In keeping with our beliefs of stepping lightly on the earth, we use minimal packaging and use post-consumer recycled materials when we do use packaging. We recently took another step in that direction and purchased carbon credits to offset our use of fossil fuels while doing business.
Julia Gold
Random Facts About You?We are proud beekeepers.
We recently purchased 6 acres in Morganton, NC with plans to start an organic farm.
We have four dogs and hope to take in more.
We are avid readers and huge fans of bookmooch.com.
What got you started crafting?
The original source of Belle Terre was difficulty with my skin. I'm very sensitive and have never been able to use regular soap and lotion. I was left with two options: 1 - chemical laden mess or 2 - very, very expensive natural soap & lotion. So, we began playing with alternatives and learned to make things ourselves where we could control both the process and the ingredients.
Since then, we have purchased land and we are working to transition from our traditional home in a small town neighborhood to a truly sustainable lifestyle in which we eat only what we grow, use only the energy we collect, and share our home with the dogs, bees and other animals that will join us. It is our hope that our little soap company will aid us in that transition.
What is your source of inspiration?
Nature. We love our garden...taking care of it, walking through it, communing with our bees. We are amazed by the beauty around us and want to translate that into beautiful products that are good for us.
What have you made recently?
We are current perfecting a recipe for charcoal soap. Charcoal is known for it's absorption and antibacterial properties. It has been used medicinally for ages.
We wanted to incorporate activated charcoal into a facial bar/shave bar. We've been using our most recent batch for several weeks now and are impressed with the results. We are in process of sending it along to our lovely volunteer testers and if the results are good, it will be available on our sites shortly.
And, of course, aside from all the benefits, it just makes a beautiful bar of soap. :)
Where do you sell your crafts presently?
We are currently selling through our online store, on etsy, and in several small stores in Hickory, Charlotte, Boone, and Chapel Hill.
Why are handmade crafts important to you?
As mentioned before, controlling the process and the ingredients is of utmost importance to us. We want to know exactly what goes into each item we make and ensure that our products contain only high quality, natural ingredients.
Find Me
LocationNorth Carolina
Email Address
Julia Gold
Personal Website
http://www.belleterrenc.com
Store Website
http://belleterre.etsy.com
CRAFT10
@belleterre
http://www.facebook.com/belleterrenc
