How do you do labels?

[Catscankim]

@TheGecko Question. I know that ingredients are not required to be listed on packaging, but are we allowed to list as “may contain”, if you choose to label ingredients?

I know you probably already did your research on that, so i should probably rephrase my question to “Wow! We can do that?!! LOL

Learning that every word and comma take up valuable real estate on the labels, I am also wondering if natural colorants might have more label appeal, and worth its real estate?

 

[earlene]

Well, it depends on what you are selling and where you are selling, whether or not you are allowed to label using only the word, 'mica'. If you sell to customers in a country where the laws require stricter labeling adherence, you DO have to follow those rules. Example: What you are selling: In the US true soap vs Cosmetic (soap). Example: Where you are selling: US, Canada, etc. If you sell soap that is considered True Soap in the US, it is a Cosmetic in Canada, and therefore must be labeled as such for Canadian sales.

For example, if listing the specific colorants by INCI name is required in the country where your buyer is located and you ship to that customer's location, you are required to label using the INCI name and you can't just say 'mica'.

Even in the US, if your soap is a cosmetic, you are still required to list & use only FDA approved colorants and this is the US Federal Regulation that pertains: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)

As for 'may contain' that is covered by the FDA regulations for colorants in Cosmetics labelling here: CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21

So, yes, you can do it according to the US FDA regulations for Cosmetic soap. But can you sell that soap with that same label to customers who order from outside the US? Probably not, which is why some sellers won't ship to other countries, shipping costs aside.

 

[Oregon Groves]

Thanks guys! I will do that. That's less of a headache. I was spending a whole day doing labels because the ingredients

 

[Oregon Groves]

Well, it depends on what you are selling and where you are selling, whether or not you are allowed to label using only the word, 'mica'. If you sell to customers in a country where the laws require stricter labeling adherence, you DO have to follow those rules. Example: What you are selling: In the US true soap vs Cosmetic (soap). Example: Where you are selling: US, Canada, etc. If you sell soap that is considered True Soap in the US, it is a Cosmetic in Canada, and therefore must be labeled as such for Canadian sales.

For example, if listing the specific colorants by INCI name is required in the country where your buyer is located and you ship to that customer's location, you are required to label using the INCI name and you can't just say 'mica'.

Even in the US, if your soap is a cosmetic, you are still required to list & use only FDA approved colorants and this is the US Federal Regulation that pertains: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)

As for 'may contain' that is covered by the FDA regulations for colorants in Cosmetics labelling here: CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21

So, yes, you can do it according to the US FDA regulations for Cosmetic soap. But can you sell that soap with that same label to customers who order from outside the US? Probably not, which is why some sellers won't ship to other countries, shipping costs aside.

Right now I am focusing on just selling locally at shops and in the USA but that's a good point too.

 

[marehare]

If you purchase labels From Avery or Onlinelabels they have design templates that once you get the hang of it are not hard to do. I’m not experienced In design or computers and I was able (with a little initial help from my husband) to figure it out. I can make them quickly now. When I make a new soap I make the labels right away and tuck it away in a folder for when I need it.

I don't sell but do print labels when I gift soaps. I have been using the Avery labels & templates with a Brother printer, and they have been working well for me.
I have also used a label maker before (one of those you put a label tape in). It doesn't print anything fancy, but it was very easy and functional for printing a list of ingredients.

I've been using Avery for years. I use stick on labels that are round. I design my own labels and change the design if I change the scents. So easy and quick. I buy blank labels on Ebay since they're cheaper than Avery and they work fine. Then I wrap in tissue paper and use label to seal the soap. It makes wrapping and labeling quick and my soap looks very professional.

 

[Oregon Groves]

I've been using Avery for years. I use stick on labels that are round. I design my own labels and change the design if I change the scents. So easy and quick. I buy blank labels on Ebay since they're cheaper than Avery and they work fine. Then I wrap in tissue paper and use label to seal the soap. It makes wrapping and labeling quick and my soap looks very professional.

I like to do sleeves so people can still see the soap.
I just can't seem to get the ingredients lined up and then I ended up reading recently about Mica and each color technically has different wording you have to use and I use font size 9 and still have to cram it all in there. I don't want to give up the Mica as I love doing my swirls and designs.

