It is known to form bars of soap of a size and shape for convenient use in personal washing by a moulding process. Such bars may have a design or pattern embossed on a surface of the bar or an element bearing a design or pattern may be bonded to a surface of the soap bar. The design or pattern my indicate a brand or manufacturer of the soap bar or may be solely ornamental. If the bar has an embossed design or pattern, it will be appreciated that in use the embossed design or pattern becomes obscured due to filling with softened soap and by erosion of the soap surface. If the bar has an element bonded to a surface of the soap, the design or pattern remains visible but the element hinders use of the soap from that surface of the bar to which the element is bonded.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an article of soap includes a first element of soap having a first visual characteristic and a second element of soap extending through the first element, said second element of soap having a second visual characteristic visually distinct from said first visual characteristic.

Preferably the first element has first and second exterior surfaces and the second element extends from the first to the second exterior surface and is visible in both surfaces. Alternatively, but less preferred, the second element may be visible in only one surface prior to use of the soap.

According to a second aspect the invention includes a method of manufacturing the article of soap as hereinbefore defined.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing which is a perspective view of a bar of soap in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing an article of soap consisting of a bar of soap comprises a first element 10 of soap having a first surface 11 and a second surface 12. A second element 13 of soap extends through the first element from the first surface to the second surface. The second element has a visual characteristic, for example colour, which is different from a visual characteristic of the first element and is formed to have a desired cross sectional shape. The second element has the same cross sectional shape throughout the extent thereof from the first to the second surface. Soap bars for personal use are usually of approximately rectangular form and have two relatively larger rectangular surfaces, the first and second surfaces 11,12, and a relatively narrow edge surface 14. In use the larger first and second surfaces tend to be eroded more rapidly than the edge of the bar.

Accordingly it is desirable that the second element extends between the larger surfaces of the soap bar. Also when placed at rest, the soap bar will tend to lie with one of the larger surfaces uppermost and hence the cross sectional shape of the second element will be exposed to view. The second element may extend generally centrally of the first element so that the cross sectional shape thereof appears centrally located in the first and second surfaces but if desired may extend through any other part of the soap bar. If desired the second element may be offset from the centre of the first element so that the cross sectional shape of the second element is located at a non-central location of the first and second surfaces.

It will be appreciated that, unlike other known markings of soap bars, the cross sectional shape of the second element of the soap bar will remain visible as the surface of the soap bar is eroded during use of the soap bar throughout the life of the soap bar and the exposed surfaces of both the first element and second elements will be eroded at substantially the same rate.

The cross sectional shape of the second element may correspond to a logo

or other marking which a manufacturer-of the soap bar wishes to provide to indicate a brand, type of soap or other information to a user of the soap bar. For example, the cross sectional shape may be of star form as shown in the drawing but may be of other desired shape.

As stated hereinbefore, the first and second elements are formed of soap material having different visual characteristics. It is envisaged that one element will be formed of soap material of a first colour, for example white, and the second element will be formed of soap material of a second colour, for example blue, contrasting with the first colour. However, instead of a single colour either element may be formed of soap material comprising a mixture of different coloured soap materials provided that the visual appearance of the second element contrasts with or is different from that of the first element. If desired more than one second element may be provided and the second elements may have the same visual characteristics and shape or may have different visual characteristics or different shapes or both characteristics and shapes may be different.

The cross sectional shape of the second element may represent a logo or other marking to indicate a brand or type of soap. Where more than one second element is provided, the combination of second elements may represent a logo or other marking.

The soap bar may be manufactured by co-extrusion of the first and second elements such as to form an integral soap bar of contrasting elements.

Alternatively the elements may be formed independently by stamping or moulding, the first element being formed with an aperture extending therethrough corresponding in cross section to that of the second element, and then the first and second elements are assembled to form the combined soap bar. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular manner of manufacture of the soap bar and other methods than those referred to hereinbefore may be utilised.