A brand of household soap originally produced by the British company Lever Brothers in 1884. Designed for washing clothes and general household use, the success of the product led to the name for the company's village for its workers, Port Sunlight. William Lever's initial success came from offering bars of cut, wrapped, and branded soap in his father's grocery shop. Prior to this, commercially made soap was bought in long bars, an early labour-saving device for the housewife.