About Wiener Seife
Just follow your nose
Using a secret recipe handed down by the last Viennese soap maker, Friedrich Weiss, we craft our soaps by hand using a gentle cold-process method. These sensuous, coconut-oil-based soaps nourish your discerning skin with the pure power of nature – completely free from chemical additives, mineral oils or preservatives.
We use only the finest natural oils, plant extracts – sourced from certified organic cultivation wherever possible – and exquisite fragrance essences, which, combined with a generous dash of love, are transformed into fragrant cleansers with Viennese charm.
Since 2006, we have been running our business with great passion and dedication.
We have taken over some of Friedrich Weiss’s legendary varieties, whilst developing many more ourselves. With over 70 carefully crafted soaps, we have created a culture of well-being for skin and mind. Our soaps can be used for the sustainable care of skin, hair and – in the case of the N°01 salt soap – even for teeth.
Our aim is to revolutionise your personal care routine and, through our products, guide you back to naturalness, quality and enjoyment.
Join us on a journey of slowing down – back to time-honoured traditions, in harmony with the environment.
Production
When making our cold-processed soaps, we use the heat generated by combining lye and coconut oil for the saponification process. This gentle yet labour-intensive method ensures that all the valuable ingredients are retained in the soap – particularly the skin-nourishing glycerine, which is produced naturally during saponification.
The high-quality plant-based oils and extracts remain unsaponified, allowing them to exert their nourishing effect on the skin. We use natural ingredients which – wherever possible – are sourced from regional, certified organic farms.
We produce our soap in large blocks weighing 50 kg each, which are cut into handy 125-gram pieces after a few days’ curing. From making the various soaps, through the precise cutting of the soap bars, to packaging them in bands made from recycled paper, everything is carried out by hand with great care.
Using resources responsibly is a matter of course for us and is practised every day by every member of our team.
Milestones
Our roots – Friedrich Weiss, the last soap maker in Stadlau, created a unique Viennese soap recipe which, thanks to its handmade and unrivalled quality, has won over both Vienna and the world. He passed away suddenly in the spring of 2006. Yet his life’s work lives on.
2006 –Founding of StoBa Seifenmanufaktur GmbH and continuation of Friedrich Weiss’s legacy.
2007 – Opening of the new workshop and soap shop at Hintzerstraße 6, 1030 Vienna.
2008 – ‘Invention’ and launch of shaving soap and soft soap; participation in the 2nd International Handwashing Day, organised by UNICEF.
2009 – A well-known fragrance from the 18th century, made famous by a chemist, finds its place on the shelves. Revival of the 18th-century ‘Viennese fragrance’, inspired by the traditions of the Viennese laundresses.
2011 – First large-scale order for hotel soaps from a wellness hotel.
2012 – 5th-anniversary celebrations: launch of the ‘Wisteria’ and ‘Russian Leather’ soaps; opening of the new production facility at Hintzerstraße 5 with a grand celebration.
2014 – The company was renamed WS Wiener Seifenmanufaktur GmbH; launch of the new logo, website and relaunch of the banderole packaging.
2016 –Anniversary year: Celebration of the company’s 10th anniversary with promotions, events and new products.
2017 – Opening of the first branch in Vienna city centre (Herrengasse 6, 1010 Vienna); expansion into Switzerland with a soap boutique in Arth (Rathausplatz 10, 6415 Arth am See)
2018 – Change of name to WIENER SEIFE GmbH; opening of a new, wheelchair-accessible shop at Hintzerstraße 2.
2020–2021 – Refurbishment and relocation to a modern production facility in Vienna’s 10th district; creation of a spacious visitor area.
2022 – Celebration of the new production facility with a grand opening ceremony under the motto ‘CELEBRATING VIENNESE CRAFTSHIP TOGETHER’; expansion of the workforce to 20 employees.
2023 – Opening of the factory shop and the soap and delicatessen at 2 Hintzerstraße, offering a selection of soap-related and gourmet products.
2024– Launch of the redesigned online shop to make the shopping experience even more user-friendly.