in the local area and a growing demand for it.
Why soap? two reasons: the bath and body industry is a great polluter, and well, soap is fun. It's good for us and for the planet. Real soap - using traditional methods and ingredients- is one of those things that people have been making for thousands of years, it's kind of a magical thing. If you think about it for a second, soap is nothing more than lots of fats and oils that when mixed with an alkali they become the actual thing that will break down and clean fats, oils, and dirt. Isn't it mad? Now, when I started viewing soap-making as an outlet for creativity through the use of essential oils, colours and pigments, botanicals, clays, and so on, I realised the sky was the limit...
Each one of Macondo soaps has a story behind it, a source of inspiration - a person we love, a special place, an ecosystem, a dream - and a purpose. As part of Macondo's commitment, we strive to reduce the use of unnecessary plastic, from the packaging of our source ingredients to our own soap-making process, packaging, and posting. In Macondo, we believe in creating something that will stand out for its quality using only natural ingredients. We avoid using synthetic colours and fragrances in our soaps, making it a little bit more challenging but equally rewarding and fun.
In Macondo, we believe in the value of making, learning new skills, going back to basics and finding beauty in the process. We are constantly developing new ideas, designs, and ways to contribute to causes we believe in like conservation of species and important places. Watch this space for the launch of such products and projects!
Finally.. why did I call it Macondo? Well, Macondo is part of who I am. For those who are not familiar, it is a literary reference to my all-time favourite book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, written by Gabriel García Márquez. Have you read it? I've lost count of how many times I have. Macondo is an imaginary place, an idea of a raw and magical place that does not exist in the real world, but still exists in thousands of places and in infinite ways. It exists in every Latin American heart. Macondo is our history and our reality. I was born in Colombia and carry Macondo in me everywhere I go.
For the moment it's just me behind this adventure, although I couldn't have undertaken this project without the invaluable help and support from Peter, friends, and family.
I hope you enjoy the soap! x