Almgren's washing soap

Almgrens laundry soap is Sidenväveriet's own product, specially designed for effective and gentle washing of silk. Our laundry soap also provides excellent results for water washing of other natural materials such as wool, linen, cotton, leather, and suede. Natural materials retain their softness and shine thanks to Almgrens laundry soap's cleaning and re-fattening properties. Conventional detergents strip away all the fats, causing natural materials to dry out and lose their original qualities of providing warmth, coolness, and being stain-resistant. Almgrens laundry soap is also very gentle on the skin and suitable for baby care. However, the soap is tough on tough stains!

The soap is manufactured in Sweden, and no preservatives or perfumes are added. The palm oil used is from Columbia and RSPO-certified.

Care instructions for silk and other materials

In general, we wash our clothes too often. Clothes last longer if we air them out and remove stains instead. When washing is needed, use Almgrens laundry soap!

When handwashing, add the soap to the water by "soaping in" the fabric under the water surface. Water should not exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Note that silk may shrink slightly after the first wash.

For machine washing, grate the soap into fine flakes and place them in the detergent compartment. Use about 1 tablespoon for a full load. You can also place the soap in its entirety in a special laundry bag, which will release a suitable amount of soap when water passes through the detergent compartment. Select wool/silk program. Never tumble dry!

When cleaning suede shoes, leather sofas, or woolen rugs, use a washing sponge. Lather the sponge with soap and work the surface. Wipe off excess lather with a cloth.

For stain removal, moisten the surface with water and then massage in the soap. Finish by rinsing. It's recommended to wash the entire garment to avoid leaving a ring around the stain. For fruit and berry stains, pre-treat with boiling water.

Knut August Almgren (1806–1884) founded a silk weaving mill in 1833 on Södermalm in Stockholm, producing scarves, ribbons, furniture, and dress fabrics. Equipped with the latest technology, jacquard looms, a French invention Almgren brought back from his study trip, were used. In jacquard looms, the patterns of the silk fabrics are programmed with punch cards, an early form of computer! Thanks to this invention, weaving patterned silk fabrics became much faster than before.

Almgrens thrived, and the company expanded. In 1862, the factory building on Repslagargatan was erected, and to this day, we continue to weave silk fabrics and ribbons on the original jacquard looms.

In the 1870s, over 280 people worked in the company, and the majority were women employed as weavers, winders, warpers, spoolers, seamstresses, and fringers. The most produced items were silk scarves, which were in high demand during the latter half of the 1800s.

In 2020, Almgrens silk weaving mill and its surrounding courtyard were declared a historic monument.

You are warmly welcome to visit Scandinavia's oldest active industrial environment!

Many Almgrens soap users reach out to share their experiences beyond silk laundry. They've used the soap for washing down jackets, pillows, as a shaving soap, removing motor oil stains on car upholstery, washing yarn skeins, linen cloths, and as an all-purpose soap during hiking. Here are some tips we've received:

TEXTILES: Test colorfastness before first water wash of silk. Rub a damp cloth against an invisible spot, like the inside or hem. If the cloth stains, it might be excess dye that will wash out. For solid-colored garments, water washing is fine, but add a few drops of vinegar in each water bath. Vinegar also reduces static electricity and enhances color. For multicolored fabrics, airing is recommended instead. - Kerstin Wölling

CARPETS: I had my light carpet from China cleaned, but it came back unsatisfactory with old stains, including red wine. I decided to try Almgrens soap with a wet towel, rubbed it into the stains, and most of them vanished like magic. Just a light wipe was needed to remove the soap lather. I went on to clean the whole carpet like a professional cleaner. The result was a soft and shiny carpet. - Monica Wästerlund

PERSONAL SKIN: Having suffered from psoriasis for years, especially in my palms, I decided to try the soap after a visit to Almgrens silk weaving mill. After a few weeks, the scales disappeared, and my skin improved significantly. Although the disease isn't cured, the symptoms are much milder. Now I wash my entire body with the soap and feel better. - Anonymous

DOGS: My Jack Russell, Bobby, is a demanding little fellow, just like myself. He gets dirty during our long walks, and bathing becomes a necessity. Since animals are more sensitive to dehydration, I decided to try Almgrens soap, known for being gentle on sensitive human skin. I put Bobby in the bathtub and lathered him up with the soap. I noticed he enjoyed the treatment. I rinsed lightly and dried with a towel. A noticeably content little gentleman then comfortably settled in the spring sun to dry. His coat became shiny and beautiful, and there was no itching as before. - Lennart Pettersson

LEATHER & SUEDE: My son loves his leather pants and wears them all the time, like a typical teenager. Eventually, washing became a must. I filled the bathtub with lukewarm water and put both the jacket and pants in it. I vigorously rubbed them with Almgrens soap, let them soak in the soapy water for a while, and rinsed with cold water but very little, as the re-fattening properties of the soap remain in the material. I laid the clothes flat to dry. The next day, after they had dried, they looked like new! - Christina Sundberg

WOOL SWEATERS: Sheep's wool fibers are naturally oily, making wool sweaters delightful when new. Unfortunately, most detergents are harsh on wool and deplete the fibers. Low pH values hardly help. I soaked my favorite sweater in lukewarm water as usual, but this time I worked it with Almgrens soap. I let it sit for a while and rinsed gently. I squeezed out excess water and let it dry on a towel. When it was dry, it was actually softer than when new, and it no longer itches. - Oscar Almgren

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