This paper presents a cleaner production process for producing metal stearates particles using solid-state reaction at low temperatures. Zinc stearate and lead stearate were synthesized using PbO, ZnO and stearate acid as the reactants. The products were characterized by XRD, TG, DSC and FTIR techniques. The results showed this process yielded the products in excellent yield. Compared with precipitation or saponifying process, metal stearates prepared in this way appear of shorter process, lower cost, and no production of polluted water and higher yields. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.