# A Call to all in AUSTRALIA! Co-Op oppertunity!



## kaseencook (May 5, 2009)

I have been thinking for a while to start a soaping Co-Op (or at least I think it's a co-op  ). 

I have custom soaps on my website, as I can do custom moulds and stamps, but like most soapers I have an area of soaping that I like the best - natural HP soaps with natural ingredients. I often get inquiries for custom soap but sometimes it is not within my specialist area. 

I would like to gather up a group of soapers in Australia (and perhaps a separate US, Canada, UK, ect. sections so there is a greater choice of soapers) into a co-op with soapers who specialise in different areas of soap making like: 

Goats Milk 
Beer Soap 
MP 
HP 
CP 
Natural Soaps 
Artistic/Cloured Soaps 
Soap on a Rope 
Animal Soaps 
Baby Soaps 
Wedding Soaps 
Hotel Soaps 

This way the customer can find someone who specializes in the particular soap they want custom ordered, I can help with any custom logo work and moulds/stamps at a very cheap price, and it will be a way for soapers to work together to get more exposure for their talents in a particular area. I guess that is the beauty of the co-op is that everyone helps everyone with their own special talents and everyone benefits. 

I guess it's sort of like a referral system for soapers, as a joint advertising opportunity, as well as access discounted custom stamps and moulds for your custom orders. 

What do you think? 

Who would be interested? 

I would be thinking of putting together a website perhaps as a sort of catalogue of soapers with their specialties with logos and links to website and descriptions of soaps and specialties.


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## Galavanting Gifts (May 5, 2009)

Oh my goat, what a FANTASTICAL idea, I love it.


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## topcat (May 5, 2009)

Count me in - that is absolutely brilliant Kaseen!

Tanya


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## ilovebeaniekids (May 13, 2009)

wow good idea i would love to be in !! does it matter that im new to this type of thing and i am very happy to say i just done my first batch of goats milk soap and think it turned out well  i need to find some molds and so ideas im wanting to try and do some other type of soap to with colour?


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## OceanGirl-3 (May 13, 2009)

I be in but will i be good enough :?:  have being doing it a little while and have a online store :wink: 

Kristie


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## kaseencook (May 13, 2009)

Sure, anyone can sign up! I suppose one of the prime directives of the directory was to help consumers find a specific soap (for sale), but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have more sign up and it can always be updated later if you start a business, or it could also be useful if someone is looking for help in a particular area of soap making and need to talk to someone! 

I have the basics of the site up, but the sign up part doesn't work yet as I am still flushing out errors in the code. But check it out and tell me what you think or if it needs anything! It's http://www.sudcentral.com. 

I also have a part to sign up to petition the outrageous Aussie Soap Rego costs under the "Good Causes and Calls to Action" link on the far left, it is also here:

http://www.gopetition.com/online/27636.html

The petition need a pic too, but I don't have any really good soap pics, if anyone wants to donate one, I would really appreciate it!


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## studioalamode (May 13, 2009)

I'm in the US, but I think it is a neat idea *goes off to work on specializing in something*


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## OceanGirl-3 (May 13, 2009)

Signed :wink: 

So can i sign up now?? what a lovely thing to do btw and time taken to do this thank you  

I tried told me this (Could not connect)  
Kristie


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## kaseencook (May 13, 2009)

It's not just for Aussies anymore, the original idea was just aussies (hence the title of the post), but I think that I will just add a country/region box and then people can sort by region. I will do another post to the main foums when it is ready for everyone to sign up no matter location. 

It does not work yet! I am still working out the code as I said, so it will not work yet! PLEASE DON'T SIGN UP YET! I just wanted to get your input on the site. 

Thanks Guys!


