Overview
Wooden Spoon is a Bulgarian natural-cosmetics brand founded in 2014 and based in Bozhurishte, in the Sofia region [9]. It trades under the company Orenda Group Ltd. and makes skincare, body care, hair care, sun protection and baby products built around organic-certified oils and herbal extracts [4]. The brand's guiding idea is that skincare should be edible-grade: as the company puts it, "if you can't eat the cream, don't put it on your skin."
The brand remains active. Its most recent public milestones include B Corp certification and a 2025 switch to biodegradable packaging, and it reports selling across many export markets, though the exact figure varies between sources.
⚑ Thinner sourcing. The article relies largely on the brand's own statements (T2–T3). Glowpedia is seeking independent sources.
Origin & founders
Wooden Spoon began as a home experiment in the kitchen of its founder, Sylvia Pavlova, who mixed creams from edible ingredients before turning the idea into a business in 2014 [9]. She co-founded the parent company, Orenda Group Ltd., alongside Yani Dragov, described as an entrepreneur in the bio industry, and Plamen Pavlov, who serves as financial manager [9]. According to an EU-affiliated profile, Pavlova framed the venture around "making organic skin care products so clean that they can be eaten" [9].
The founder's name appears in two spellings on the brand's own materials: "Sylvia Pavlova" on the homepage and blog, and "Silvia Pavlova" (also rendered "Silviya") on the team page, both transliterations of the same Bulgarian name.
Ownership
Wooden Spoon is the trademark of Orenda Group Ltd., the Bulgarian company that Pavlova manages and co-founded [9]. No acquisitions or ownership changes are recorded in the available sources; the brand has operated under the same company since its founding.
Philosophy & positioning
The company positions itself as a maker of pure, natural cosmetics for babies, children and adults, and it draws a sharp line against synthetic inputs. On its industry directory page, Wooden Spoon states that "chemical, synthetic or petroleum ingredients are a no-no in our recipes" and that oils are heated to no more than 38°C to preserve their properties. It describes its formulas as free of silicones, PEGs, mineral oils and synthetic dyes, and says none of its products are tested on animals.
Alongside product purity, the brand emphasises how it operates: it describes a "zero-waste laboratory" where containers and spare materials are recycled and minimal water is used, and lists social-responsibility work among its core values. Its stated tagline is "With love for people."
Products & innovation
Wooden Spoon's range spans face care, body care, hair care, sun protection, lip care, dental hygiene and a dedicated line for children and babies, using organic-certified oils, herbal extracts and prebiotic components. Among its signature items is a mineral sunscreen for babies and families that uses transparent zinc; the company claims to have been "the first company in Europe to sell 100% natural sunscreen lotions with innovative transparent zinc," which it says leaves no white marks. It reports that dermatological testing on 20 volunteers, 11 of them with a history of allergic reactions, found the mineral sunscreens did not irritate or cause redness.
A second notable product is the "Majestic drop" night elixir, which the brand says was given to guests at a London launch ball tied to the Platinum Jubilee commemorative album for Queen Elizabeth II.
Sustainability
Sustainability is central to how Wooden Spoon presents itself. In April 2025 the company announced new packaging it describes as "crafted from 100% natural materials — a unique combination of mowed grass and recycled paper," which it says is FSC-certified, compostable and able to decompose within about a year. The brand states that production uses significantly less water and energy than conventional packaging.
In 2024 the company obtained B Corp certification, a standard administered by the non-profit B Lab that assesses a company's environmental and social practices. Wooden Spoon framed the certification as "another step in establishing ourselves as an ethical leader in the natural cosmetics industry" [5].
Recognition & press
Wooden Spoon's baby-care range was selected in 2020 for "Baby Sussex," a commemorative book marking the first birthday of the son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, compiled by royal correspondent Robert Jobson and St James's House [8]. The brand describes itself as the only Bulgarian cosmetics company included. In 2022 its history was featured in the official Platinum Jubilee commemorative album for Queen Elizabeth II, an account the brand publishes itself and which is corroborated by third-party summaries [7]. In 2024 the founder's entrepreneurial story was selected for the European Commission's "Ready to Grow" campaign through the Enterprise Europe Network [9].
Current status
Wooden Spoon is an active brand. Its e-commerce operation, mobile apps and blog remained current through 2024 and 2025, with the biodegradable-packaging rollout dated April 2025 [6]. The company reports substantial export sales, but the scale figures differ by source: an industry snippet cites 22 markets, the brand's own blog says the products are present in "over 50 countries" [4], and an early EU-affiliated profile noted sales in eight markets shortly after launch [9]. The brand records its manufacturing at the "Smart Hive Lab" facility in Bozhurishte, Bulgaria.
Sources
T1 primary · T2 secondary · T3 note- [4]T2woodenspoon.eu/en/sylvia-pavlova-the-story/woodenspoon.eu (brand site)
- [5]T2woodenspoon.eu/en/wooden-spoon-is-b-corp/woodenspoon.eu (brand site)
- [6]T2woodenspoon.eu/en/biodegradable-packaging/woodenspoon.eu (brand site)
- [7]T2woodenspoon.eu/en/wooden-spoon-a-bulgarian-organic-skincare-brand-is-showcased-in-her-majesty-the-queen-the-official-platinum-jubilee-pageant-commemorative-album/woodenspoon.eu (brand site)
- [8]T2woodenspoon.eu/en/wooden-spoon-baby-care-products-in-baby-sussex/woodenspoon.eu (brand site)
- [9]T3euwomanbg.com/en/the-successful-story-of-a-female-entrepreneur-from-bulgaria-has-been-chosen-in-the-campaign-ready-to-grow-of-the-european-comission/euwomanbg.com


