A BRETFORTON-based businesswoman has fallen foul of the might of a multinational company after it got into a lather about the name of her organic soap firm.

Emma Heathcote-James, the owner of a business which produces luxury hand-made soap from local sources, has been forced to change its name from Naked Soap Company to Little Soap Company.

After building up the business over the past 18 months via internet sales, trade shows and winning contracts to supply local Warner’s Budgen’s stores and Waitrose, she was devastated when she learned she would have to change the name.

“The costs of what would have been a lengthy legal battle were prohibitive so I simply decided to draw a line, put Naked behind me and move forward,” she said.

“I still make the same soaps, the packaging and online shop is all the same, only the name has changed.”

The company’s name change was celebrated in style at the RGS The Grange, Worcester, summer fair last Saturday where lavender soap made by some of the pupils was on sale.

Ellie Carey, Ben Hughes and Will Reading, all aged 10, made the first batch of soap under the new name with Ms Heathcote-James. They used rosemary and lavender from their school garden infused in extra virgin olive oil to add to the mixing pot and were then taken through the entire soap making process.

Instead of using tap water, collected rainwater was added to the recipe.

The moulds for the soap came from pieces of reclaimed wood that were used to make the Hamlet set at Stratford theatre.