Ebay bulk soap seller?

[Tabitha]

Whether or not you agree with his selling practices ie, selling for private labelling, surely it is only more or less the same as buying M&P adding your own colours scents etc., and adding your label??- IMHO anyways :wink:

No, they are nothing alike. There is plenty of time, effort and artistic integrity in M&P soap making. I just busted my a$$ making M&P soap for 6 hours a day for 5 straight days for a massive order and my back is killing me. My back would not be aching & it would not have taken 30 hours if I had mearly been reselling someone elses soap. Please do not disrespect my process because it isn't your cup of tea.

There is nothing wrong with private label either. It is dishonest to claim you made it, but most stores do not make the items in them, they resell and that is what private label. Private label = resell.

Oh I am so sorry but you totally misunderstood my meaning, I love M&P and I would never ever disrespect it, what I meant was that it is purchased ready made (as was the bulk sellers soap) for it to be dressed up however you see fit. I was in fact in my own clumsy way trying to defend the seller and meant no disrespect to anyone. Sorry Tabitha for not making myself clear

Point taken.

 

[Tabitha]

I think she was just trying to say that the basic ethics of it are the same. Not that the work of it (amount of work or time spent) is the same. (aka buying M&P which you did not technically make from scratch, or buying soap that someone else made which you obviously did not make from scratch, and putting your label on either one. the buyer did not make either one from scratch buy they are calling it their own.) That's how I understood it. I don't think she meant to insult anyone (and I certainly don't either).

I do not agree. If it is M&P, you made it, maybe not from scratch, but you made it. Some M&P creations are much more difficult & take much more practice & skill than some CP soaps do. I make both and know this to be fact.

If you use spagetti sauce from a jar on your eggplant pamrigiani did you NOT make dinner because the sauce wasn't from scratch? Of course you made dinner.

 

[AmyW]

If you use spagetti sauce from a jar on your eggplant pamrigiani did you NOT make dinner because the sauce wasn't from scratch? Of course you made dinner.

This made me laugh - if you asked that to my dad, he'd say "hell no, you're being a lazy bum, go make it from scratch and cook a real meal" ...but he was 81 when he passed and definitely had his quirks. I learned to keep him out of the kitchen (he lived with me for 7 years, I was his caretaker) and make it LOOK like I made the sauce from scratch LOL I think M&P is excellent for the creative factor that you can't do with CP. Someday I should try it.

 

[Nikobee]

For those of you who are professionals and supply soap to larger companies, would you mind discussing how that process works?

No sensitive company names if you prefer, but simply how the process worked? How did you get into it etc...

Does a store like Lush have a number of suppliers? What is the legal process, testing, etc....

The only part of this I have time to address is the question regarding Lush. They do not purchase soap from a bunch of different suppliers. Lush is actually a manufacturer and retailer. They make their own soap. If you follow them on Facebook you can learn a lot about what they do and how they do it. They are quite open about their business practices but also quite controversial
Their pictures are fun to look at and I have even purchased their soaps on occasion. Not what I really like and actually have purchased for the fragrance more than anything!

On a quick note (I'm in Texas) and there are several smaller "natural food" retailers locally who sell independent soapers product.
Sprouts Market is one I know of and Whole Foods and Central Market do the same. One of my soaping acquaintances sells to them. Her name is Maggie at A Wild Soap Bar.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Aq7qDZ7g74"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Aq7qDZ7g74[/ame]
Keep in mind that a small order from these seemingly small retail stores could be HUGE and a ton of work for a tiny soap business

I have seen other videos of Maggie and her soap studio/shop so search YouTube and you will find lots of things that will put this into perspective for you.

Nicki

 

[ilovedoxies]

I've used the Soap Guy soap. A little market near my home used to sell it. It is a great soap. At the time I was just getting into soap and it was one of the first soaps of that kind I had used.