How Much Soap Do You Make/Sell

[rodeogal]

Please forgive me if this is too bold a question! I read the 'going big' post and the poster states he/she makes 6 logs of soap a day, but is wanting to go big. TO ME THIS IS BIG!

So, my questions are:
1) Just how much soap do you all make? Is 6 logs a day really small?
2) What venues do you use to sell your soap? Online, farmer's markets, craft fairs?
3) Is soap making your full-time occupation?

I am just starting out, so this is all very interesting to me. I had no idea there was such a market for handmade soap. Thank you in advance!

 

[Genny]

1) In my opinion, if it's 6 logs a day, 5-7 days a week, then that sounds pretty big already. During market season I don't even make that much.

2) I sell my soaps mostly at fairs & markets, but I do have a FB page & website (which is close right now for restocking).

3) Technically, since I don't have an outside job, I guess soap making would be my full-time occupation. But I'm luck enough that my husband's income is enough to cover our expenses. So, it's not like I quit my job to do be a soap maker. It takes many soapers years & years to get to the level of quitting their outside job to focus full time on soap making.

 

[z00100]

Please forgive me if this is too bold a question! I read the 'going big' post and the poster states he/she makes 6 logs of soap a day, but is wanting to go big. TO ME THIS IS BIG!

So, my questions are:
1) Just how much soap do you all make? Is 6 logs a day really small?
2) What venues do you use to sell your soap? Online, farmer's markets, craft fairs?
3) Is soap making your full-time occupation?

I am just starting out, so this is all very interesting to me. I had no idea there was such a market for handmade soap. Thank you in advance!

That would be me you are talking about.

I'll be very frank. I was working in a Corporate job for 15 years and I just about lost it. I switched jobs to a smaller company and only could pull out 2 more years working. I have found out the hard way that big corporate jobs are just not for me.

I've saved enough for me to live frugally off my savings for about 2-3 years. I decided to go full time into soaping and see where that leads me.

I'm based in Bahrain right now and there is nothing like this in the country or even the region for that matter. My soaps have been selling tremendously in craft fairs and even online (through FB). One craft fair I sold me close to 1500 Dollars in a 2 day span.

I've noticed that I am getting a lot of repeat customers (which is great) and I'm slowly working towards adding new product lines which so far have been received very well by my customers.

I started off making 1 log a day, then quickly progressed to 3. The issue is that curing takes 4-6 weeks. So that gives you a very long manufacturing lag time. I have recently been doing white-label and wholesale bars too and one recent order took 500 bars from me in one fell swoop.

So for me having ample stock is important. I just can't afford to be short on product, as such I'm going into overdrive making loaves.

Right now in my soap room I have 2000 bars curing in different stages. In less than a week I expect the number remaining to be halved.

It depends, there are days where I do 6 loaves a day, but for the last week I've been making no soap and just focusing on bath bombs, lotion bars and salt scrubs.

The problem in Bahrain is that the fairs and markets are weather dependent. Soon (in 2-3 months) it will start becoming really hot like 120F and 90% humid and the fairs will stop for 6 months till summer finishes and winter approaches again. During this time I will be trying to finalize my business and officially set myself up and open a shop, this way I can sell my products year round.

It's a bit early to say, but I think this may not work as I've received some information that the government regulations here for "cosmetics" manufacture are seriously draconian and counter productive.

I'll update as soon as I find info.

So right now Soaping is a full time business for me, but earning me 0 income since everything i'm earning is being re-invested into the business to buy more equipment to streamline production.

 

[z00100]

Oh by the way.......

I know you are based in a different country and different rules of market apply, but I would suggest making soaps unique to your area and/or clientele. I know that US states have a national flower and/or tree, see if you can incorporate some of those plants' essential oils into your recipes. That would generate some product loyalty.

 

[z00100]

Wisconsin's state flower is the Wood Violet.

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Wisconsin/flower_woodviolet.html

 

[Scentapy]

So, my questions are:
1) Just how much soap do you all make? Is 6 logs a day really small?
2) What venues do you use to sell your soap? Online, farmer's markets, craft fairs?
3) Is soap making your full-time occupation?

- I work a full time corporate job (boooo!), so I "mostly" soap on the weekends (and not every weekend - depends on my stock). When I am in my groove - trying to stock up - I will make 3 - 6 batches (2lb. batches) in a weekend. Right now I have a total of about 9 batches (72-ish bars) curing. I also make body lotion, scrubs, body butters and face masks. I make those on weeknights whenever I need to make them.
- I sell through Etsy, a website (under construction), vendor fairs and I have my products in two local gift shops. Most of my current business comes from friends, family & local repeat customers.

