Tuff Betty: About the Company
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...Are You Dirty?Almond poppy seed. Oranges and cream. Peppermint pear. Apple brown betty. If these names make you think you’ve just gone home to Grandma’s kitchen, well. . . you’re close. These are just four of the "flavors" offered by the Portland area soap company, TuffBetty. Founded in 2001 and operated by sisters Andrea Hoban and Susan Hamann, TuffBetty Soap is steadily becoming a sudsy favorite of locals and businesses alike.
"As a pre-schooler, Andrea came to our parents and announced that her name was ‘TuffBetty’ from then on," says Hamann, of Milwaukie. "No one, including Andrea, can remember where she came up with that. But, the name stuck!"
For, while the soap is still made by hand in small custom batches, Hamann and Hoban have found themselves supplying not only small, individual orders, but orders for wedding favors, West and East Coast boutiques, and even a Florida resort hotel. In fact, according to Hoban, the biggest challenge the company faces is ". . . growing pains. We are so fortunate to have created a loyal following in both retail and wholesale business. Word of mouth continues to spread, and now we find ourselves a bit overwhelmed - it's a good problem to have - and we are still having a ball." But back to those flavors. The sisters’ decision to maintain an all-vegetarian credo has done nothing to impede the savoriness of their selection. They do work with some more traditional scents, like lavender, and customers are invited to create their own scents from a wide selection of essential oils. Nor is soap their only product: included on the website are bath salts, massage oils, and lip balm. However, the tastier soaps are the heart of the product line. Because items range from the cinnamon-espresso Foot Bar to a fruity Orange and Cream Bar, we have to believe Hamann when she says, "Foods tend to inspire my soap recipes. . . I try to think of foods that I enjoy and try to re-create the experience in a bar of soap." As Hoban puts it, "It’s cooking without the calories!" As for their future, the sisters are getting closer and closer to their goal of making Tuff Betty a household name. And, with customers spread from Oregon to Florida, your grandma’s household isn’t the only one they’ve got their sights set on. ~ Brandy McKenzie
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Alright Lets Do It
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Through a striking resemblance to Rosie the Riveter, the TuffBetty logo, a picture of a woman camping it up in coveralls and a bandanna, embodies much of the attitude of the company. A combination of femininity, sass, and a can-do approach are present throughout the sisters’ website. Even the company name comes from a moment of self-assured precocity.
The company might have had its start in impulsiveness, but it’s become a steady success through creative marketing and an unexpected variety of customers. Thanks to trade shows and the Internet, the sisters have taken their soap making from a humble beginning as a hobby in Hoban’s kitchen, to a wide-reaching retail and wholesale business.
