Can soap be made without lye (sodium hydroxide)?
No.
Fat+Lye→Soap+Glycerol
Soap making has remained unchanged over the centuries. The ancient Roman tradition called for mixing rain water, potash and animal tallow (rendered form of beef or mutton fat). Making soap was a long and arduous process. First, the fat had to be rendered (melted and filtered). Then, potash solution was added. Since water and oil do not mix, this mixture had to be continuously stirred and heated sufficiently to keep the fat melted. Slowly, a chemical reaction called saponification would take place between the fat and the hydroxide which resulted in a liquid soap. When the fat and water no longer separated, the mixture was allowed to cool. At this point salt, such as sodium chloride, was added to separate the soap from the excess water. The soap came to the top, was skimmed off, and placed in wooden molds to cure. It was aged many months to allow the reaction to run to completion.
All soap is made from fats and oils, mixed with alkaline (basic) solutions. There are many kinds of fats and oils, both animal and vegetable. Fats are usually solid at room temperature, but many oils are liquid at room temperature. Liquid cooking oils originate from corn, peanuts, olives, soybeans, and many other plants. For making soap, all different types of fats and oils can be used – anything from lard to exotic tropical plant oils.
(Sourced from: ONLINE CHEMISTRY LAB MANUAL at Santa Monica College)
What does tejas mean?
Tejas is the Spanish spelling of a Caddo word taysha, which means "friend" or "ally". In the 17th century the Spanish knew the westernmost Caddo peoples as "the great kingdom of Tejas" and the name lived on to become the name of the 28th state of the United States—Texas.
(texasbeyondhistory.net)
How do you ship?
We ship Priority Mail by the USPS.
Shipping is carefully priced to add the minimal amount possible to cover mailing the package of soapy goodness to your door.
Packages are shipped by next business day and generally arrive within 3 business days after shipment commences. (shipping times are currently haywire and the USPS provides no guarantees except for overnight priority)
Do you accept Returns?
Tejas Farm Return Policy:
Due to the majority of our products being hygiene-based, we are unable to accept returns at this time.
However, if you have any problems, concerns, or questions, please let us know and we will be happy to rectify the situation.
Thank you.