Packaging question

[busymakinsoap!]

Hi everyone, I am sure this has been discussed before, but I was wanting some advice on packaging.

I have read that some people package their soap in plastic to keep the scent strong, as early as 2 weeks after cutting.

I have also read that others say to leave the soap open to let it breath.

I am finding that the scents are transferring on my curing rack (mainly the non scented picking up smells) so I decided to purchase some cellophane self seal bags. They are the perfect size and the scented soap smells alot stronger once bagged. However I noticed today that there was a little bit of moisture (mainly in my OMH soap) and now Im worried there might be some negative consequenses

I am waiting 3 - 4 weeks before I bag.

Could anyone share their experiences on this, or give me some advice? I brought 300 bags and have baged 100's of soap so I am hoping its O.k :shock:

 

[Bukawww]

the only time I have had scent transfer was when I had a peppermint bar sitting ON TOP of a 'cake batter' bar...and it smells amazing lol.

But the smell did not last anyway...my bars all sit pretty cozy on the rack with no transferrance...they've been like that for months now.

 

[nattynoo]

When I first started soaping I used to b worried about scents crossing but to date it just hasn't happened. Except for an isolated incident with a cammomile bar sitting on top of a non scented bar but that was my fault.

I store in cardboard boxes lined with greaseproof ATM. after a 2 week cure.

 

[busymakinsoap!]

I really like the cellophane though, and is nice to give away all packaged, and I post a lot so it also helps to keep them tidy (for want of a better word).

Ive taken out the ones that are sweating, will give them a couple more weeks I guess.

My real question is: Is it OK to use plastic/cellophane to package the soap or are they better left as they are? Will they stop sweating after a full cure?

 

[calico21]

I used to seal mine up after about 8 weeks , poked a small hole in in so it could breath. Never had any probs, but now I do as someone else suggested and just do the shrink wrap around the bulk of the bar and leave the ends open.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I leave mine unwrapped for a long time. Then I put into cellophane bags and poke 2 little holes down the bottom so that it can breathe and so people can sniff. I've just found that some soaps find completely sealed bags disagreeable and have started to smell a bit "off". :wink:

 

[rubyslippers]

Mine get a good 8 week cure before I do any packaging. When I do wrap them, I do the same as Calico & put shrink wrap around about 3/4 of the bar, leaving the ends completely open. If I have a round bar it is hard to put tube shrink wrap around it so I drop them in a little cellophane bag but just before I give them away.

 

[SideDoorSoaps]

Even after a 6-8 week cure, there is still water left in the soap bars and they continue to cure after wrapped. I've found bars of soap that I've had to reshrink the shrink wrap around them after I've wrapped them months later. All the soap I have ever seen in cellophane bags had holes in them to allow air to circulate and moisture to be released instead of being trapped inside a sealed bag. And the holes help people to sniff what's inside!

 

[carebear]

Mine don't have holes, but they are very well cured before wrapping, and I don't wrap until I need to.

 

[busymakinsoap!]

Awesome thanks everyone, thats just what I was wanting to know

So looks like I either wait 6 weeks, or put a hole in the bag.

Wish I had of thought of that bfefore I packaged and unpackaged close to a 100 bars :roll:

My frist thought when I saw the condensation was to put a hole in the bag - shoulda gone with it!

 

[carebear]

Packaging in plastic, even with a hole, before its fully cured can lead to DOS.
You really need to evaluate the stability of your products in your packaging and in situations to which they will be exposed. Wrap, store, take to a craft fair and leave on the table in the sun then take home and store a few months. You need to test through the whole product cycle.

 

[busymakinsoap!]

Frig, now Im really scared of this whole cellophane idea. Hopefully I saved the bars before any damage was done.

Maybe I will leave them as they are and put them in a bag just as I give them to someone, if at all. The problem is they are stored in my entrace way cupboard with lots of fingers and noses around.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Agreed, that it is best to leave them unwrapped until they are going somewhere and then you can bag and poke some holes down the bottom just in case the recipient doesn't use the soap for ages. I use a skewer thingo.

 

[paillo]

i poke holes and package in my cello bags after they've cured. i poke 5 or 6 holes with a big knitting needle for better 'sniffability'

the suggestion for leaving them out in the sun at a market, then storing for a few months to see what happens is an excellent suggestion. the results will tell you a lot!

 

[mandolyn]

Yep, I do the partial shrink wrap leaving the ends open. To store them, each scent is in it's own long, narrow box with a lid.

 

[SudsyKat]

I've been thinking about packaging lately and I'm leaning towards the box idea - the kind that have a nice big hole on the front so people can see and smell the soap. I guess I'd run the risk of the box edges getting kind of roughed up (un-crisp) over time. Anyone have experience with boxes?

 

[Jerry S]

Wrapping your soap

I've kicked this packaging thing around for a long time and at different intervals of the curing process with a lot of my soaps. I like the look of my soaps that have been shrink wrapped and have been able to include a little label on each personalizing them depending on who gets what. (I don't sell my soap) I make my labels on the computer.
What I've found that works best for me is that I'll let all my CP bars cure for the recommended time of 5 to 6 weeks, even the HP. Castile goes longer. then....I use shrink wrap tubing not bags. I cut off approximately what each bar needs to cover the ends and the front and back surface of the bar. This will leave either the ends or the sides open, allowing the soap to breath until the user cuts the wrapper off. I place the label right under the shrink tubing facing up and shrink wrap the bar.
As far as my fragrances transferring from on to the other, I've never experienced a problem with this. If it does occur the scent transfer is so subtle, it's not noticeable..
I think that carebear and rubyslippers hit it right on the mark with their advise. Patience is you friend here. Let the bars cure before you package them, and leave an opening so they can still breathe...If you want to know what some of mine look like shrink wrapped with labels, PM me and I'll shoot you a couple of pics...Good luck to you..
Jerry S :wink: