Suffolk mum launches soap making business after being made redundant due to the coronavirus

Beautiful soap from the Framlingham Soap Co, founded by Emma Easter. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

Emma Easter from Badingham, had been working in the motor trade when the coronavirus hit, turning her world upside down.

“I worked in the motor trade all my life,” she said.

“Then Covid hit.”

Mrs Easter initially worked at home before being furloughed and eventually made redundant.

Some of the soap made by Emma Easter Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“It was a bit of a shock and I didn’t expect it,” she said.

Mrs Easter was unsure what she should do, but at the suggestion of her husband, decided that she might try soap-making.

“I thought I need to do something for myself,” said Mrs Easter.

“But something that could also work around my family.

Emma Easter started her own business Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“Something that even if it was hard for a couple of years it would help us going forward.”

It was at this point that Mrs Easter’s new business Framlingham Soap Company was born.

She had to go back to basics to learn everything about soaps.

“I did loads of research,” said Mrs Easter.

Emma Easter has started a new business making soap after being made redundant from the motor trade. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“I joined a very extensive Facebook group.”

With more information under her belt it was time for Mrs Easter to start designing and making her soaps.

In order to sell soaps in the UK you have to go through a stringent process which assesses your product to make sure it can be sold legally.

This meant it took Mrs Easter a while to jump through all the legal aspects of her new product.

From being made redundant in June, she had a brand new business launched by the start of October.

So far the business is doing well with Mrs Easter already having found a local stockist.

“We are getting fairly regular orders,” said Mrs Easter.

“On the first week I had a shop in Framlingham get in touch.”

A hamper making company is also using her soaps in its products.

The speed at which the new business has come together has come as a surprise even to Mrs Easter.

“If someone had said this would have happened a year ago, I would have said they were crazy,” she said.

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