Is it better to wrap soaps in paper or plastic?

[Guest]

I have been looking for inspiration on how to package bars should I ever develop enough skill and product inventory to sell them. I'm really gald I found soap making, its kind of like baking. I was obsessed with baking but its just me here and the last time I made 2 dozen sweet potato cupcakes I ate them all to myself in 2 days. Anyways... For now, I think it does much more for the presentation when giving them away than giving naked bars. I've seen them in paper, shrinkwrapped, sealed in plastic with holes punched and without holes, and muslin bags so far.. and some naked with just a label band. Do the soap bars need to "breathe"? Would it be dependent on the weather? I'm in Texas and it is not uncommon to have 100 day streaks of 100+ degrees. I had an idea to wrap my bars in homemade recyled paper. Basically you liquefy soggy paper in a blender with water, maybe trace amounts of emlers glue, and use a screen and felt to form and dry sheets... and spices from the cabinet flowers and leaves and other things that grow can be added. I also very much like repurposing and tree-hugghing-hippie stuff, and I get to get rid of mah junkmails, paper bags and cardboard without filling a landfill. I can just see wrapping a clove based bar with paper laced with clove too!

BB

 

[IrishLass]

From all I've read on the subject over the years, the running concensus is that it is best that CP be allowed to breathe, so... if using plastic shrink-wrap, you'll want to make sure there are breathing holes in it somewhere. And no matter what type of wrapping medium you use, you'll also want to make sure that you refrain from wrapping the soap until it has fully cured.

I myself use glassine paper. I think the homemade paper idea you have sounds pretty cool. I have a paper-making kit I bought a long time ago from a science museum and I've never used it (impulse buy). Maybe I should drag it out, shred some junk mail, and give it a go!

IrishLass

 

[FOhoarder]

I think your homemade paper idea sounds terrific for your soap!

 

[JackiK]

I, too, am in Texas, near Galveston. I tried the shrink wrap method. It worked fine in the fall and winter. As soon as it started getting warmer, I had a problem. I ended up buying the organza bags. They make a really good presentation and allow the soap to breathe at the same time.

Your handmade paper wrappers sound awesome, though. Too many projects, not enough time!

 

[jax1962]

packaging

my neighbour gave me some organza curtains which i plan to make into bags. i also had the idea of using old scraps of linen sheeting, some of which have stitched monograms on but i LOVE your idea of home made paper - my other half is into papermaking so i think i might just have to be especially nice to him!

one nice idea i saw somewhere was to use cheap gardening raffia and simply wrap paper around the bar then tie it up like an old fashioned parcel - you could also add a home made luggage tag with the soap name/ingredients on....

 

[Jamison]

Plastic should be avoided whenever possible. Petroleum products are just.... gross?

I have seen biodegradable shrink wrap recently though. I'm not sure what it's made with.


I use paper on my soaps.

 

[SilverMaple]

I use Kraft boxes. Easy and fast to package-- just stick on a label and put the soap in. They are protected well in shipping and the window lets people smell the soap without touching it all over.

If I have bars that don't fit in the boxes (tall sculpted top, chunky shape, etc) I use the Dan's Bands from MMS. These work well for me, but I don't use them that often. I just don't think plastic-wrapped soap looks that professional. But that's a personal opinion, your mileage may vary.

 

[donna75126]

Where in Texas

BB
Where in DFW are you? I am also in the Dallas area

donna

 

[semplice]

I'm in the Dallas area too!

 

[donna75126]

Dallas Area

I am in the Forney area. I work over in the Medical District. Where in Dallas are you

 

[honor435]

I use boxes also, but I dont like the brown ones, they seems to get dirty from fingerprints, etc, so I use wsps white ones, i also take some nice paper and do a cigar band, then use indgredient sticker on the back to keep the band together.

 

[Bmbyx]

Oooh, I like the idea of hand made paper! I have also seen some packaging from a hand made paper that had flower seeds imbedded into the paper. That way people are not throwing the wrapping away, they plant it in the yard and enjoy the flowers later. :wink:

 

[Padamae]

I am in Amarillo I would lo e to have some.one to come.visit me have a soap day.

 

[Padamae]

Also I like those boxes. And not to bad of a price. Now all need to do I find a printer and I am good. And I really love the paper idea I have tons of scrapbook stuff I have not used.

For gifts I wrap with toil circles or even wax paper maybe a card.stick car with ingredients then wrap both those in scrapbook paper.

 

[Stinkydancer]

Breathable shrink and an organza bag with a hang tag. People always comment on the nice packaging so I guess I'm doing something right.

I have always shrink wrapped soap- it keeps the dust off and looks nice.

It also really helps when you get really busy to have easy packaging...

Just remember- packaging shouldn't take longer than making the soap itself.

I have noticed though as of late- maybe it's the economy- people care much less about packaging than they do about the product inside. Of course- you want nice and clean packaging but it's the soap itself that keeps them coming back.

 

[Davika]

For those that package their soap in boxes, where do you get them from? i've seen them around on a few sites, but some of them seem so expensive.

 

[Genny]

For those that package their soap in boxes, where do you get them from? i've seen them around on a few sites, but some of them seem so expensive.

Elements
http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/Soap ... c-168.html

Bayleys
http://www.bayleysboxes.com/soap%20box.html

From Nature With Love has the clear ones
http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/packa ... ACESOAPBOX

Sunshine
http://www.tealightboxes.com/SearchResu ... earch=soap

US Box
http://www.usbox.com/Custom/SoapBoxes

The Soap Dish
http://www.thesoapdish.com/ecopackaging.htm

 

[Davika]

Thank you!!

 

[batty]

I made handmade paper several years ago, and I used it for all kinds of crafts, it was really fun. Mine turned out like very thick construction paper though, so I would be afraid that it would fray at the fold lines- mine was never folded in nice clean lines, so I never used it for cards or anything like that.

I don't sell, but I make a lot of soap and give it away so I try to package it nicely and label it. Someone gave me the suggestion of wrapping my lotion bars in wax paper than coffee filters, and when I looked at all the unused coffee filters I have (we are not coffee drinkers) I realized they were great for wrapping soap too. They are the perfect size for round and square soaps. I wrap my rectangular soaps in brown craft paper and people tell me the wrapping looks very professional.

 

[alwaysme07]

I was just thinking the other day about this. I would go with the paper, but after a good cure time.