ROMANCE OF SOAP

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1934, Page 11

ROMANCE OF SOAP

HOW THE WORLD WASHES

AMERICANS THE LEADERS

A TEST OF CULTURE?

Soap has honourable mention, in. tlie earliest records of mankind. But tho "soap" of tho Old Testament was probably nothing moro than a mixture of various ashes; aud the hard and soft detergents used by the Germans, as recorded by Pliny, were far removed from tho fragrancy of modem soaps, says "The Economist." In fact, modern soap manufacture can bo dated from tho thirteenth ccntuvy, when olive oil was iirst used as tho fatty element.

At the beginning of" tho nineteenth century, advances in the knowledge of oils and fats led to the utilisation of all kinds of oils, however derived, in the production of soap; and cheapness of manufacture combined with . tho exigencies of a now social order during that'century altered the plentiful use of soap from a luxury into n■"conventional necessity.

Actually tho soap industry in most eountiics is ono of the few to show any appreciable progress in the world economic depression, adds tho writer in tho "Economist." The increased demand has boon chiefly due to increased population in various parts of the world, but partly also to lower prices. The cheapening of soap is due to the substantial declino in the price of tallow, whale oil, and other fats which are used in tho manufacture of soap.

As will be seen from the figures given below, the consumption of soap per head in various countries remains fairly stable, while showing very remarkablo differences between the various countries. It has sometimes been said that tho use of soap is one of the most Valid measures of n, country's level in culture. But, looking at the tablo below, invidious comparisons could bo made.

SOAP AND CULTURE. Possibly in some o£ the countries where this figure, is lamentably low other substances than soap may bo used. Again, soap consumption alono may not bo a sure guide, since it will bo noted that tho consumption per head in this country is much below that of tho U.S.A. Yet who shall say we are correspondingly lower in the scale of culture? Further, our soap may be much better, more efficient, and more economical, so that one pound does as much work in the great cause of cleanliness and hygiene as two pounds of American soap!

It is an interesting and important fact that in the U.S.A. vigorous campaigns have been carried on for years by the soap manufacturers for the purpose of educating the public in health and hygiene, and in the- supreme role that soap plays in this connection. It is evident that propaganda of this . nature, once it is brought home to a great nation as jealous of its health as tho American, must prove extremely effective in increasing demand for soap. Some of tho more successful of our English manufacturers havo also used tho gospel of health very effectively in their advertising during the last two or thveo years. Thero remains much scope for missionary work of this kind in many parts of the world; and, if the low per capita consumption in China, ' for example, could be doubled, it would i mean an increase in the world demand of several hundred thousand tons. SOAP CONSUMPTION. j The following is the national soap j consumption (per head per annum in kilos).—U.S.A., 11.5; Netherlands, 11.1; Denmark, 10.0; Great Britain, 9.0; Australia, 8.7; France, 8.0; Belgium, 7.0; Switzerland, 7.0; Canada, G.S; Sweden, 6.G; Germany, 6.3; Norway, 5.4; Italy, 4.1; Spain, 4.0; Hungary, 2.7; Bussia, 2.5; Poland. 2.0 or less; Yugoslavia, 2.0 or less; Rumania, 2.0 or less; Bulgaria, 2.0 or less. It has already been suggested that, in somo countries, other substances than soap are used. This is definitely tho case in Germany and one or two others, where either soap substitutes of various kinds are used or certain chemicals are added to soap for reasons of economy. In regard both to production and to consumption, it is evident that only in a few of tho leading countries of tho world is it possible to obtain fairly reliable statistics, and in most cases only very rough approximations are available. It is necessary to bear this in mind. Total world production of soap in 1932 was estimated at 4,700,000 tons. Of this, 2,500,000 tons was made in Europe, 1,500,000 tons in the U.S.A., 300,000 tons in Asia and Africa jointly, and 70,000 tons in Australia and New Zealand. Two-thirds of the total is made in tho five chief producing countries—U.S.A., Germany, Great Britain, France, and Russia. The largest iucreaso in output is recorded by Bussia, where the pre-war production has been increased three-fold. HARD AND SOFT. Hard soap is by far the most important type made by tho leading producers, but in other respects there is wide, variety in the proportions of the different kinds mad© in different countries. For instance, soft soap forms 1 per cent, of the total output in Canada, 2 per cent, in Great Britain and the U.S.A., and 4 per cent, in France, while in Germany it constitutes no less than 20 per cent, of the total; in Holland and tho northern countries of Europo 50 per cent, to 70 per cent. .Soap powder and flakes have largely taken the place of .soft soap in the U.S.A. and Great Britain, where they make up 24 per cent, and 21 per cent, respectively of the total; in Holland, 23 per cent. ■ In Germany and France the hardsoap class includes soap flakes and powders, and in the Russian figures soft soap is also included. In certain countries, especially in Eastern Europe, soap-making is still a domestic occupation, and large quantities of .hbuio-mado soap, or soap made in small workshops employing only one or two workers, are still used. These very small one-man "factories" arc also common in Germany. Statistics for these arc obviously unavailable, so that it is quite probable that the per cnpitii figures of soap consumption already given must be considerably increased if account bo takon of home-made products.

In any case, the output of soap in the world shows no sign o£ declining; and, in view of the important market which soap manufacture offers to oils and fats producers of many kinds in many lands, the ■maintenance of the premium on cleanliness can definitely be counted an economic, bone/it.