Packaging question.

[rodeogal]

I use a cigar band type label on my soap. The soap name is printed on the cigar band front, and I use a printed 'address label' on the back for my ingredient list and contact information.

Now that I am beginning to offer scents I am wondering. Do you all have different labels/bands for each scent, or do you have a generic label/band and use another method to identify the scent/type? Are your ingredients printed on your cigar bands / packaging?

Also, any other packaging ideas are welcomed! Thanks, you all are always so willing to share and help.

 

[Lotus]

I'm marking this thread, as I'm curious to see what people say.

 

[christinak]

I have a different label for each type since they all have different names. All of my ingredients are on the back of the label. On etsy, all the ingredients are listed in the ad so people can see them there before they buy. If I were to go to a show I would have a tag with the ingredients with each basket of soap (since my ingredients are on the back of the label).

While you do need to list all of your ingredients, you only have to list fragrance as fragrance and color as color...so I suppose if your recipe is exactly the same for oils, you technically wouldnt have to change it.

I hope I understood your question!

 

[cursivearts]

Yeah, I'll be following this one as well. I'm also curious, for those of you that do cigar bands, do you print them yourselves or get them printed?

 

[Lotus]

I do make a bunch of little muslin drawstring bags for my soaps, but I haven't gotten to the labeling part yet. I want to keep it simple, but I also want it to look right, and professional.

 

[pamielynn]

Cigar Band. I have a template in my software and just change the details; then I keep a copy of each scent as it's own file (I also mark each band with the batch number of that soap). I did once try printing blank cigar labels (meaning just no soap name or ingredients) and then attaching clear labels to put the name and ingredients on after the labels were printed - too much work!

 

[rodeogal]

Lotus, I like your bags. I bought a bunch of fabric at a garage sale recently that I am going to make bags with. I saw some pics on Flickriver where the soap was in different colored bags and they were great!

Cursivearts, I made the template in Word for my bands and I have four bands per sheet of paper. I have them printed at Staples, then have them cut the bands for me.

Christina, I like the idea of having the ingredients printed on the band itself. That would save the extra cost of the label I am adding now. Do you glue your bands or use tape?

 

[misskat22]

I'm going to be tying mine with twine and attaching a tag (hole punched) that has my logo on it, then each soap will get an address label sticker with the scent on the front of the tag, and an ingredient sticker on the back of the tag. I don't have any full size bars done up yet (because I'm not selling them yet) but here's a picture of some samples I sent out to testers last week. These are wrapped in tissue paper then wrapped in twine, just because I wanted my testers to feel like they were getting little gifts, my full size bars wont be wrapped in anything.

Edited to add that I have fixed the formatting problem with my logo, and it will be at the end of the tag on all future ones printed, this was just a test run

 

[Lotus]

Rodeogal, thanks. I love making them, so it's all fun.

Hey, do you guys think it would be tacky at all to insert little cards with the ingredients, logo, etc. with the soaps in the bags, rather than wrapping a label on the soap, and then putting it in the bag? I want to use a rustic recycled paper looking card stock.

I do believe that might be what I'll do.

 

[Marilyna]

Christina, I like the idea of having the ingredients printed on the band itself. That would save the extra cost of the label I am adding now. Do you glue your bands or use tape?

When I used cigar bands I used removable tape to close them. Then if the bar shrunk, I could gently lift up the tape and tighten the band without having to redo it.

 

[Lotus]

When I used cigar bands I used removable tape to close them. Then if the bar shrunk, I could gently lift up the tape and tighten the band without having to redo it.

Oh!! My idea for that was to use rubber cement. I thought it was quite brilliant, actually. : ) I know, I'm weird.

 

[Marilyna]

Oh!! My idea for that was to use rubber cement. I thought it was quite brilliant, actually. : ) I know, I'm weird.

I would think it would be messy and time consuming, but I've never used it, so can't say. The tape is quick and clean and if you get the magic (matte) tape, you can hardly see it. looks nice!

 

[Lotus]

I would think it would be messy and time consuming, but I've never used it, so can't say. The tape is quick and clean and if you get the magic (matte) tape, you can hardly see it. looks nice!

I suppose it could be time consuming. I love things that take time. I'm weird like that.

Not that messy, though. It would be like, painting one nail with fingernail polish, and even less messy than that. : )

 

[Mommysoaper]

I wrap mine in muslin. I used to wrap a cigar band around the muslin then but now I put a sticky label on the front with name and weight and a sticky on the back with ingredient info. A pic of my packaging is in this thread:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f22/my-bb-swap-soap-33792/index2.html

 

[cursivearts]

I bet those glue dots you can buy at craft stores would work great for sealing the cigar bands. I use washi tape to seal the kraft paper bands around my greeting cards.

 

[Ruthie]

When I used cigar bands I used removable tape to close them. Then if the bar shrunk, I could gently lift up the tape and tighten the band without having to redo it.

Removable tape! Now why didn't I think of that!? I use cigar bands and that is the main thing I don't like is if the bands loosen because the soap shrinks more.

The other problem I forsee is labels running if they get wet. I used to have a laser printer but no more. I loved that printer. I like the idea of wrapping and tying with twine, and may experiment with that. Or maybe I can talk hubby into buying another laser printer....

 

[MaitriBB]

I use cigar bands currently although I'm thinking of switching to shrink wrap. My husband tried shrink wrapping for the first time last weekend and it went well, so we may switch for this summer's farmer's markets.

Currently my cigar bands are just a long band of scrapbooking paper in a pretty color/pattern. I use two-sided business cards and print new ones for each type of soap, because the name/ingredients list changes each time. I use shipping tape to attach the shrink band, then I use scrapbooking glue dots to attach the business card to the front of the cigar band. Works well for me and people have complimented my packaging. If we switch to shrink bands, I will just put the business card in the front before shrinking and do away with the cigar bands altogether.

Here's what my soaps usually look like with the cigar band/business card:

 

[rodeogal]

MaitriBB - Your soaps do look great! I agree with your customers.

I am going to hijack my own thread and ask a question. lol Do you do well at the farmer's markets? Our local market starts tomorrow and I have been accepted this year. This will be my first time to do this and I am really excited.