Blog

Organic Connections Interview with Larry Plesent: Replacing the Yucky Stuff

November 4, 2013

The award winning online publication Organic Connections recently interviewed Larry Plesent about how he brought nontoxic soap products into the mainstream with Vermont Soap. When Vermont Soap’s founder Larry Plesent’s daughter was 4 years old, she asked him what he did for a living. He responded: Honey, your daddy replaces yucky stuff with yummy stuff for little girls and boys. And that’s exactly what he’s been doing for the past 20 years. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for Larry Plesent. His story begins in his younger years as a window washer and how his body negatively reacted with the…

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Used 1250 Gallon Tank for Sale

October 30, 2013

For Sale – 1250 gallon tank with stand and cone bottom and manhole up top. Used but not abused. Solid manufacturing equipment that will last for years. Contained only organic soap! We paid over $5,000 delivered and used it for 5 years. $2350 and it’s yours. Perfect for use as a maple sap collection tank!    

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The Science of Getting Your Hands Clean

October 23, 2013

Recently a customer asked if our Castile soap was antibacterial, which lead us to dig into the science of getting your hands clean. The results may surprise you. (Or maybe not.) Here’s the big question: which product cleans your hands better – plain soap or antibacterial soap? First of all, the labels on plain soap may not say “antibacterial”, but they eliminate germs just as well as those soaps that are antibacterial – sometimes even better than. In fact, the FDA even stated that antibacterial soaps show no evidence that they prevent infections more effectively than plain soaps. Antibacterial soaps…

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Ciranda Achieves Highest Level of Palm Sustainability

October 15, 2013

Vermont Soap’s palm oil distributor, Ciranda, has been awarded the highest level of palm sustainability certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Ciranda is the first major ingredient supplier in the US to offer 100% certified sustainable Identity Preserved Organic palm oil. This certification means that each lot of palm oil can be traced back to its field of origin in Brazil. Ciranda is an organic, fair trade, non-GMO ingredient supplier. Since the majority of these ingredients originate in developing countries, Ciranda feels they have a responsibility to the local communities they work with, and is dedicated to…

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Used Equipment for Sale

October 15, 2013

This is a Dorner 6100 flat belt conveyor, 6″ W x 10ft long. Variable speed DC motor and controller. Rebuilt with: New belts, bearings, shafts where needed. Motor brushes like new. Center drive components in good condition. Runs smooth and quiet: tested 3+ hours. Adjustable Steel legs. Stainless steel frame. 115vac. Wrong size for our filling line; Asking $2,370 which is less than half the cost of a new one.

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Reactive Body Crate Winner Announced

August 30, 2013

Thanks to all the folks who took the time to review their favorite Vermont Soap products! Congratulations to Bridgette from Kapolei, Hawaii and runner up Amanda from Hancock, Vermont! We’ll be sending Bridgette at Reactive Body Beauty Crate, and Amanda a Reactive Body Survival Kit. I use Liquid Sunshine everywhere in my home and it works beautifully. Combine it with baking soda and tea tree oil to make a perfect bathtub scrub. I’m never buying any other cleaning product – who needs to when there is a perfect all-in-one cleaner like this on the market that works and is safe for…

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Addle those Bugs!

July 23, 2013

Fifty consecutive days of rain is reaping a whirlwind of pesky insects ready to put a dent into YOUR summer fun. With black fly/mosquito/deer fly/cluster fly season upon us all at once, many people are reaching for those bug off sprays. What ARE insect repellents and how do they work? And how concerned should I be about the occasional reactions people have to commercial products? Insect repellents are a type of pesticide that must be registered with the EPA at both the State and Federal levels. Even 100% natural bug-off sprays made without artificial chemicals are considered registered pesticides by…

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Vermont Soap Summer Tour

June 27, 2013

Vermont Soap is going to be out and about this summer! This past weekend we were at the Ziontific Summer Solstice Music Festival and we had a great time! If you missed us at Zion, come on down to see Vermont Soap at SolarFest July 12-14! What is SolarFest, you may ask? Nineteen years ago, SolarFest started with an innovative and original idea: Hold a festival showcasing the power and possibilities of Solar Energy. Today, SolarFest, Inc. continues to produce the Northeast’s premier renewable energy and arts festival—a three-day, family-friendly festival that combines world-class entertainment with not-to-be-missed workshops in renewable…

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The Dirty Dozen

June 19, 2013

The Environmental Working Group studied 100,000 produce pesticide reports from the U.S.D.A and the F.D.A. to compile a list of of the dirtiest and cleanest produce on the market. The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure, but this list can help you make smart choices. The 12 dirtiest fruits and vegetables are: Apples Celery Cherry Tomatoes Cucumbers Grapes Hot Peppers Imported Nectarines Peaches Potatoes Spinach Strawberries Sweet Bell Peppers Don’t despair! Here are 15 of the cleanest: Asparagus Avocados Cabbage Cantaloupe Sweet Corn Eggplant Grapefruit Kiwi Mangos Mushrooms Onions Papayas Pineapples Sweet Peas…

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Using natural oils to kill pathogens on fruits and vegetables

June 19, 2013

N.C. State has been researching the use of natural oils to clean fruits and vegetables. …Researchers at N.C. State and the University of Tennessee are experimenting with the use of oils extracted from herbs or spices to kill dangerous pathogens such as E. coli, listeria and salmonella on organically grown tomatoes, cantaloupe and other produce. Vermont Soap is already using the cleaning power of natural, plant-based oils in our Produce Magic Fruit & Veggie Wash! It’s nice to see science exploring organic options to clean the foods we eat instead of coming up with another man-made chemical-based cleaner. Learn more…

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