Fresh, spicy, natural - unique in scent and effect
The Speick plant –
the high alpine soul of our products
As is often the case, nature becomes all the more fascinating the more deeply we engage with it. The same is true of the small, unassuming Speick plant, which also lends its name to our brand.
All products in our Speick-branded ranges, with the exception of the Made by Speick products, contain the unique extract of the wild-growing high alpine Speick plant (Valeriana celtica), available exclusively worldwide and certified as organically controlled wild harvesting. We incorporate the extract of the dried plant into our products.
Today, the Speick plant is found almost exclusively in the Nockberge Biosphere Park in Carinthia, Austria. This region provides ideal growing conditions: low-lime soils at high, treeless altitudes. In addition, the intense alpine sunlight, the clear mountain air, and the combination of cold winters and warm summers endow the plant year after year with the remarkable strength concentrated in its roots.
The rediscovery of the Speick plant and the beginning of a skincare icon
Walter Rau rediscovered the Speick plant in the 1920s and was instantly fascinated by it.
Driven by his love of plants and nature, Walter Rau became captivated by the special properties attributed to this visually modest little plant in historical traditions.
What are these special properties?
For centuries, people in the Alpine regions have valued the Speick plant for its relaxing yet revitalising effects. From Antiquity through to the Middle Ages, Speick appears in medicinal texts as a healing herb. Beyond this, it also served as a protective plant and was traditionally used as a distinctive incense during the Rauhnächte, the nights between Christmas and Epiphany that are associated with reflection and personal contemplation.
Thanks to these qualities, the Speick plant was transported in large quantities to the Orient over many centuries, where it was valued both as a medicinal herb and as a fragrance ingredient.
Walter Rau wanted to make this treasure trove of valuable yet largely forgotten qualities accessible once again in a new way. He decided to incorporate the unique plant into a gentle soap for personal care. Thus, Speick Original Soap was “born” in 1928.
However, centuries of intense demand for Speick had led to a significant decline in its natural populations by the twentieth century. In 1936, the plant was placed under nature conservation protection. To this day, Speick may only be processed under special licence from certified organically controlled wild harvesting. A scientific study conducted in the 1990s confirmed what Alpine farmers had long known intuitively: the plant thrives and reproduces best when it is harvested regularly in moderation.
Back in the 1920s, our founder could not have foreseen that cosmetics made with natural ingredients would resonate more strongly than ever with modern consumers. The rediscovery of the Speick plant laid the foundation for this journey, which is now being continued with fresh perspectives and great dedication by the fourth generation of the family.
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Harvested exclusively - at an altitude of 1,800m in the Nockberge Biosphere Reserve in Carinthia, Austria -
Unique worldwide: every Speick product contains the unique extract of the high-alpine Speick plant -
A true one-stop shop – from the first idea to the finished product: as a small- to medium-sized family business and one of the few soap manufacturers in Germany, we put lots of importance on hand craftsmanship.
