Why we use Manuka honey in our eco soaps

Brandon Vickers from Bruntwood Lane

Not all honey is created equal! What is UMF-rated honey and why is it different to other honey?

Honey contains natural antibacterial properties, in the form of hydrogen peroxide, methylglyoxal and the antibacterial peptide defensin-1. This antibiotic quality differs between honeys depending on the type of nectar that the bees forage to make honey. The result? Some honeys are hundreds of times more potent than others.

Honey produced from the nectar of Mānuka bushes contain higher quantities of the antibacterial compound, methylglyoxal (MG). While the quantity of MG is in most honeys is low, there is enough present in Mānuka Honey to have therapeutic effects.

Mānuka honey producers have a scale for rating the potency of honey − the Unique Mānuka Factor or UMF. The UMF rating reflects the concentration of MG in honey, with a rating of 10 being the minimum rating to be considered potent enough to confer therapeutic effects.

The UMF rating is the only Mānuka honey grading system that is licenced and audited.

Honey has been used for centuries and is considered to help with inflammation, treating infections and regulating gastrointestinal problems. It is even used medically as a topical application for treating minor wounds and burns.

That’s why we use UMF rated Manuka Honey in our eco felted soaps! With the many benefits Mānuka honey can provide, it never hurts to give it a go.