Soap Saga

Bears & Soap Bubbles

Our ancestors didn't prioritize bathing much. Even when Cleanliness Week was introduced in 1928, Lithuanians weren't fully sold on the idea of bathing regularly. They required instructions on how to clean their homes, furniture, and clothes, as well as reminders to wash more often with soap and warm water.

However, over time, personal hygiene began to receive more attention. The booming soap industry during the interwar period is a testament to this. Various soap and perfume factories operated nationwide, engaging in fierce competition. One of the most prominent was Berar and Co., established in 1921 in Kaunas by Max Berman.

Berar and Co. often adorned their products with the image of a bear. Unapologetically, they marketed their soap as crafted from the finest materials, gentle, producing rich lather, beautifully scented, and notably superior to foreign varieties.