Good Store Makes Good Suds with Good Partners

The Story of Botanie, Sun Basin Soap, and Serendipity | By Malikai Smith

It doesn’t take long on Good Store’s website to get an idea of what the place is all about. Thoughtfully curated products; Environmentally friendly practices from tip to tail; Using profits to support charitable work with incredible organizations. None of that happens without a host of remarkable people around the world.

Today, we're highlighting the partnership between Good Store and Botanie, shining a well-deserved light on the team behind Sun Basin Soap in beautiful Missoula, Montana.

From the Classroom to Soap Making

Botanie's story is beautiful in its simplicity. Owner Lindsay Joss Ludicello and her late husband, Tim Ludicello, were former educators. But with a young family at home, they decided it was time for a change in careers. When they met a woman selling her humble soap-making operation at a farmers market, they knew they'd found it.

With little more than a handful of equipment, a few guiding principles, and a knack for making exceptional soap, they were off to the races.

Today, Botanie remains dedicated to its craft, using only high-quality, naturally derived ingredients while maintaining an EWG Green rating. Every bar is made with care; not just for your skin, but for the environment as well.

A Culture of Curiosity

When I asked the Botanie team what makes it such a special place to work, not even the grogginess of a 6:30 a.m. video call (thanks to a two-hour time difference) could dull the sincerity of their answer.

The spirit of curiosity, a willingness to innovate, and an unwavering commitment to their core principles make Botanie more than a simple 9-to-5. They're not afraid to answer the phone and get creative.

If a client calls about a field of lavender growing on their property that they'd love to incorporate into a custom soap formulation? That's right up Botanie's alley.

As long as the ingredients meet their rigorous standards for quality and environmental responsibility, they're all ears. They work tirelessly with clients to innovate, personalize, and refine each product until it reflects the goals of the collaboration.

How Sun Basin Soap Came to Be

With Botanie's spirit of curiosity and Good Store's need for a soap-making partner that shared its core values, Sun Basin Soap was only a matter of time.

Good Store founders John and Hank Green grew up with their mom making homemade soap, and they wanted to create a product that captured the feeling of those bars from their childhood: nourishing, gentle, and made with care.

As luck would have it, the search didn't take long. Hank lives in Missoula, and just around the bend, Botanie had spent decades perfecting soap-making in exactly that same spirit.

Some things just make sense. Equally curious minds found one another. Core values aligned. And Sun Basin Soap was born.

Natural ingredients come together to create bars that gently cleanse, nourish, and leave your skin feeling refreshed all while reflecting the craftsmanship, care, and shared mission that brought this partnership together.