Manufacture of Multicolored and

Multicomponent Soaps
Luis Spitz
L. Spitz, Inc., Highlond Park, Illinois, USA

Introduction
The first multicolored soaps were the “mottled” laundry soaps. Introduced over a century ago in
Germany and later in France, Spain and Italy, they were made from bleached palm and coconut oils,
and became accepted by the public as high-quality soaps. Today, most laundry soaps are blue, and the
mottling effect is obtained by using ultramarine blue dye.
This chapter introduces the subject with a brief history of multicolored and multicomponent toilet
soaps. More soap history details are found in Chapter 1.
Multicolored/multicomponent soaps are classified into marbleized, striped, speckled, and two-tone
types. The manufacturing system for each type is described and illustrated.
These soaps offer potential marketing advantages over single-color soaps with or without additives.
The visual differentiation over single- color soaps provides aesthetic advantages for the multicolored
types, and for the multicomponent types can show the ingredient(s) which claim to enhance product
performance.
The “freshness” multicolored soap category was introduced in 1968 with Henkel’s Fa bar which
rejuvenated the bar-soap market. Shortly thereafter, many multicolored “fresh” soap brands appeared
worldwide.
Line extensions of existing and new multicomponent/multicoloredbars by Henkel (Dial), Colgate-
Palmolive, Unilever, Evyap, Dalan, and other companies are launched periodically, confirming the
longevity and growth potential of this successful forty-year-old soap category.

Fa (7 968): The Marbleized

“FreshnessnSoap
The original 1954 “Die Seife Fa”
“Fd’ntastic was a skin-care bar. In
1968 “Die Frische Fa” (The Fresh
Fa), a marbleized green-and-yellow
soap with the “wild freshness of
limes,” started the new “freshness”
soap category. Fa’s success prompted
many competitors to enter the
market. “Freshness,” combined with
deodorant and antibacterial claims,
is an active soap category today.

349
350 0 L. Spiu
Atlantik and Pacific ( 1 969- 1970)
In 1969 Unilever introduced Atlantik soap in
Germany, highlighting its “Seaweed Extract”
ingredient. The soap’s name, shape, ingredients,
color, and package design are the best examples
of an “integrated” consistent bar-soap product
concept and execution. The Pacific companion
soap followed in 1970.

Irish Spring ( 1 972)

In 1972, Irish Spring, “The Double Deodorant
Soap” bar with “The Freshness of an Irish
Morning,” was introduced. It was the first
freshness category green-and-white marbleized
soap in the United States. Later, Irish Spring bars
with different names were launched in many
countries.
In 1986 the product was changed into
a deodorant soap with skin conditioners and
packaged in a green carton.
In 2008 six Irish Spring variants were offered
in the U.S. market.

Coast ( 1 974)
Procter & Gamble (P&G) entered the multicolored category in 1974 with the blue-and-white
marbleized Coast bar. The original “Eye-opener Refreshing Deodorant Soap” was produced with a
patented solid-solid manufacturing system. White-and-blue pellets of different diameters pelletized to
different lengths and in different ratios were fed into the final stage of the Duplex Vacuum Plodder (Fig.
12.5 later in chapter).
To enhance the marbleizing effect, one can shave off a thin
surface of the extruded slugs (billets), and recycle the shavings.
Stamping the slugs at an angle (on a bias) will also improve
their appearance. Irish Spring and Coast are stamped at an
angle (Fig. 12-19 later in this chapter).
P&G sold the Coast brand to The Dial Corporation in
2000.
In 2008 two marbleized bars were offered: Coast Arctic
and Coast Pacific Force.
 Manufacture of Multicoloredand Multicomponent Soaps 0 35 1

Dove Nutrium (2000)

The Dove Nutrium bar was introduced in late 2000 after the
success of the Nutrium Moisturizing Body Wash. This was the
first time that a liquid product was later introduced in a solid-bar
version.
Unilever’s Dove Nutrium is a multicomponent, striped,
dual-formula bar with a white moisturizing cleanser and a pink
nutrient-enriched lotion with vitamin E.
Dove Nutrium was the only multicomponent/multicolored
bar on the market which showed two distinct soaps.
The 2008 version called “Nutrium Cream Oil Beauty Bar“ was a solid pink bar. The striped version
has been discontinued.

Multicoloredand Multicomponent Soap Types

Four distinct types of multicolored and multicomponent soaps are available. In the soap type and
manufacturing method descriptions, the pn‘mary base refers to the larger quantity, predominant color
soap base. The secondary base is the lesser quantity second color base.

