# Location of "Soap" on Labels?



## hmlove1218 (Feb 21, 2014)

I can't seem to find anything specific.  I know that true soap only requires the address, the weight, and the soap identification on the label.  Does "Soap" have to be on the front label or can it be on the back?  Or even the side?


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## AnnaMarie (Feb 21, 2014)

Now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing anything about "soap" being on the labels (at least with the FDA's requirements if you are going with the "soap as a cosmetic route"). I'm not sure about the other organization that monitors soap and what is required. Good question. I wouldn't mind an answer either.
Cheers!
Anna Marie


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## new12soap (Feb 21, 2014)

front or "primary display panel"


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## judymoody (Feb 21, 2014)

Front.


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## hmlove1218 (Feb 21, 2014)

Darn.. Means ill have to reconfigure my labels.. I had it designed where it was on the ends of the bar. Ah well. Thank y'all for the answers!


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## Hermanam (Feb 23, 2014)

Good timing, I just thought of a related question the other day. If the word "Soapworks" is in the company/brand name on the front of the label, would that suffice? I sometimes struggle to find the physical space for "Soap" on the label. Just a thought?


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## hmlove1218 (Feb 23, 2014)

Interesting question. My company name has soap in it too . But to play devils advocate that doesn't technically identify that product as soap I wouldn't think.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 23, 2014)

"... If the word "Soapworks" is in the company/brand name on the front of the label, would that suffice?..."

If you want your soap to be considered SOAP in the eyes of the FDA and CPSC, the product name has to include the word. The name of the company is the name of a company. It's not the name of the product.

And what if you ever choose to make non-soap items such as lip balms, body lotions, bath fizzies, etc.? You will have to figure out a way to explicitly label the nature of those products.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 23, 2014)

Of course, it doesn't have to be overly big.....................


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## Hermanam (Feb 23, 2014)

DeeAnna said:


> "... If the word "Soapworks" is in the company/brand name on the front of the label, would that suffice?..."
> 
> If you want your soap to be considered SOAP in the eyes of the FDA and CPSC, the product name has to include the word. The name of the company is the name of a company. It's not the name of the product.
> 
> And what if you ever choose to make non-soap items such as lip balms, body lotions, bath fizzies, etc.? You will have to figure out a way to explicitly label the nature of those products.




Good point, DeeAnna...I guess I will fin a way to fit it in


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## DeeAnna (Feb 23, 2014)

I get frustrated, too, Hermanam. Labeling and packaging are not my strong points.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 23, 2014)

Can you not incorporate it in to the product name rather easily?  Or is it more of a space issue, making the name longer means making it smaller and all that?


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## Hermanam (Feb 23, 2014)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Can you not incorporate it in to the product name rather easily?  Or is it more of a space issue, making the name longer means making it smaller and all that?




I have been working on a new soap box design. I have a Silhouette Cameo paper die cut machine, which has been fun to play with, but I have spent just about as much time on packaging lately as I have the actual soap! I am really pleased with my design, but I hate having to stick the word "Soap" after the name, because it shrinks my font so much...yes, it is a space issue. I am open to suggestions or layout ideas


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 23, 2014)

Love it, by the way!

Maybe bottom left - make it a touch smaller and have Soap: ((Weight)) where ((Weight)) is what you have now?  Not a massive change that ruins the whole thing, but keeps the man off of your back


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## AnnaMarie (Feb 23, 2014)

Those are adorable!


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## Hermanam (Feb 23, 2014)

Thanks, it's been a work in progress for a while, but I enjoy it. The real pain has been that I use different molds, so I have to keep tweaking the dimensions for different batches.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 23, 2014)

St Louis, hey? Nice design!

I do have to say that if I saw your box with soap sitting out on someone's dining room table, I would not necessarily think there's soap in the box. It could be a scented wax tart, for example. I don't necessarily associate the "soapworks" in the company name with only soap, because I know there are many soapy, bath related items that a "soapworks" could make. 

What also could be done is ... shrink the scent font down a little bit. Below the scent name and above the oval cut-out, put a slogan in smaller type yet: "Old fashioned, pure, hand crafted soap" or something like that. If you can make the words follow an arc that matches the arc of the oval, that would emphasize the old-time flavor.


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## Hermanam (Feb 23, 2014)

DeeAnna said:


> St Louis, hey? Nice design!.




Yep, born and raised. I'm always amazed at how many people don't recognize the arch, so it's nice when someone from outside the region does! Thanks for the feedback and your perspective. It's easy to get tunnel vision when working on something, and I never even considered that someone might not assume this is soap.  I will play around with the font and layout and find a way to add it.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 23, 2014)

It has layers of meaning for me that work really well in a soapy context. Obviously there's the St Louis arch with the river flowing at its base. Also the handle of a pail with the waves symbolizing hot water in the pail ready to be poured into the tub for a Saturday night bath.

PS My husband's hometown is Keokuk, Iowa, just a hop 'n skip north of you.


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## Hermanam (Feb 23, 2014)

Oh DeeAnna, that's such a great way of looking at it, too. I hadn't thought of the symbolism of a pail of water. Makes me like my little handmade boxes that much more!


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## Seawolfe (Feb 24, 2014)

If the boxes were already made, I would get a cute stamp made with the words "hand made soap" and put it on the lower left. If you can get them redone easily, I'd print it there. 
Cute boxes!


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## Lin (Feb 24, 2014)

I would do something like (using matching font, black or same color as scent)


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## Hermanam (Feb 24, 2014)

Thanks for all the great ideas...I will play around with it a bit and see what looks best. Never enough hours in the weekend to get it all done, and now it's Monday again! Grrrr


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## Soapsense (Feb 26, 2014)

Hermanam Love those Boxes!  I have been looking at the Cameo and the Cricut. Is that box a template?  Another Question, do you print on the paper prior to making the box?
It's such a big investment, I have been trying to do a lot of research.  I have a friend with Cricut, and we had difficulty making a box.


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## Hermanam (Feb 26, 2014)

Soapsense, I love the cameo. It's a little bit addictive, so I have been spending about as much time on it as I have soaping lately. Yes, the cameo lets you print on the paper first (with a separate printer), then you run the paper through the cameo for cutting. No, my boxes aren't a template. I designed the layout myself, but I really didn't find it too difficult. There are lots of box templates available to download, but I wanted to make something custom. I know it's a big investment, but I can't say enough good things about the cameo. Let me know if you have more questions...I'm happy to help.


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## Susie (Feb 27, 2014)

Lin beat me to my idea.  But I would put Body or Face on the left, then Soap on the right.  But handmade actually works better.  +1 Lin!


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## newbie (Mar 26, 2014)

I was thinking of the same thing as Lin but only the small word "Soap" under the scent name, and in the same color, on the right. Keeps the label cleaner and less cluttered and fulfills the requirements.

I love your boxes.


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## Hermanam (Mar 26, 2014)

Thanks for all the great ideas. I don't know why, but packaging totally stresses me out. I am doing a fair in 2 weeks and trying to decide on packaging. I won't be doing these boxes because I just don't have enough time to make them for soooo many bars. I might just shrink wrap with a sticker label for the fair (not my preferred, but I'm in a time crunch now...ugh!)


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