Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Norwegian Handmade Delights
Left: Alveland’s famous cloudberry soap. Right: Alveland’s boutique.
Adding less is key to good skincare Rita King started making soaps and spa products for her own use around the year 2000, without any intention of making it into a fully-fledged business. Fast-forward a decade, and Alveland has been her work, passion and sole income ever since she set up the company in 2006. By Pernille Johnsen | Photos: Alveland
The key to Alveland’s success is the absence of synthetic and artificial additives in all its products. The only ingredients that go into the mixing bowl are those that will benefit you and your skin in one way or another. Rita’s main pride and joy is the soap containing cloudberries, which has a host of beneficial qualities, especially for people suffering from eczema and psoriasis. Sami people used the berry for skin ailments that would not heal as it has anti-inflammatory qualities. A surprising add-on to the business came about when the family went looking for a venue to host King’s soap workshop, boutique and café. An old house built in 1913, belonging to the county’s policeman, was vacant. Purchasing the house in 2009 opened up for different business ventures, as the family now 90 | Issue 94 | November 2016
not to become too large a company,” King explains, “as the soul of the company remains a small boutique-style production and store.” Presently, King has one full-time employee in addition to help from her husband and seasonal extra help in the summer.
rents out rooms on the top floor as well as hosting a café on the entrance level. King explains that, in addition to locals, tourists travel substantial distances to visit her spa imperium, and a customer favourite is her homemade cinnamon rolls that are also free from unnecessary additives. The process of making soap is similar to making cheese. From the mixing bowl to the shelf, a bar of soap takes about six weeks to completion. Mixing the ingredients cold preserves all of their active substances. Blueberries, lingonberries, goat’s milk and nettles, all from Andøya, find their way into Alveland’s soaps, in addition to cloudberries. The no-additives approach has secured Alveland clients all over Scandinavia as well as a couple in the US. “The aim is
Rita in the middle of a soap-making process, which takes six weeks.
For more information, please find Alveland on Instagram, Facebook and www.alveland.no