Fiona Burrage is the Founder and Creative Director of Sop ~ Scents of place, which has just re-launched with a 100% organic collection and a new essential oils range. Here Fiona explains how the new range helps her
Can you remind people who you are and what you do?
Absolutely, Sop (Scents of Place) is a hair, body, and mind care brand. All our products are vegan and cruelty-free. And all of our scents are made from essential oils, distilled from the fruit or plant, and are good for the mind, body, and soul.
We first featured you in 2020 – how has everything been for you since then?
It’s been a pretty wild ride, and we’ve thankfully steadily grown. Our consumer range has just relaunched and is now 100% organic, which I am very proud of. We are also grateful to supply some of the best food establishments across the region, including Meadow Sweet, Stoke Mill, Ingham Swan, The Wildebeest, and Yalm. The support of the local community, both businesses and customers, is what makes Sop possible (being a small independent business ourselves).
In April of this year, I had a bit of an epiphany—perhaps it was turning 40, I’m not sure—but I set my mind to focus our messaging around the therapeutic benefits of our essential oils. This is encapsulated by the line [Inhale the Power of Plants]. And it has really helped clarify what truly makes Sop a wellbeing brand to both me and hopefully others.
What is the latest development for Sop. – you have a new 100% organic essential oils range out? How do the oils help you with your wellbeing?
They help immensely. I always diffuse one of the oils while I work, as someone who has heightened senses, perhaps due to my ADHD. It really helps me to be more present while I concentrate. At bedtime, I always use lavender, for both myself and my son to relax and unwind.
And the organic core range has just launched?
Yes, I am so excited about it. I wanted to offer 100% organic products from day one, so it’s a big milestone. Knowing that our customers are using the finest ingredients with no compromise to the people who produce them is crucial for me.
What does it mean to you to win awards for your products?
It’s always nice to be recognized among your peers, but it’s really of most importance to retailers and hoteliers who see these as markers of assurance about the product and brand. Not being investor-backed, we don’t have the budgets for PR. We’ve focused on injecting our creativity into the brand to raise awareness and (pardon the pun) grow organically.
What are your hopes and dreams for Sop.?
In the short term, I’d love to increase the range, work with more value-aligned independents, and continue to explore our creative vision for the brand. But more long term, we want to grow the team from a more diverse background so that we create a more equitable workforce. I’ve already had early-stage conversations with a sixth form about how we could create opportunities for people who have more vocational qualifications, as opposed to looking at university graduates. We’d love to sell into Europe (trickier post-Brexit) and continue supporting the amazing ShowerBox with products for London’s homeless as well as here in our home city.
Visit Sop ~ Scents of place.
Featured image of Fiona Burrage – supplied
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