In 2024, the craft of Aleppo soap, the famous “Ghar soap”, joined UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. For something as ancient as making a bar of soap by hand, this recognition is far from trivial. It confirms what enthusiasts have long known: behind this soap lies a know-how several centuries old, one that deserves to be protected.
Why this recognition matters
Intangible heritage is not about monuments, but about living practices: gestures, recipes and crafts passed down from generation to generation. By listing Aleppo soap, UNESCO recognises the value of a precise method, that of the soap makers of Aleppo, and the need to preserve it against industrialisation and imitations.
It is also a form of protection. The more the practice is documented and valued, the harder it becomes to pass off any green bar as a genuine Aleppo soap.
A know-how we defend every day
At Maison du Laurier, we live this work of transmission up close. We work with a master soap maker who is himself our partner at Organic Bio Tech (Maison du Laurier), following the traditional method: olive oil, laurel berry oil, cauldron cooking, then a long cure of several months. Nothing else. This faithfulness to the recipe is exactly what UNESCO chose to honour.
Buying a genuine Aleppo soap therefore means keeping a heritage alive, not merely choosing a hygiene product.
What this recognition changes for you
In practice, the UNESCO listing does not change the recipe, which has not moved for centuries. It does, however, draw attention to what makes a real Aleppo soap valuable and, in turn, to the many imitations in circulation. For a buyer, it is a useful marker: a prestigious label reminding us that a reference method exists, and that not every green bar follows it.
This visibility also helps the soap makers of Aleppo themselves. The more their know-how is recognised, the more it becomes possible to restart local production, train young people and support families around a craft that nearly disappeared during the war. Buying an authentic soap means supporting that revival, at your own scale.
At Maison du Laurier, we see this recognition as a responsibility: to keep offering a soap faithful to tradition, and to explain it clearly to our customers rather than riding a trend.
Looking for a soap true to this recognised tradition? Discover our authentic Aleppo soaps.
Frequently asked questions
When did Aleppo soap join UNESCO’s heritage list?
In 2024, as the craft of Ghar Aleppo soap, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
What is intangible heritage?
Living practices (know-how, gestures, traditions) passed down from generation to generation, rather than buildings or objects.
Are all Aleppo soaps concerned?
The recognition concerns the traditional method. Many products sold under this name do not follow it: always check the composition.
