My Packaging

[Miku_Miku1990]

I've had a few successful batches lately. I've decided to package them, and Give them away. I want to know what people other than my family think of my packaging (Mind you this is my first time packaging anything, and it was fairly low budget) Anyway here is one of my packaged soaps. I'm also including a picture of them out of the packaging. (I do apologize for the confusion. Also, so far there are no DOS on the soaps that I made in January, and its been 2 months going on 3)

 

[Dorymae]

I see you made your first soap at the end of January. I don't want to discourage you if you really want to try to build a business, but I do want to caution you that most soapers wait about a year before they start selling.

The reasons are numerous. There are problems that can arise with soap that you simply don't have any experience with yet. That is not to say you won't learn, but the problem is the general public will be living with your mistakes.

For an example, DOS sometimes does not show up for months. Let's say you have a nice soap and you cured it the full 8 weeks. It looks good, feels good and so you put it up for sale. What you didn't know is that 2 months later it becomes covered in dreaded orange spots. Chances are there will be customers who have not used your soap yet, and now it looks horrible, smells horrible and they will most likely throw it away. They may never tell you, but trust me they will tell their friends.

That is just one example, there are many more. This is why soapers take a long time to develop their recipes and perfect them so they know they can be reproduced with accuracy every time.

When you have a bit of time please read this: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=47345

I wrote that thread hoping to help people who are thinking about a business. I hope it will help you as well.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I agree with the above - I can't comment on the labels because I don't think that you should be selling yet.

You have had a few successful batches recently, but you need to consistently produce your usual soaps every time. Sure, new experiments might well not come out so well, but a recipe that you are happy to sell (because you have used it a lot) should be something that you can make well every single time.

 

[Dorymae]

About the label. . . First thing is you must put the weight on the front of the bar. Listed as " net wt. ---- oz. " Second you must be sure that somewhere on your labeling (I'm assuming on the back) you list your company address.


If you are in the US:

If you are labeling just as soap- which means you will never claim your soaps do anything but clean, ( you can't say they are mild, or moisturizing, or even that they feel good on your skin ) then you don't need to list anything else. However if you are ever going to say those things, whether in print or in person, or if you will allow others to say those thing in reviews, then you must follow FDA labeling laws. All ingredients must be listed in order of there amounts by common name, this is also a good idea anyway because of allergies.

Hope this helps get you started in the right direction.

 

[Trix]

Firstly good on you for starting soap making....after starting that hobby more than a decade ago, it is one of the few things in life I was so happy I took up I continued. However even till today I will not sell my soap, maybe gift it to friends, family, anyone I feel good about etc

But if you only started making soap in January you are setting yourself up for trouble by selling too soon. So these batches came out well, but trust me a few batches will surprise you down the line, and all of them should be learning expeirences. Until today I find myself learning something new about this, specially with cold process soap making and that is fine. Just think if one customer got a one of your surprise batches, they will not be too happy, about parting with their money, and if they find out your still a newbie...then your really on your own., specially with all the very experienced soap makers selling their products to, and this being a very competitive market...

What worked for me in the beginning while learning, was gifting my good batch soaps to my closer friends, and they would come back, and tell me this smelt great, I prefer this to that, and during the troublesome batches, would like it in the beginning then come back later and tell me this or that happened so I can adjust the recipes. The result? I still have ppl until today asking me if I am still making this or that soap and that I should sell it (or they would like some if I still have a spare few on hand...) but imagine if I had sold any of them my bad batches that looked good at the start?!

Soap making is fun and you should continue, and in a year probably most ppl here would encourage you to go sell your soaps if you have achieved consistency, but for now just continue soaping and seeing what friends and family will tell you about your soaps over the next few month, and meanwhile making all kinds of soap

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with those above me. You have been given some very wise advice. You think are ready to sell you soaps but you are also setting yourself up for possible failure as well as possibly risking the reputation of other soapers should they get something that goes bad or causes issues. I've had customers tell me that they have had bad experiences with handmade soap and were very skeptical of trying it again. I generally give those people a sample and tell them to try mine. I have gained some regular customers by doing this but it was probably a beginner who caused them to be cautious.

 

[TRBeck]

Excellent advice here. I started making soap two-plus years ago and am only now ready to think about selling bath soaps. For now, just focus on working on process and recipes.

 

[bhelen]

I think the poster was very clear that the soaps will be given away and not sold. And was asking for advice about the packaging! I think it is nice, simple and sweet.

 

[cmzaha]

I think the poster was very clear that the soaps will be given away and not sold. And was asking for advice about the packaging! I think it is nice, simple and sweet.

The original post was edited. If I remember correctly, Sell was mentioned originally. No one would have said anything about selling if it was not mentioned

 

[Dorymae]

Actually, this may have been my bad. I can't remember if selling was mentioned. It was the packaging that led me to believe she was wanting to sell. I never packaged with a name like that until I sold soap, there is no need to as everyone would know where the soap was from. Also if you are not selling, why would you need advice on your packaging? You would simply make it so you liked it. You only need to know how it looks to strangers if it is going to be seen by strangers.

 

[Miku_Miku1990]

The original post was edited because I just saw yesterday that it said sell rather than "Give Away" that was a mistake on my end. I've been gone for a few days, and it was brought to my attention that my post said sell. I'm sorry for all the confusion. I do agree with all of you guys though. I want to sell yes. However, am I ready to sell? No, not even close. I do wish to wait 1-2 years before even doing so because I have not reached my consistency, nor have I found a recipe that I adore, and would use every time. Heck I just figured out that I could use silk in my soaps Owo. So please I apologize again for the confusion, and I'm sorry I was not clear enough in the beginning.

 

[jules92207]

I think the packaging is very elegant. I give some soaps away too and I do prefer to still list my ingredients because you never know what someone could be allergic to. I have one friend allergic to yellow 5 and another allergic to lavender. Not something I would have expected.

So as a courtesy I list everything cause they will know before I do if something will be problematic.

 

[Miku_Miku1990]

I have the ingredients on the back. I've asked all of the people I gave my soaps away to if they were allergic to any of the oils colorants, or butters that I was using before hand. Thank goodness they are not.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Jnl, it looks to me like it is shrink wrapped and then the label put on there, not directly on the soap.

 

[jnl]

Jnl, it looks to me like it is shrink wrapped and then the label put on there, not directly on the soap.

ahh...i couldnt see the shrink wrap

if giving away, i wouldnt bother with shrink wrap unless its M&P

 

[Miku_Miku1990]

Okay looks like I'm getting a lot of negative feed back from this forum. So I will not be posting here anymore.

 

[TVivian]

i cant even read what that first word is.



for giving away, it doesnt matter

but i think it looks pretty ghetto to put a sticker directly on a bar of soap.

This was really rude to say. Calling someone's choice of wrapping "ghetto" is just insulting and mean.

I try to stay out of drama here, but I actually feel sort of bad for the original poster of this thread.

 

[Hazel]

It is rude and uncalled for so I deleted it.