Keynote Speaker - Sandy Maine owner of SunFeather Natural Soap Company

Sandy Maine kicked off the convention in an amazingly powerful way. Her many faceted presentation covered the history of soapmaking from the ancient times, through the 18th century, to present day, including the soap renaissance that happened in the 1970s with folks like Sandy and Ann Bramson. She also talked about the state of the current handcrafted soapmaking industry, and vital information about the organic and sustainability markets. She concluded her presentation with wise advice on envisioning and creating models for our businesses.

More information about Sandy Maine:
As a young child, Sandy Maine became fascinated with soapmaking while watching her grandmother make utilitarian soap at her home in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. But Sandy longed for somethng more than simple, utilitarian soaps. So in the late 1970's she combined her love for herbs, botanicals, essential oils and other products of the Earth so that her soaps would be beautiful, fragrant and healthy to use. Today, Sandy and her staff of 20 at SunFeather Natural Soap Company produce 4,000 pounds of handmade all-natural soap each week in the largest handcrafted savonnerier in the United States, located in the northern Adirondack Mountain region of New York State. Through the sale of SunFeather soaps and related gifts, Sandy tithes to more than a dozen humanitarian and environmental causes around the globe. Sandy is involved in efforts that support rural economic development and sustainable resource use. At the same time, Sandy is recognized for her leadership in advancing this growing cottage industry at-large. Throughout her career, she has helped others explore soapmaking as both hobby and business. SunFeather is a major supplier of soapmaking equipment, materials and supplies for amateur and professional soap makers. In addition, Sandy has written several award-winning books on the fundamentals of soapmaking, containing herbal recipes and other secrets of success extending to natural health and beauty care. Her latest, Clean Naturally, published by Interweave Press, includes expanded soap and herbal homekeeping recipes. Sandy’s Books

• The Soap Book: Simple Herbal Recipes
• Creating an Herbal Bodycare Business (Making a Living Naturally Series)
• Clean, Naturally: Recipes for Body, Home, and Spirit
• Soothing Soaps: For Healthy Skin
• Herbal Homekeeping