I noticed that on Zote soap on their packaging they don't show they have sodium hydroxide in their soap but when you go online it shows that they do. I found that interesting.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I've been using Avery for years. I use stick on labels that are round. I design my own labels and change the design if I change the scents. So easy and quick. I buy blank labels on Ebay since they're cheaper than Avery and they work fine. Then I wrap in tissue paper and use label to seal the soap. It makes wrapping and labeling quick and my soap looks very professional.

That’s good to know you can get labels that work with Avery on eBay. Thanks for that info. I will check them out

 

[Adobehead]

I have been using online labels for years now, I love them!

I like them, too but the ink (inkjet type) rubs off the coated stock (shiny) and looks ruined very quickly, so I spray them with clear spray paint while on the sheet, it dries quick. that solves it. Now I have purchased matte paper but I expect the same, we shall see.

 

[Vicki C]

I don’t sell soap but I do make it for gifts every Christmas. I print cigar band labels six to a sheet on vellum paper. The front has the name of the soap, usually some graphic I find online, and the back has ingredients.

 

[TheGecko]

Question. I know that ingredients are not required to be listed on packaging, but are we allowed to list as “may contain”, if you choose to label ingredients?

Even though there is no requirement for an ingredients label for true soap in the United States, there is no way I would buy anyone’s soap without one. And if you are going to have an ingredient label, you want to do it right...especially since there is no reason not to.

I know you probably already did your research on that, so i should probably rephrase my question to “Wow! We can do that?!! LOL

Honestly...it’s less about “can” and not finding anything that says I “can’t”. I started with Marie Gale, followed all her links, followed the links’ links, looked at tons of labels.

Learning that every word and comma take up valuable real estate on the labels, I am also wondering if natural colorants might have more label appeal, and worth its real estate?

Yes on the label appeal, but are you actually using “natural” colorants? While Mica is a naturally occurring minerals, most of the micas used in cosmetics is synthetic.

 

[earlene]

@TheGecko Question. I know that ingredients are not required to be listed on packaging, but are we allowed to list as “may contain”, if you choose to label ingredients?

Honestly...it’s less about “can” and not finding anything that says I “can’t”. I started with Marie Gale, followed all her links, followed the links’ links, looked at tons of labels.

The answer is covered in the CFR link I referenced in my above post. See (g)(1) in the link.

 

[TheGecko]

The answer is covered in the CFR link I referenced in my above post. See (g)(1) in the link.

I was speaking of labeling for soap, but I have bookmarked your link for further reading...thank you.

And thank you for bringing up about selling in other countries.

 

[earlene]

I know you were, but some soaps are cosmetics per FDA regulations, so labeling for cosmetics applies in those situations. And since it is acceptable for soaps that qualify as cosmetic (pine tar soap, for example would qualify as cosmetic), then it would be acceptable for the 'lesser' (tongue-in-cheek) non-cosmetic soaps as well. And since you said you want to do your labels correctly, then following the stricter labeling regs puts you in better footing should anyone challenge your true soap as a cosmetic = the label should already meet that criteria.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I don’t sell but I do make bands for my soaps that include the weight, ingredients and contact info. I print everything directly on card stock that I slice up with a paper cutter. If the paper doesn’t feed quite right, I can trim a little extra off one end. I use a template with guides and text boxes to get everything aligned properly. I have been listing all of the ingredients, but sometimes it’s hard to fit everything. I’ve been thinking about using a stick-on label for the ingredients. The lighthouse was available in “Pages” on my Mac. It’s a very simple design, but it’s fine for now.

 

[Zing]

This thread is fascinating and I'm getting lots of ideas! I use Avery.com for labels; the interface on occasion is tricky but my wife and I (no computer experts here) are successful in making attractive labels. The labels are the store brand from big box office supply stores that we load into our simple color HP printer. I cut strips of brown Kraft paper for cigar bands. On Avery.com you can start off with a blank label, or search thousands of sample templates. You can also upload other images or photos.

