SCHENECTADY — Leah LeFera began making her own soap at just 14 years old. Twenty-four years later, she has a flourishing business selling botanical, vegan personal care products.
“I was pretty entrepreneurial as a kid,” LaFera said.
Her mother was also an artist, and LaFera would often tag along to craft fairs and farmers markets where her mother would be selling fiber goods.
What separates Sweet Sprig from most others, is LaFera’s dedication to giving back.
Whether it be donating a percentage of profits to a cause near and dear to her heart or ensuring she’s putting out products that are good for the earth, LaFera’s business goes beyond just business.
“I really like that I put out a useful thing,” she said. “And they’re beautiful things to put out in the world.”
For LaFera, a staunch environmentalist, part of her personal brand of activism is making sure her products are good for the planet that inspired them. In addition to thoroughly researched, eco-friendly ingredients, she uses environmentally safe packaging. Also, her products are all entirely vegan. LaFera herself is a vegetarian, and has dabbled in veganism at different times.
“I don’t feel it’s necessary to use,” she said of animal products. “No shade to people who use tallow and lard and stuff. I absolutely agree with using every part of the animal if you go that route. For me it just evolved into it being easy to be vegan with my line.”
LaFera grew up on a farm. In her early soap making years, she even used goat milk she had milked herself in some soaps.
Before going full time with Sweet Sprig four years ago, LaFera was a librarian and served as the director of adult programming at the Schenectady County Public library.
This week, LaFera shared their story with The Gazette.
Q: What’s your favorite product you sell?
A: Currently — because it changes — my absolute favorite is my new wild carrot face cream. I started making it last year, a culmination of ingredients I absolutely love and techniques I love. Like infusing flowers right into the oils I’m gonna use. It helped my skin brighten up quite a bit. It’s all I use. I’ve been using my handmade soaps since I was 14 and it makes a difference.
Q: What are some differences between a brick and mortar store and going to markets?
A: I’ve been able to expand the kinds of products I offer. Then I quickly was excited I could bring another artisan’s work. That’s the best thing, I don’t have to make everything but I can help support other artists. I have a clothing line from a print maker in Chicago, local pottery, local jewelry. Gorgeous things that really fit the aesthetic. I can elevate other artists, especially female artists. That’s important to me.
Q: How was the learning curve when you started making different products?
A: The soap has always been my bread and butter. Out of everything I make I absolutely love making it. It feels like art, not work. The first thing I tried making besides soap was bath bombs. That led me to playing around with lotion making. It took three years to perfect my lotion recipe.
Q: What are some challenges you face?
A: It’s tricky, sort of being comfortable with ups and downs. As long as I’ve been in business it’s still something I have to constantly struggle with and remind myself of. The nature of this product is the kinds of customers [differ], some just for gifts, some every week. Income is so vastly different month to month, having patience and thinking of things longer. I think that’s something that can be a detriment to lots of small businesses.
Q: How did you get your soaps in stores across the country?
A: For folks like me who are manufacturing a product it’s the best way to get your products out there with valuable income. I use third party websites where store owners can browse makers. Sometimes I get discovered by someone who received my products as a gift. Sometimes I reach out when a place seems like a good fit.
Q: What other artistic endeavors do you engage in?
A: Every phase of my life has informed the next phase of my life. I love soap making but as long as I’m being creative it can be really any other medium. I embroider, I paint with acrylics. I spin yarn and knit.
Q: Can you expand on your advocacy efforts?
A: That’s something I’ve always done. I certainly learned philanthropy from my parents. The organizations I donate to are for reproductive rights, social justice, and animal welfare typically. So for example the month of June to commemorate Juneteenth, I donate 10% of my profits to the Equal Justice Initiative, another thing I often do is create a custom soap where all the profits of that soap go toward a nonprofit. Last summer I created a ‘bans off our bodies’ soap after the fall of Roe v Wade. All the profits from that went to the Chicago abortion fund.
Q: What was the inspiration for the Schenectady collection?
A: I started that three years ago when I moved into The Brauer House. The building is owned by the [Schenectady County] historical society. They made it an artist studio. Five artists including me and I have the bulk of the first floor for the shop. There’s something sort of magical here, the vibes are right and the history is so fascinating. Within a month of being here I wanted to create a soap that has the essence of this building. So that was the first soap in this collection.
Q: Who’s your favorite vendor to visit at the Greenmarket?
A: I would say Womb2Womb. She’s relatively new and makes gorgeous beadwork and really funky earrings and stuff. She’s been a new favorite of mine. And of course, Empanada Llama.
Sweet Sprig is located at 14 N. Church St. in downtown Schenectady. Orders can be placed online as well as at the shop, or a variety of local markets.
Contact reporter Ameara Ditsche at [email protected]. Keep up with her on Twitter @amearaisawriter.
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