Marbleized
Marbleized (also called marbled, variegated,
and mottled) soaps are produced by dosing or
injecting an additional color into the primary
base soap which can be white or colored. Detail
of a Dial bar is shown.

Striped
Striped soaps with well-defined linear designs
are produced by the controlled addition
(injection) of a secondary base of one color into
a primary base of another color, such as this
sample from Dalan (Turkey).
 Speckled
Speckled soaps are formed by the proportioned addition of
small speckles (granules) or larger chunks of different colors
and/or different colors and types of product added into the
primary base, such as this sample from Prede Provence (France)

Two-Tone
Two-tone toilet and laundry soaps are formed when the primary and secondary bases are fed into
non-tangential twin-worm plodders. These plodders are side-by-side with separate worm barrels and
Individual Worms. The two different bases move through the plodder separately until extrusion. Side-
by-side, vertical, horizontal, diagonal, radial, and multiple patterns can be produced. See the samples
below for (A) Two-Tone Toilet Soaps [Evyap, Turkey] and (B) Two-Tone Laundry Soaps

Handcrafted Artisan Soaps-An Old/New Niche Market

The handcrafted, artisan soaps with special ingredients, performance claims, and very interesting designs
have grown in popularity during the last two decades. What started as a hobby for many home soap
makers grew into small-business enterprises. In 1998 The Handcrafied Soap Makers Guild (HSMG)
was formed with these objectives: “to promote the handcrafted soap industry, to act as a center of
communications among soap makers, and to circulate beneficial information to them.”
HSMG is a nonprofit international organization with 800 members. An annual conference is open
to members and also to nonmembers. Comprehensive information for this growing niche market for
the various homemade soap manufacturers, production methods, formulations, reference books, and
raw material and equipment suppliers is found on the H S M G Web site www.soapguild.org.
 Manufacture of Multicoloredand Multicornponent Soaps 0 353

Manufacturing Systems, Methods, and Product Types

Table 12.1. All the Manufacturing Methods presented are based on Mazzoni LB technology.

Manufacturing System Manufacturing Methods Product Types

Color Dosing into the Extrusion
Stage Plodder
.Color Injection into the Extrusion
Solid-Liquid Stage Plodder Marbleized
-Color Injection into the Extrusion
Stage Plodder Barrel

Utilizing two separate single-worm Marbleized

Solid-Solid
Solid-Solid Co-Extrusion
Solid-Solid-Liquid
plodders for feeding two different-
size soap pellets
Utilizing non-tangential twin-worm Two-tone
plodder
Using speckles, granules and Speckled
"chunks" feeder group
Co-extruder with striping group Striped
Co-extruder with striping and Striped and Marbleized
marbleizing group
Combination solid-solid and Striped and Marbleized
solid-liquid Two-Tone Striped

Solid-Liquid Systems for Marbleized Soaps

Solid-Liquid Systems for marbleized soap production consist of:
Duplex Vacuum Plodder
Color Dosing/Injecting Group
or a
Duplex Vacuum Plodder
Color-Dosing Group, and a
Marbleizing group.

Color Dosing into the Extrusion-Stage P/odder

The simplest and most economical method is dosing a color solution into the Extrusion Stage of the
Duplex Vacuum plodder. The random color distribution (the marbleized effect) is difficult to control
(Fig.12.1).

Color Injection into the Extrusion-Stage Plodder Barrel

A color solution is injected into the Duplex Vacuum Plodder's Extrusion Stage plodder barrel (Fig.
12.2).

Color Injection into the Extrusion-Stage Plodder

The color solution is injected through a drilled plate with injection nozzles in the Extrusion Stage of the
Duplex Vacuum Plodder (Fig. 12.3).
A Rotor Drive Group can be added for independent speed variation of the rotor, allowing one to
obtain more marbleizing effects (Fig. 12.4).
The striping and marbleizing group assembly is shown in Fig. 12.5.
354 L Spitz

Fig. 12.1. Solid-Liquid System for Marbleized Soaps-Color Dosing into the Extrusion Stage Plodder.
 Manufacture of Multicolored and Multicomponent Soaps 0 355

Fig. 123. SolidUquidSystem for MarbleizedSoap-Color Injection into the Extrusion Stage Plodder Barrel.
356 0 L. Spitz

Fig. 12.3. Solid-Liquid System for Marbleized Soaps-Color Injection into the Extrusion Stage Plodder.
 Manufacture of Multicolored and Multicomponent Soaps 0 357

Fig, 12.4. Solid-Liquid System for Marbleized Soaps-Color Injection into the Extrusion Stage Plodder
with Rotor Drive Group.
358 0 L. spitz

Fig. 12.5. Solid-Liquid System Marbleizingand Striping Group Assembly.

