Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Kloos.
Hi Kevin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started making shaving soap back in 2015, after getting into wet shaving. I was tired of using disposable razors. Not only was it wasteful, but it was also expensive. The same thing goes with the aerosol shaving creams that so many people use, lots of trash created for a handful of shaves. My experience shaving became better personally, not to mention better for the environment.
Then in 2020, Christine and I both lost jobs in the service industry due to covid-19. We needed something to do with our time and energy, so we began making bar soaps and candles as well. Everything is made with simple and natural ingredients, and our environmental responsibility is always kept in mind.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think starting a business is ever easygoing! It can definitely be a struggle to come out on top. People largely stopped going out to local farmers and artisanal markets after the Covid-19 pandemic and those were the markets we were depending on. Of course, it has been getting better in the years since. And we have been steadily (and very slowly) growing. We also kept our day jobs, so we didn’t have to depend on the business for survival. In the end, it is a labor of love. We love making good quality soap and sharing it with others.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Pustejovsky Soap, we produce small batch soaps with simple and quality all-natural ingredients. We use essential oils, not chemical fragrances. We use natural colorants like clays and botanicals. Not only are we making soap with more natural ingredients, but the essential oils, clays, and botanicals also benefit and promote skin health in their own unique ways.. We also strive to have an accessible product, one that won’t break the bank. We think that everyone should have access to good quality soap.
We want people to take a second look at their skincare routine. So many people just grab what is in front of them on the shelf at the grocery store, but Is it efficient or is it wasteful? is it a quality product? It is important to ask these questions, and to take care of both our personal health and the environment. After all, the skin is the largest organ of the human body!
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I would say that we learned the importance of shopping locally during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Supporting small local businesses is always crucial, but even more so since the pandemic. Unfortunately, many small music venues and cafes couldn’t weather the storm, and the landscape has changed drastically since the pandemic. Unless we want all of our services to come from a handful of generic companies, we really need to support and invest in our local creators, musicians, and restaurateurs.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.PustejovskySoap.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pustejovsky_soap/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PustejovskySoap/