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## OceanGirl-3 (May 13, 2009)

I shouldn't read stuff too early in the moring so sorry :cry: 

Looks great though  :wink:


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## Galavanting Gifts (May 13, 2009)

kaseencook, I could give you a BIG soapy hug right now for that petition, I have cp soap here ready for sale and by law i'm not allowed to sell it, I have people wanting to buy it and it frustrates me to no end because at this time the Gov't fee is just not a possibility right now  

When I spoke to the person in charge of the registration area regarding registration costs I told him that I will just need to stick to m&p for now until I could afford the fee, he replied "Whats melt and pour soap?", i'm thinking that half these workers don't even know their own material or facts because I got tossed all over the department to try get some answers :x 

Something I don't understand though: in the process of making the m&p base lye needs to be used in the soap that is being used as part of the "ingredient" to create the base, is that correct?
 If so then why do we not need to register if we are only using m&p when lye is still an ingredient. When we make cp the lye is no longer a risk due to the process. I can understand the soap needs to be safe before sale but is it possible that m&p cannot be safe before sale?
 Am I missing something in their "logic" :?


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## topcat (May 13, 2009)

No, all you are missing is that there is no logic in government regulations (lol)....a case of 'too many cooks spoil the broth' in most govt departments methinks.  In our building business you should _see_ what we go through trying to get a new home approved through council for our clients - sheesh!!!  It used to be a long time if a plan took 6 weeks....now it can take 2 years :shock: 

Tanya


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## kaseencook (May 13, 2009)

I think it's supposed to be about "creating chemicals". So they say that because for CP you mix lye and oil and create a new chemical (soap), that soap makers are manufacturing new chemicals and have to be registered. Where if someone buys a Melt and Pour base they just heating and pouring, but no new chemicals are made. The people who produce the Melt and Pour base though would have to be registered because they are making the "new" chemicals for the base. Interestingly enough the way they define soap for registration purposes they do not seam to be at all worried about the "lye factor" or the risk of lye burn in the final product, they just seem to be concerned with the production of a "new chemical" via a chemical reaction between the oil and lye. 

This is where they explain:

http://www.nicnas.gov.au/Industry/Registration/Fact_Sheets/Soap_Makers_Fact_Sheet_PDF.pdf

It's all so silly though. They treat handmade soap makers as if they were large industrial chemical companies and can afford such fees. There is also no rational for the rego because they do not test or regulate the soap "chemicals" that people have to register! That's not protecting anyone! It's as though someone with absolutely no idea about soap making, the real risks, or the people that make soap wrote this stuff up, as if they thought that all soap was made in a factory or something with industrial chemicals.  :x  Not to mention that soap is not a new chemical, it is a known substance that has been around for centuries, so why should soap makers have to pay $380 to fill in a form to tell NICNAS that they make soap. That's three days pay for someone at NICNAC, and I'm sure it prob takes less than ten minutes to put the info in a database and toss the form in a filing cabinet. Urg! 

Spread the word! Soapers are not a money grab! Help small business! 

I'm not really sure what to do with the petition once it's done though.... where to send it..... but I guess there's time to work that out later  Still need a good amount of signatures.


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## Galavanting Gifts (May 14, 2009)

Thanks Kaseen for clearing that up for me, its good to see im not the only one having issues with these rules, it can almost cripple the small business soapmaker.

Tanya, it doesn't surprise me when it comes to the council, my dad now has to pay $15 to chop down a tree on his own property (his 25 acre property is heavily covered in trees).


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## kaseencook (May 14, 2009)

Totally, I know I won't be selling soap any more.... there is not way we can afford that kind of fee, it's just not worth it.


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## kaseencook (May 14, 2009)

Just checked the signatures, 9! Woo! Thanks guys! Before ya know it it'll be at 9 million! (well, prob not that much...... )

Hehe, Thanks for getting your family to sign up too Tanya


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## topcat (May 14, 2009)

You're welcome!  I sent the link out to almost everyone on my email list - at least those who are supportive of my soapmaking....more may sign yet....?

Kaseen, how about starting a thread in the CP forum asking for signatures from members?  It may just snowball.

Tanya


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## kaseencook (May 14, 2009)

Great thinking!


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