For forever I would label the front of my soap with the name, and a separate label on the back with ingredients. I did the same on the top and bottom of lotion bar tins. Then my brilliant Mrs. Zing decided to cut our time in half and now use a single label for name, ingredients, and weight.

I'm just a hobbyist and give away soap to friends and family. In my experience, the only ingredient people care about, ask about, look for, is the scent.

 

[TheGecko]

I know you were, but some soaps are cosmetics per FDA regulations, so labeling for cosmetics applies in those situations. And since it is acceptable for soaps that qualify as cosmetic (pine tar soap, for example would qualify as cosmetic), then it would be acceptable for the 'lesser' (tongue-in-cheek) non-cosmetic soaps as well. And since you said you want to do your labels correctly, then following the stricter labeling regs puts you in better footing should anyone challenge your true soap as a cosmetic = the label should already meet that criteria.

Okay, you're going to have to explain to me how 'pine tar soap' is "cosmetic". And how someone can challenge your soap as being "cosmetic" if you make no "cosmetic" claims to start with? I'm just imagining someone claiming that my GMS cured their eczema and now all of a sudden, my GMS, which is pretty much just my regular soap made with goat milk instead of water...is now subject to the time, expense and much stricter regulations. What kind of BS is that?!?

From the minute I decided to go from making soap as a hobby for my family (and maybe a few close friends), to turning this in a business and selling to the public, I've been doing the research, following the rules/law/guidelines. I follow reasonably good manufacturing processes...from storing my ingredients, to making the soap, to curing, to storing my cured soaps. I follow the rules for labeling my soaps (even after a year, my soap weighs more than the label says). I make zero claims for my soap...it's just soap, it will get you clean...end of story. It won't make you beautiful or hot or rich or popular. I don't tout the 'benefits' of any of my ingredients since I can't prove that any of said 'benefits' survive the saponification process. I could say that my Regular Soap is 'vegan' because it doesn't contain any animals products, but I don't even do that.

Now I'm worried about my "mechanics" soap. Does adding pumice powder change it from a 'true' soap to a 'cosmetic'?

 

[maxine289]

I like them, too but the ink (inkjet type) rubs off the coated stock (shiny) and looks ruined very quickly, so I spray them with clear spray paint while on the sheet, it dries quick. that solves it. Now I have purchased matte paper but I expect the same, we shall see.

I have a laser jet printer and found that the ink rubs off on the matte Avery labels. I don't have any trouble with the Avery glossy labels. When I had an ink jet printer, I also sprayed the matte Avery labels with clear spray paint to prevent smearing.

 

[maxine289]

This thread is fascinating and I'm getting lots of ideas! I use Avery.com for labels; the interface on occasion is tricky but my wife and I (no computer experts here) are successful in making attractive labels. The labels are the store brand from big box office supply stores that we load into our simple color HP printer. I cut strips of brown Kraft paper for cigar bands. On Avery.com you can start off with a blank label, or search thousands of sample templates. You can also upload other images or photos.

For forever I would label the front of my soap with the name, and a separate label on the back with ingredients. I did the same on the top and bottom of lotion bar tins. Then my brilliant Mrs. Zing decided to cut our time in half and now use a single label for name, ingredients, and weight.

I'm just a hobbyist and give away soap to friends and family. In my experience, the only ingredient people care about, ask about, look for, is the scent.

It is time consuming to have both front and back labels. I'll investigate using one label for everything but I think it will take up the entire front of the soap since my logo takes up a fair amount of space. I'll have to tinker with it.

 

[Megan]

I like them, too but the ink (inkjet type) rubs off the coated stock (shiny) and looks ruined very quickly, so I spray them with clear spray paint while on the sheet, it dries quick. that solves it. Now I have purchased matte paper but I expect the same, we shall see.

I've never had this problem with online labels...I wonder why you're having this issue... Although I do like the idea of clear spray paint as it seems it would be easier to keep the labels clean if you have to wipe the packaged soap down.

 

[The Park Bench]

I've never had this problem with online labels...I wonder why you're having this issue... Although I do like the idea of clear spray paint as it seems it would be easier to keep the labels clean if you have to wipe the packaged soap down.

it's because she is using an inkjet printer instead of a laser printer, I used to have the same issue when I had an inkjet.