Why Nablus? Olive Oil, Land, and Craft

Nablusi soap exists because of the land.

The hills surrounding Nablus have produced olive oil for centuries. Olive trees thrive in the region’s climate, and oil has always been central to Palestinian life — used for food, light, medicine, and soap. In Nablusi soap, olive oil is not an additive; it is the foundation, making up more than 80% of the final product.

This abundance shaped the craft itself. Soap-making in Nablus developed around what the land could offer naturally. No perfumes. No synthetic additives. Just olive oil, water, and alkaline salts — refined through experience passed from one generation to the next.

The city’s position also mattered. Nablus sat at the crossroads of regional trade routes, allowing soap to be exported throughout the Levant, North Africa, and Europe. During the Crusades, knowledge of Nablusi soap-making methods was taken to southern France, where olive-oil-based soap factories later appeared in Marseille.

Despite imitation abroad and later copying in Egypt and Syria, authentic Nablusi soap retained its reputation. The difference was not branding — it was quality, technique, and raw material.

In Nablus, soap was never rushed. Production followed the rhythm of the olive harvest. Soap made in winter would not be sold until summer, after months of natural drying. Time was part of the recipe.