Wool Soap Swift And Company

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Text on Button WOOL SOAP SWIFT AND COMPANY (MY MAMA USED WOOL SOAP ) (I WISH MINE HAD)
Image Description

Two little girls are standing opposite to one another, comparing their sweaters. The girl facing us with a smile is wearing the sweater washed in wool soap, the other girl hasn't been so fortunate and her sweater has shrunk leaving her bottom exposed. The color illustration has a blue/green backlight and sits center on the button surrounded by black text.

Back Paper / Back Info

Whitehead & Hoag Co. Newark N.J. Allied Printing Union Bug. Patent dates: July 17 1894, April 14, July 21, 1896

Curl Text Pat July 21, 1896
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Additional Information

Wool Soap was one of several soap products manufactured by Chicago’s “Hog Butcher to the World” Swift & Company by 1915. In response to public concern over the amount of pollutants being released at its packing plants, Swift pioneered innovative ways of repurposing the byproducts from its meat, these included soaps, glues, fertilizer, hairbrushes and all sorts of canned low-grade meat products. These products diversified the company and improved efficiency.

The memorable illustration of the little girls was actually the creation of another company, from whom Swift purchased the trademark to use in its advertising. They appear in several ads for the soaps. Wool soap being a bit of a misnomer, the tallow soap was marketed for both personal hygiene and laundry.

"The 'Swift Soap Children' Stand for Cleanliness and Purity" (Collier's 1908 ) - another version with the little girls

"My mama used Wool soap." Another version.

Catalog ID AD0093