Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Lovett.
Hi Jeff, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Lovett Sundries is a family company working out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We offer a line of handcrafted soaps, grooming, and cleaning products that are carefully measured, mixed, and packaged by our own hands. We like doing things the old-fashioned way; it’s slower but more satisfying, and in the end, it makes our products better and more meaningful.
We’re a husband and wife team with one other employee Kari. (Not only does she run our production line, she’s also a model for the photos on our website!) Way back in 2012 Marit was diagnosed with breast cancer at 36. She’d always been the picture of health so it came as a complete surprise. Everything turned out ok, but it caused us to take a very close look at everything we put in and on our bodies.
After looking at the soaps and lotions in our bathroom we decided that there must be a better way. Marit started making olive oil soap in milk cartons on our counter and lotions in our blender. We loved them and our friends couldn’t get enough of a simple unscented alternative to all the mass manufactured stuff that is cluttering our lives. Fortunately we aren’t the only ones who feel that way! It’s been 11 years and we ship orders direct to customers every day. Our products are also carried at shops all across the country (and a few in Iceland).
We’re proud of the work we do and grateful for the support and encouragement we’ve received from our customers over the years. It’s not easy to build a loyal following and we take the the responsibility seriously.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Small business is always challenging. In starting our business at the same time we had our first child, it felt like we were starting on hard mode! At the beginning there were a lot of late nights with one ear on the baby monitor cursing a loud packing tape dispenser.
We’ve always operated on a tight budget, but when the pandemic hit and supply chains went haywire we had to be very cautious with our sourcing and storage. We survived mostly due to our incredible customers who take a clean life seriously.
Over the last couple of years we’ve been faced with sharply rising ingredient costs and it has been difficult. We’ve managed to avoid increasing our prices, but I’m not sure how long we can hold out. We’re not alone in this problem though. We’ve got an incredible support network of small businesses in Pittsburgh so we’re never short on encouragement.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Lovett Sundries?
Here at Lovett Sundries, we are excited about making your everyday routine special with our finely crafted all-natural apothecary stock.
All-natural can mean many things and it is, all too often, used as a marketing trick. For us, it means using things that come from the world around us in the simplest way possible. We do our best to use unprocessed ingredients. We only use essential oils for our fragrances. Small batch manufacturing means we are up close and personally engaged with every step of the process. If you’re ever curious about one of our ingredients, just ask and we’ll tell you everything we know.
Although we are small, we know that the ingredients, containers, and packaging we use in our products make a big impact on the world. That’s why all our of containers are recyclable. The packing and shipping materials we use are re-purposed, post-consumer, or recyclable; preferably all three! From the harvest of raw materials to the shipment of finished goods we’re always thinking about how to reduce our footprint.
Our products can be savored and enjoyed with pride in knowing that you are supporting real people making real things.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lovettsundries.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovett_sundries/
