Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
For Ryan Jacob Wood and Bary Klevene, the couple behind Woodberry Co., soapmaking is a part-art, part-science endeavor. The goal is to engineer a pleasurable aesthetic and sensory experience, using only science-backed and ethically sourced ingredients. Their process requires precise measurements, near-obsessive research, and keen aesthetic sensibilities. The artistic Wood and tech-savvy Klevene seem to be the perfect duo for the job.
As a visual artist schooled in musical theatre and photography, Wood is always on the lookout for new creative outlets. He’s a part-time fitness instructor who sees soapmaking as another valuable, if unexpected, mode of artistic expression. Here, his affinity for the visual arts comes in handy: He is the mastermind behind the designs of each bar, which can feature striped, floral, geometrical, or abstract patterns. The swirly designs are hand-painted by Wood, while the geometrical ones are computer-generated by Klevene according to Wood’s vision. Color is crucial. Wood is a synesthete who registers smell, as well as names and numbers, as color. And so to Wood, the smell of each bar automatically dictates its color. “It doesn’t always align with everybody else’s vision,” he says, “but I mean, that’s my world.”
Klevene is an SSM Health emergency medicine physician by day and Woodberry’s chief technical officer at night. He handles the back-end coding for their site and other technical operations, laser-cutting, label-printing, and troubleshooting issues. Though Wood now does most of the day-to-day work, soapmaking was Klevene’s hobby first.
The pair started tinkering with soaps in 2014, after Klevene’s best friend gave them a soapmaking kit. What started as fun gifts for friends and family soon turned into a business idea. “We realized that we could control what ingredients are in the soap and use something that is really good for us,” Wood explains. Klevene began formulating new versions with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients, while Wood carried out the actual soapmaking process, design, and branding.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Bary Klevene and Ryan Jacob Wood
Woodberry Co. officially launched in winter 2019 and has been slowly growing ever since. Today, the business is both a source of income and a collaborative project for the couple.
As a vegan, ethical, and environmentally conscious brand, Woodberry emphasizes labor standards and minimizing the company’s carbon footprint, with ingredients that can be tracked to the source whenever possible. Woodberry commits to sourcing only sustainable palm oil. The company is also plastics-free with the exception of recycled plastic airbags. Rather than use microplastics, they opt for natural exfoliants made from pumice and mustard seeds. The packaging is otherwise all paper. The soaps are also environmentally friendly and disintegrate after use.
“There are so many bodywash bottles that go into landfills,” Wood says, “Why don’t we just eliminate it altogether, because we don’t need to be shipping water around the world? If everybody could just eliminate one plastic bottle from the shower by using bar soap, that would make a huge difference.”
Each bar of soap also has a distinctive character: Woodberry’s website, for instance, describes Orange Blossom—scented with such essential oils as orange, clary sage, and ylang-ylang—as “fresh and floral, like strolling through a garden in bloom on a warm spring day,” with iridescent pink swirls. Woodsman, in comparison, has a rustic and minimalist look; a textured, matte black is paired with a warm, light brown. “We’re trying to create an experience,” Wood says.
“When people say they love our soap, they love it because of how it makes them feel,” Klevene adds. “It’s not just the scent; it’s not just the color; it’s not just the packaging—it’s everything from start to finish.”