 Manufactureof Multicolored and Multicornponent Soaps 0 359

Solid-Solid System for Marbleized Soaps

Utilizing Two Separate Single-Worm Plodders
Two separate single-worm plodders are used to feed two different diameters and lengths of pellets in a
predetermined weight ratio into the Extrusion Stage of a single-worm plodder. The random or partially
controlled mixing of the two pellets produces the marbleized effects (Fig. 12.6).

Fig. 12.6. Solid-SolidSystem for Marbleized Bars-Utilizing Two Separate Single-Worm 1st Stage Plodders
and One Single-Worm Extrusion Stage Plodder.
360 0 L. Spitz

Solid-Solid System for Two-Tone Soaps

Utilizing Non-tangential Twin-Worm Plodders
This system requires the use of a Non-Tangential Twin-Worm Duplex Vacuum Plodder. Two different
soap bases are fed into each first stage plodder and proceed separately until extrusion. The two bases
meet when they reach the extrusion head, which is provided with a baffle. This system can produce
various two-tone designs (Fig. 12.7).

Primarv Base Secondary Base

Non-Tangential

Refining-Pelletizing

Non-Tangential

Duplex Vacuum
Plodder

Twin- Worm
Extrusion
Srage

Fig. 12.7. Solid-SolidSystem for Two-Tone Soaps- Utilizing Non-Tangential Twin-Worm Plodders.
 Manufacture of Multicoloredand Multicomponent Soaps 0 361

Solid-Solid System for Speckled Soaps

Additives Proportioned into the First-Stage or Extrusion Stage Plodder
Randomly distributed speckles, granules and small colored soap "chunks" can be added with a feeder
group into either the first stage or the extrusion stage plodder (Fig. 12.8. and Fig. 12.9).

Additives
Additives Dosing
Dosing Group
Group

Speckled,
Granulated
Duplex & "Chunky"
Specked, Vacuum Slugs
Duplex & "Chunky
Granulated" Plodder
Vacuum Slugs
Plodder
Speckles,
Granules &
Chunks
Speckles, Feed Hopper
Granules &
Primary Chunks
Base Feed Hopper
Feed
Hopper
Dosing
Dosing Worm
Worm

RefinAg/Pe/letizing
Stage

Refining/Pel/etizing
Stage

Extrusion
Stage Extrusion
stage

Fig. 12.8 819. Solid-Solid System for Soaps with Speckles, Granules, and "Chunks."
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362 0 L. Spitz

Solid-Solid Co-Extrusion Systems for Striped, Marbleized, and Two-

Tone Soaps
To obtain well-defined striped soaps, a Co-Extrusion System consisting of:
A standard Duplex Vacuum Plodder for the primary base
A Simplex Co-extruder Plodder for the injection of the secondary base
An interconnecting “striping/marbleizing group” with a tube-bundle cylinder: tube bundle; drilled
plate; rotor-drive group-this optional group can run the rotor at different speeds than the fixed
plodder worm speed, allowing one to obtain a wider range of marbleized effects. The tube bundle
has different diameter tubes. The primary base soap is fed through the larger diameter tubes and
co-extruded secondary base, which is always of lesser quantity, through the smaller tubes.

Solid-Solid Co-Extrusion System for Marbleized Soaps

This system includes a rotor device for the production of marbleized soaps (Fig. 12.10). If the rotor is
removed, striped soaps can be made.

Solid-Solid Co-Extrusion System forStriped Soaps

The refined/pelletized primary base from the Duplex Vacuum Plodder is extruded into the tube bundle
of the “striping group” assembly. A secondary base co-extruder (Simplex Plodder) feeds the secondary
base also into the tube bundle. To achieve the striped patterns, the two bases remain separate until they
exit from the extrusion head (Fig. 12.1 1).

Solid-Solid Co-Extrusion Group Assembly without Rotor forStriping

This is a complete system including a rotor-drive group (Fig. 12.12 and 13).

Solid-Solid Co-ExtrusionAssemby with Rotor Drive Group for Striping and

Marbleizing (Fig. 12.14.)

Solid-Solid-liquid Co-ExtrusionMultipurpose System forStriped and Marbleized

Soaps
This multipurpose combination system includes all the components of the Solid-Solid and the Solid-
Liquid systems. (Fig. 12.15.)

Solid-Solid Co-Extrusion System for Two-ToneStriped Soaps

This system utilizes aTangential Twin-Word Plodder and a Single-Worm Co-Extruder for the production
of interesting two-tone striped designs (Fig. 12.16).