Eh, I can get pretty great lather out of anything pretty much, but I get a slicker lather from Stirling. I pretty much keep MdC around for 2 reasons: it's a great value as far as longevity goes, and I can't get the scents they put out from anywhere else.
Stirling Soaps
- Thread starter wulfgar1976
- Start date
Hello,
Watched the video and based on that and your pictures concur that Stirling is still very much an artisan operation where they are manufacturing their soaps by hand in small batches. Always find it fascinating to look at the operations of a successful business.
Looking at the finished goods inventory levels on the shelves and some back of the envelope estimates of their numbers reinforces the artisan like nature of Stirling's business. Counting containers/boxes of soaps and other products it looks like there are roughly 50-100 units of inventory per stock keeping unit (SKU) in each selling location plus some additional back up top stock on the highest shelves in the store/shipping warehouse part of the operation. If one estimates that they produce batches of 50-60 items (at say an average of 5 ounces each given 5.8 ounce containers/4.5 ounce pucks) we are looking at under 20 lbs of soap per batch. The fact that this is a batch vs continuous production operation reinforces their position as an artisan manufacturer.
What has likely helped them grow, while keeping the smaller batch sizes, is their extensive assortment of shaving and personal care products (as well as coffee now). Per their web site, as of today, they have a total of 669 products including 81 shave soaps (3 SKUS each of the shave jar, puck and sample so 243 shave soap SKUs). A quick google of their estimated annual sales shows numbers ranging from 1 to 10 million dollars per year. Given the size (per the video) and stated rapid growth of the Stirling operation an estimate of $5 million per year could be in the ball park for annual retail sales (leaving out their wholesale business that could be part of or in addition to the $5 million for this exercise). From this per product sales can be estimated as follows:
- Unit sales of 625,000 per year based on an estimated $8 average product retail ($5,000,000/$8=625,000)
- Average per product annual unit sales of 934 (625,000/669 products=934, SKU sales even less given different sizes)
- Average of 15 -16 production batches per year for each product (934/60 batch size=15.6 annual batches)
Bottom line, however you look at the operation, either visually or by the numbers, they are still an artisan batch operation today. They just produce a lot of product batches, via their artisan processes, thanks to their business success. Additionally because they have some scale Stirling is likely able to ensure better availability and quality consistency across their products versus someone mixing up ad hoc combinations in their kitchen.
Note that in the video Rod mentioned plans to evolve Stirling's manufacturing processes. A key to success here will be to improve scale and efficiency while maintaining a batch oriented production process that supports the broad artisan assortment. Guessing that options could include anything from larger professional "cooking" equipment to some automation of the parts of the process related to filling containers (video showed soap containers being filled by hand on a scale, very inefficient) and packaging products. This is in everyone's interest as it will enable Stirling to offer more value to customers. Scaling up should not be perceived as taking anything away from the quality of the product.
I tip my hat to Stirling and congratulate them on an amazing 10 year success story. Now all I need to do is 3017 some of my existing shave soaps to make space so I can try some of their products.
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Mountain Man is my favourite of the ones I've tried so far. I enjoyed Piacenza as well.
Perhaps you misinterpreted my posting, but in no way did I classify in one way or another Stirling's operation. I merely provided my view in response to your broad question of what defines artisan. "Artisan in this usage would relate to limited quantities or small batches" . Those terms are indeed ambiguous but that's fairly irrelevant.
I will correct my other statement, more accurately I would view Stirling as a Hand Made product, not Handcrafted as labeled.
e.g. Shaving bowls hand tossed on a potter's wheel would produce individual handcrafted results.
Hence, why I fell in love with Captains Choice. All their products are hand crafted. And, Scott, the CEO of Captains Choice, has actually gone out of his way to prove that, showing the process of how all of his products are made, from lather bowls, to shave soaps, and aftershaves. All products are made in house, or by a local potter or copper crafter for Captains Choice. As mentioned, he's shown pictures and video's to the evidence of that.
Honestly, this just gave me a new idea, if every business did in house video's, it would more easily solve the discussion on, who is artisan, and who isn't.
Nice assessment, however wouldn't you deem Stirling a Process Manufacturing operation by virtue of their finished goods consuming raw material via recipes? My layman's understanding is that Continuous Flow Production would indicate that each soap tub is made from start to finish as a single unit before the next as opposed to a set of soaps at various stages of completion as would be in batch.
Their use of manual methods dictate batch yields and to some degree they also incorporate simple Pull Production to satisfy replenishment and order fulfillment.
Basic definition here them is that Artisan means output of XX - XXX items vs > XXXX over given fiscal year?
Artisan, shmartisan. It's a freaking word, and it has absolutely no meaning whatsoever in terms of the quality of the product.
There are plenty of great "artisan" soaps. There are plenty of great large batch commercial soaps.
