In middle school, Madison Soap Company owner, Laura Daly, dreamed of owning a business that would make the world a better place.

In 2003, she moved to Turkey and discovered open air markets full of fresh food and natural soaps made from plant oils.

'At the markets, you get to buy fresh product directly from the farmer or maker. It was an incredibly connective experience, to know the people putting their lives and labor into the process. It was a reminder that their process is an art, passed down for generations.'

So, In 2013, when she learned to make soap, on a date of all places, she fell in love. With the guy, but also with the art and with the possibility of sharing that art with her community.

A single mom of two toddlers, living in a one-bedroom studio, she decided to pursue her middle-school dream.

A year later, she released a line of sustainable vegan and organic soaps made with essential oils and ingredients from local Madison businesses at the Willy Street Co-op in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 2022, she launched MADTOWN Soap Co, a palm-free soap brand that focuses on seasonal subscriptions.

‘My morning shower is what grounds me,’ she says. 

‘When I wash with an intentionally crafted handmade bar of soap and put on handmade clothes in the morning, it sets a mood for the day.

It reminds me that I’m part of a larger community of humans sharing the same home.'

MADTOWN Soap Co donates soaps locally to both DAIS and The Beacon and is currently seeking local business partnerships to create white-label soaps that fundraise for Madison nonprofits.