It is HARD work trying to sell even on a small scale. So much involved that you have to get "just right". Branding, packaging, recipes, insurance, accounting, etc., etc., etc.

 

[2lilboots]

I make a lot of soap, mainly using it myself. I also want to see how it works out in the long run. I have given some as gifts to family members and close friends. I haven't sold a bar yet. Still playing with the stuff, using my creative genius....lol!

 

[Genny]

Wisconsin's state flower is the Wood Violet.

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Wisconsin/flower_woodviolet.html

I don't think the OP is in WI

 

[z00100]

I just realized that.

DERP!!

 

[z00100]

- I work a full time corporate job (boooo!), so I "mostly" soap on the weekends (and not every weekend - depends on my stock). When I am in my groove - trying to stock up - I will make 3 - 6 batches (2lb. batches) in a weekend. Right now I have a total of about 9 batches (72-ish bars) curing. I also make body lotion, scrubs, body butters and face masks. I make those on weeknights whenever I need to make them.
- I sell through Etsy, a website (under construction), vendor fairs and I have my products in two local gift shops. Most of my current business comes from friends, family & local repeat customers.

It is HARD work trying to sell even on a small scale. So much involved that you have to get "just right". Branding, packaging, recipes, insurance, accounting, etc., etc., etc.

I know it's hard work. But the fruits of labor are oh so sweet

Nothing cheers me up more than hearing a customer saying he/she is happy with our product.

 

[Crocoturtle]

I'm just starting out but I make 2-5 batches a day. I have a standing order for the first 3 bars of every 16 bar mold I make so that almost covers my supplies. almost.

 

[rodeogal]

z00100: Thank you for your input! I, for one, am inspired and I am sure others are too, as there are several of us who work full-time but dream of creating our soap full-time. Even though your products are unique to your area, just the fact that you shared your story gives me hope that one day I will be able to soap full-time. It will take a few years I'm sure, but I am having a ton of fun working towards that goal.

Your niche point is well taken. There are many soapers in this area, but it seems that people are loving the fact that I do not use scents or dyes in my products. I started that way because of known skin issues in our family, but my customers have reinforced my decision. However, lol... I played with a thought to add a small scented line of soaps and even purchased some sample scents to try. After four failed batches of scented soap I decided it was Devine Intervention and aborted the scent mission!

Many of us on here are also building inventory for craft fairs and farmer's markets. However, thank goodness I don't have to endure 120f temps!

Good luck in your venture to open a retail shop. Please keep us posted on what you are doing. I love reading about the success of others, it fuels my fire!

 

[Scentapy]

z00100: There are many soapers in this area, but it seems that people are loving the fact that I do not use scents or dyes in my products. I started that way because of known skin issues in our family, but my customers have reinforced my decision. However, lol... I played with a thought to add a small scented line of soaps and even purchased some sample scents to try.

I started out with all my soaps using FO's and a combo of artificial colorants and natural colorants. I have now decided that I prefer the route of 100% All Natural...........and my last several batches have been 100% All Natural...BUT I am torn because I want to fade out my fragranced line but I have a customer base that like it. UGHH. My 100% All Natural are almost fully cured and will be delivered to the local gift shop that carries them so it will be interesting to see how they sell vs. the fragranced ones.

 

[z00100]

I started out with all my soaps using FO's and a combo of artificial colorants and natural colorants. I have now decided that I prefer the route of 100% All Natural...........and my last several batches have been 100% All Natural...BUT I am torn because I want to fade out my fragranced line but I have a customer base that like it. UGHH. My 100% All Natural are almost fully cured and will be delivered to the local gift shop that carries them so it will be interesting to see how they sell vs. the fragranced ones.

You know, initially I started off the business with the idea of producing something 100% natural. To the extent that the colorants and scent would also be natural (i.e. EO's instead of FO's).

One vendor I bought EO's at, put in a 2 oz tester bottle of a FO and when I got it, I used it and lo and behold the soaps were extremely popular. Even more than the EO's.

Gradually I've diverged from my original mantra for the business. Now I have 2 lines, a natural line and a handmade line.

I find that in my area, customers don't care about the soap being natural or not, they are more concerned about the quality of the scent and the efficacy of the soap.

I used to use Lavender EO, but have now switched to FO and the customers like it better. The FO seems to stick better to the soap and the scent blooms much better in the shower.