EP3: The Art of Time and Tradition with Droyt Soap

If you’ve been around my writing and content for a while you’ll know I have a love for the slower, fuller life. Rituals and objects that remind us of a simpler time and prompt us to pause or simply slow things down.I write with a pencil on paper, I drink loose leaf tea, I prefer candles to electric light, and I much prefer a bar of soap to plastic bottles. There’s certainly an aesthetic consideration to my choices, but there are wider environmental and character elements, too. Bars of soap are from an era when society was politer; less wasteful, and when artisan craft had greater respect. Whenever I wash my hands, it’s not simply an act of cleansing but in that moment is wrapped up a whole load of consideration as to how and why we live how we do and the choices we make.This episode I had the pleasure of talking with the Managing Director of artisan soap company Droyt, whose story is nothing short of remarkable.I’ve been a fan of their soap for a while now; it’s not only of excellent quality but still made using traditional methods, by hand, and on some of the original machinery dating back to the late 19th Century.We explore the beauty of patience, craftsmanship, and continuity; how a soap factory in Lancashire has resisted the rush of modernity and thrived by holding onto the past, while still looking ahead; the remarkable history of Droyt and how a Jewish family business that started in Russia in the 1800s came to set up in Lancashire in England in the 1930s.Please do subscribe to the podcast and take a moment to review to help others discover it. If you don’t already receive my free email with 3 thoughts, 1 quote, 1 question, and some content for the curious, head to thatjezrose.com/journey to sign up.Written and produced by Jez Rose. Editing by Josh Gasparro.www.thatjezrose.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jezrose.substack.com/subscribe