Since 1840, the manufactory has been boiling, rolling and cutting solid soaps and solid care products from vegetable oils.
Klar Seifen GmbH
Plankstadt · HeidelbergNew on Amplifa
The manufactory since 1840
Klar Seifen GmbH operates a soap manufactory in Plankstadt near Heidelberg, which was founded in Heidelberg in 1840. Solid soaps, solid shampoos and conditioners as well as deodorant creams are produced in-house. The production process comprises boiling the soap mass from vegetable oils – especially olive oil from Greece and coconut oil –, rolling the mass, cutting the bars and stamping each piece. Since 2019, new production runs have been made palm-oil-free; the products are vegan and packaged in plastic-free paper. In addition to its own brand, the company undertakes contract manufacturing for partners and offers product development as well as manufactory tours. The products are distributed via the company's own online shop, a retail store in Heidelberg, the manufactory outlet in Plankstadt and more than 130 retail locations in Germany and Austria.
- Site
- Plankstadt
- Processes
- Soap boiling, Rolling the soap mass, Cutting soap bars, Stamping soaps, Production of solid shampoos and conditioners, Production of deodorant creams, Contract manufacturing for partners, Product development / formula development
- Materials
- Olive oil, Coconut oil (Sodium Cocoate), Sodium stearate (Sodium Stearate), Glycerin, Activated charcoal, Jojoba oil, Almond oil, Sea salt
- Certificates
- COSMOS, PETA
- Founded
- 1840
- Industries
- Natural cosmetics, Soap/body care, Drugstore/specialty retail, Gastronomy/hotels (bar soap)
- 01
Product development / formula development
- 02
Soap boiling
- 03
Rolling the soap mass
- 04
Cutting the bars
- 05
Stamping
- 06
Packaging
- 07
Shipping / distribution
Formulas & Raw Materials
Olive Oil (Sodium Olivate)
Key raw material from Greece for the soaps produced palm-oil-free since 2019.
Coconut Oil (Sodium Cocoate)
Vegetable fat raw material in all soap formulas.
Sodium Stearate
Firmness-giving component of the soap mass.
Glycerin
Nourishing component that provides moisture.
Activated Charcoal
Adsorbing active ingredient in the activated charcoal soap for oily, blemished skin.
China Clay / Healing Earth
Mineral additives in cleansing and care soaps for sensitive skin.
Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter)
Rich nourishing ingredient for dry and cracked skin.
Jojoba Oil and Almond Oil
Nourishing oils in the activated charcoal soap.
Locations
Plankstadt
DEManufactory/production, manufactory outlet, company headquarters
- Materials
- Vegetable oils (olive oil, coconut oil)
- Soap roller
- Cutting machine (soap bars)
- Stamping machine
- Photovoltaic system (2020)
Heidelberg
DERetail store (Hauptstraße 112)
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soap boilingPlastics | – | – | – | – | Vegetable oils (olive oil, coconut oil), Sodium oleate, Sodium stearate, Glycerin |
| Rolling the soap massPlastics | – | – | – | – | Soap mass |
| Cutting soap barsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Soap mass |
| Stamping soapsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Soap mass |
| Production of solid shampoos and conditionersPlastics | – | – | – | – | vegetable oils, Active ingredients (e.g. tea tree oil, lavender, |
| Production of deodorant creamsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Cream base |
| Contract manufacturing for partnersPlastics | – | – | – | – | Soap mass |
| Product development / formula developmentEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
4 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soap roller | – | – | – | – | Plankstadt |
| Cutting machine (soap bars) | – | – | – | – | Plankstadt |
| Stamping machine (soap stamping) | – | – | – | – | Plankstadt |
| Photovoltaic system | – | 1 | – | 2020 | Plankstadt |
Additional services
Certification & Testing
Every soap and every solid shampoo is rolled, cut and tested in-house. Selected products are PETA and COSMOS certified; the solid anti-dandruff shampoo is dermatologically tested.
| Evidence | Plankstadt |
|---|---|
| COSMOS | |
| PETA |
Chronicle
- 1840
After his journeyman years as a soap boiler (including St. Petersburg), Philipp Klar opens his own soap-boiling business with a shop in Heidelberg
- um 1900
Theobald Klar takes over the business, industrialization, formula development; after the Second World War, leadership by Hans, Klaus and Theobald Klar
- 1970
Theo and Klaus take over; new machines, new sales channels, growing contract manufacturing
- ab 2010
Jan Heipcke takes over the manufactory and places stronger focus on the company's own brand
- 2019
Start of the transition to palm-oil-free formulas; new productions without palm oil (among others, olive oil from Greece)
- 2020
Giving away around 200,000 bar soaps at the beginning of the Corona pandemic; move to the new manufactory in Plankstadt with a photovoltaic system
- 2026
Construction of a new warehouse next to the manufactory in Plankstadt