I’ve never been big on product recommendations, not because I don’t like some products a lot but because I know I’m no expert on organic baby food or toilet paper. I tend more towards broad principles, because they’re easier to remember. Choose small things. Choose light things (concentrated products without much water, for example). But when I find myself going back to the same small northern California company to stock up on soap, for what must be 10 years now, it does seem time to recommend them. Especially since they are, in every way they can think of, a green company. They are called Simmons Naturals, and here’s what they say about their soaps:

Using the finest Handcrafted Soaps made from natural ingredients, Simmons soaps are handcrafted with care using the traditional cold process method. Carefully cured to perfection, then individually wrapped by hand in beautiful, ecological, handmade Thai papers and labeled with recycled paper, printed with soy-based inks.

We start with the finest natural oils of olive, palm, and coconut for our basic recipe. Organically grown herbs, grains, and pure botanical essences are added to make each variety unique. And we monitor each batch to ensure what we make and sell is the best.

I know that if I run out of their aloe vera with kelp soap (“The best of land and sea. Citrus scented complexion bar with skin softening kelp. Moisturizing.”), I find myself longing for it!