In Conversation. Founder of Poetica, Tess Albrecht-Schmitz

We sat down with Tess Albrecht-Schmitz, the founder of Poetica to delve into the story behind her botanical essentials brand. Poetica turns everyday routines - washing your hands, bathing, and taking care of clothes - into fragrant and sensual rituals. With scents inspired by the world’s wild places, Poetica encourages us to reconnect with nature in daily moments.

Tess shares the inspiration and philosophy that make Poetica unique, discussing signature products like their botanical delicate wash, bar soap and mist, now offered at our Los Angeles store.

In this interview, Tess talks about sustainable design, growing a brand, and the importance of education. She also offers silk care tips and gives us a glimpse into future initiatives for Poetica.

Join us as we explore Tess's journey, her excitement about partnering with Silk Laundry, and her personal favorites from the Poetica range. Discover the natural beauty of her evocative products and the vision behind them.

At Poetica, we design fragrant botanical products with scents inspired by the natural world and a mindful use of resources. It’s a creative venture that brings together my reverence for nature and my interest in sustainability – born out of my career in impact investing and masters degree in sustainable supply chains. 

What makes Poetica unique in the realm of botanical skincare and garment care products? 
I believe our focus on product quality is unparalleled. Our hand care, body care and garment care products feel luxurious and smell incredible, and this comes from a commitment to working with the finest botanical extracts from sustainable farming. The healthiest plants yield the most vibrant scents and textures, and you can feel the difference in our products. And especially with garment care, we turn a chore into a more sensual ritual through scent. 

Could you share more about the Botanical Mist, Delicate Wash, and bar soaps that we are stocking in our Los Angeles store? 
This collaboration is a match made in heaven, with Silk Laundry and Poetica sitting at the intersection of luxury and conservation.  In a nutshell, Poetica’s Delicate Wash and bar soaps gently clean and condition natural fabrics, with the bar soap as a travel-friendly option.  Our plant-based mists purify and perfume pieces in between washing or dry cleaning  (for dry clean only pieces), and help reduce the static-cling common with silk.

Can you share some of the challenges you faced while starting and growing Poetica?
Finding the right partners to bring the brand to life took time and perseverance. I learnt the art of saying no and in doing so uncovered the best natural perfumers and chemists to work with, who have become instrumental to our business as well as dear friends. 

How important is education in the use of botanical garment care products? 
There’s an interesting cognitive dissonance when it comes to garment care, and I love playing in this space creatively. For example, we spend a lot of money on “investment pieces”, but we invest very little in their care. Laundry is seen as a grudge task, an afterthought. Yet 25% of a garment’s lifecycle carbon footprint comes from how it’s cared for, so laundry matters, and we need to encourage that learning. 

I think the easiest way to encourage garment care is to beautify the process, to make the cleaning process as beautiful and addictive as the clothing you love. So our signature delicate wash (and now bar soap) is plant-based, cold-water activated, pH-balanced and designed for hand washing - so we reduce water use, heat consumption, and any risk of harsh chemicals entering waterways after use. Coincidentally, this is also gentler for your fabrics! And our Mists reduce washing or drycleaning frequency, because we tend to overwash our clothes, which degrades fabrics over time.

Can you provide some tips for our audience on how to incorporate your products into their daily skincare and silk care routines? 
For those traveling this summer, our bar soaps and mists will be your best friends! The bar soap is easy to bring with you to hand wash silk pieces on the run, and you can also use it to scent luggage and drawers. The mists are perfect if you are short on time or are traveling somewhere remote. 

How can your products be used to care for silk, such as reducing static cling with the Botanical Mist or using the delicate wash for silk garments? 
To set the stage, it’s important to note that most silks, including silk blends, can be safely hand washed at home (though always check the label first). I recommend avoiding traditional detergents with enzymes - they work by targeting protein-based fibers, so can degrade silk fibers over time. Instead, invest in a delicate wash which differentiates from a regular detergent through a gentle, pH-balanced, enzyme-free formula. Hand wash in cool water and with like colors together, and presoak pieces for 5-10 minutes before for a deeper clean. Turning to our mists - the moisture naturally helps reduce pesky static cling. Spray from around 5 inches away so that the moisture disperses very lightly and evenly over the fabric. 

What new products or initiatives can we expect from Poetica in the near future? 
We’re thrilled to launch our new garment bar soaps exclusively at Silk Laundry’s LA store, so we encourage you to stop by and smell the gorgeous scents!

How do you envision the future of botanical skincare and garment care, and where does Poetica fit into that vision? 
The ‘quiet luxury’ movement shows that educated clients are increasingly honoring unique experiences, transparency, and timelessness over trend. And to me, garment care has always been the missing link in the sustainable fashion movement, and I hope brands like Poetica can help change this, elevating it as an act of beauty. It’s a simple premise - what we care for lasts.

Could you share a personal favorite from the Poetica range and why it holds a special place for you? 
As the weather warms, I’ve been reaching for our garment care products in the Grandiflor scent, which evokes midnight summer gardens. I’ll use our hand and body lotion in the same scent before slipping into a beautiful Silk Laundry 90s dress and finishing with a spritz of Grandiflor mist. I’m a walking garden in bloom!

What is your personal skincare and garment care ritual, and how do Poetica products play a role in it? 
I see garment care as a natural extension of skin care – the cleaning products we choose for our clothing influences skin comfort, and the act of caring for special pieces is an expression of self care. I love to layer scents, so I’ll hand wash pieces in one of our scented Delicate Washes, use the same scent as a body oil after showering, and once dressed I’ll use the mist in the same scent.