Soap of the Land: How Handmade Bars from Palestine Are Cleansing More Than Skin
Published: July 27, 2025
When people think of soap, they don’t usually think of olive trees. Or checkpoints. Or dignity.
But maybe they should.
At Hive Homewares, soap isn’t just something to wash with. It’s a quiet revolution.
Made by hand, in small batches, from Palestinian olive oil—starting with Nablus and soon, Jerusalem—this is resistance wrapped in care.
From Nablus to Lismore: A Craft That Travels
Nablus has been making olive oil soap for over 1,000 years. It’s one of the oldest soapmaking traditions on earth, passed down through families who’ve survived colonisers, invasions, and now occupation.
Our version is handmade here in Lismore, using traditional cold-process techniques—but the soul of it comes straight from Palestine. Sourced olive oil from Palestinian farmers isn’t just a beautiful base ingredient—it’s a message:
We see you. We care. We wash the world’s lies off your name.
Next up? A Jerusalem batch. Then maybe Jenin. Hebron. Gaza. A collection of bars that hold not just place names, but stories.
You can buy the olive oil here and learn about the farmer behind it—because knowing where your ingredients come from is part of the care.
Olive Oil as Resistance
In Palestine, olive trees are sacred. Some are centuries old—family trees in the truest sense. But thousands have been uprooted by Israeli settlers and the IDF. To destroy a tree is to destroy history, livelihood, memory.
So when you buy soap made with Palestinian olive oil, you’re doing more than self-care.
You’re participating in a slow, fragrant defiance.
Why We Romanticise What the World Dehumanises
Palestinians have been painted by Western media as threats. As terrorists. As less than human.
But we know better. Palestine is also spice markets and sea breeze. Gardens and rooftop laughter. Honey, orange blossom, cinnamon, and family.
This soap is part of a bigger project: to humanise what has been deliberately distorted.
To bring beauty where lies have tried to erase it.
Soap That Stings and Soothes
Gentle on sensitive skin.
Palm-oil free. Vegan.
No nasties, no greenwashing.
Just a bar that tells the truth, hums with memory, and lathers like a dream.
Wrapped in recyclable packaging and radical intent.
Use it. Gift it. Pass it on.
This bar makes a perfect gift for anyone who believes in beauty with a backbone.
A protestor’s pamper. A teacher’s thank you. A small gesture with big meaning.
🧼 Soap of the Land – Nablus Olive Oil Edition
Handmade, vegan, and palm-oil free—infused with olive oil sourced directly from Palestine.
Or just hold it, gift it, and let the story speak through your skin.
Coming soon: Jerusalem. A whole map of stories, one bar at a time.
🐝
From Our Hive to Yours
We don’t just make soap. We make spells of solidarity.
We make reminders that the world is still full of tenderness—and the people most demonised often carry the deepest grace.
Let it lather.