There are plenty of terrible commercial soaps. There are plenty of terrible "Artisan" soaps.
Stirling soap, both the bath and the shave soap is a very good soap.
If he keeps the recipe the same, and the soap remains as good as it is now, I don't care if he makes it one bar at a time, trimming the edges by hand with a special soap trimming knife and gently placing it for aging in a hand woven reed basket , or if he makes it by the hundreds in ginormously huge batches.
It's good soap. Try it.
There are plenty of great "artisan" soaps. There are plenty of great large batch commercial soaps.
There are plenty of terrible commercial soaps. There are plenty of terrible "Artisan" soaps.
Stirling soap, both the bath and the shave soap is a very good soap.
If he keeps the recipe the same, and the soap remains as good as it is now, I don't care if he makes it one bar at a time, trimming the edges by hand with a special soap trimming knife and gently placing it for aging in a hand woven reed basket , or if he makes it by the hundreds in ginormously huge batches.
It's good soap. Try it.
I had soap and coffee shipped together.
Vacuum packed, and the coffee was delicious with NO bubbles!
I just ordered more bath soap and threw some coffee in on the order. I'm not concerned that particles will migrate through several layers of packaging and taint each other.
I've got crackers and bags of dog food in my cupboard.
My crackers don't taste like dog food.
I can't get a straight answer from the dogs if their dogfood tastes like crackers.
Hi ChriWilson,
Of course as both batch and continuous are both manufacturing processes (original post refered to Stirling batch manufacturing as "artisan processes". Continuous typically refers to an ongoing assembly line operation where raw materials or components are transformed into finished goods on an ongoing basis. Under continuous a manufacturer has work-in-process (WIP) at most of the various stages of production on an ongoing basis (*). Stirling is clearly batch as they take a pot of soap from ingredients (or base) to the final packaged product in the batches observed in the video (could see the production assistant pouring the soap into containers on the scale). Note that since they only have a few soap bases (e.g. tallow, mutton, etc.) they may produce the base in larger batches that are split before adding the scent related ingredients for each product.
Unclear what their inventory management/replenishment method is. Agree it is likely a pull method possibly driven by an order-up-to-level (OUTL) where, for example, when inventory drops to 30 units they make a new batch of 60 units. They may layer on a push method for promotions or holiday season spikes. Given that everything is under one roof they can likely easily flex what they produce to meet variable demand. Process could be as easy as walking the retail store/warehouse once a day and recording any products below the OUTL level for input into a production schedule.
Note: Agree with luvmysuper's post above that artisan is just a term. If they keep the formulation the same using a bigger pot or making more frequent batches takes nothing away from the product.
* P.S. Batch vs continuous is not black and white. Many times there are hybrid processes that combine the approaches. For example a global manufacturer of electronic devices can produce the device via continuous assembly line sans power supply and than add the internal power supply for actual orders based on local power requirements (115 vs 240 volts). Stirling could easily do this with their soap bases adding the essential oils/perfumes/etc. in a final step when required by their replenishment approach.
I sit corrected............
I can't believe I didn't notice that Stirling sold coffee on my first two separate orders from them, what is this world coming to, when my own brain is full of molasses! 
Well, next time I order from Stirling, I am going to get me some coffee dang-nabbit! Cause I truly believe that...............
Well, next time I order from Stirling, I am going to get me some coffee dang-nabbit! Cause I truly believe that...............I can't believe I didn't notice that Stirling sold coffee on my first two separate orders from them, what is this world coming to, when my own brain is full of molasses!
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Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Touche!I’m not going to ask how you know this ….
Perhaps I should have said "My crackers don't taste like what I imagine dog food tastes like".
Although, as a wee lad, I was nabbed by my mother while munching on a Milk Bone bisquit from the box under the sink, so my imagination of what dog food tastes like may be slightly more astute than others!
Welcome to the Club! I can actually attest that the green ones tasted the worst. Sort of liked the plain ones the best. But then again, I was five years old so what did I really know?
Hmmmm, does Stirling sell a Milk Bone scented soap? ......
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Yep, me too. What kid doesn’t wonder what a Milk Bone dog biscuit tastes like? If dogs love them they have to taste good right? Well, no.
Back on topic, I recently stocked up on Stirling Green, it has that oakmoss ‘whang’ that the current Ralph Lauren PG doesn’t have, I assume because of EU limits on oakmoss.
Back on topic, I recently stocked up on Stirling Green, it has that oakmoss ‘whang’ that the current Ralph Lauren PG doesn’t have, I assume because of EU limits on oakmoss.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Love that gif!
My I ask why? The Lightish Red is nice but rather complex and strong. I could understand sending it back, but I really like the Bay Laurel. I used it for a solid month after I got it and still sneak sniffs.
