Yet again...label question

[Seragilo]

Hi There!

I have gone over many of the threads regarding DIY labels...but I am still confused.

When someone asked for ideas I see many websites listed, however, those websites offer both DIY and mailed out labels. Might I ask what exactly folks are using. This is one of my last hurdles....and it seems to be one of the most difficult. While the product will keep a customer coming back, the packaging is what draws the eye in the first place.

I have an idea of what I want but I am not too sure if I should go at it alone or professionally. I believe I could do the alone thing for a while if the price was right...being my initial sales will be on the low end.:???: But I am hoping that one day this wee business of mine will generate enough income to supplement my habit...which is roller derby....momma needs a new pair of skates, but I digress.

So, do the folks of SMF go at it alone? If so what program do you use and any suggestions on where the labels are purchased would be greatly appreciated. If you happen to outsource your labels what company do you use? I have looked into the Avery labels but when I try to get all artsy-fartsy the program gets all wonky and all I can see is text. I am looking to upgrade my over sized paper-weight of a computer soon, if that has anything to do with it....

Thanks in advance to any replies given!
Seragilo

 

[kazmi]

onlinelabels.com has a free 3-month trial software that you could use to try to design your own if you purchase labels from them. Good prices on their labels in smaller quantities. If you don't have a good printer you can create a pdf of the labels you've created, store it on a flash drive, and take it to local printing place to print them on your labels (even some UPS offices offer use of laser printers). I'm trying their software now and using my home print but its not laser. So I may do the same thing or just have Vistaprint print them out for me.

 

[kikajess]

I am a long ways away from selling anything (which I hope and intend to do, but not until after tons of formulating, reformulating, testing, and more testing), but I have already started playing around with labels. Fortunately, I am computer saavy, and I am confident using Microsoft Publisher to make some labels.

If you have any health food type stores in your area, there is probably a soap section with multiple label examples to check out. Do so! You will see some of the soaps come in a full box, some are shrink-wrapped and stickered, some have cigar bands, and some soaps aren't even individually labeled.

I knew I wanted to use a sturdy Kraft paper. At first I tried a complicated package design that left only the four corners of the soap visible. But I decided it was too much tedious cutting, plus I could only get two on a page. Now I am thinking a simple cigar band going vertically around the soap is the style for me because I can get four on a page, and I only have to cut straight lines.

I made a label for some soap I gave to some friends. My friend Sunny gave me some fresh rosemary from her garden, which I used in the soap. She was really touched I put her name on the label, even though the label was just for her and our friends. One thing is for sure, the packaging really does matter! I'd love to see what you end up doing.

P.S. I do have a laser printer at home, which is why making my own labels is feasible to me.

 

[AKjulz]

Cute label kikajess!
I design and print all my own labels. I use Microsoft publisher, though now I have a Mac and I wish I could use publisher on that instead of having to keep using the old computer.
I use an inkjet printer for my soap labels and think its adequate. I have a label printer that I use for most of my other products though if I could do it over I would probably just get a regular laser printer.

 

[BlackRiverBubbles]

I use www.avery.com and you can edit, save and print them again at a later date Really easy to use and has some templates that can add a touch to your background too

 

[Lindy]

I use CorelDraw to design as well as Silhouette Cameo Designer software which is for a cutting machine.

I'm sure you've already reviewed the information on labeling in Canada but in case you haven't here is the website so you can be legal....

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/cosmet-person/indust/require-exige/index-eng.php#lcp Just scroll down until you find the section on labeling.

 

[Seragilo]

Hi There!

Thank you all for the replies. I probably should have been more specific. I realise this is a 'soap' making forum but I really won't be getting into the soap side of the business. I will be offering a soap/sugar scrub kind of thingy but as for the cut bar soaps, that is a negative.

Even though I won't be diving into the bar soap side of bath products, I found the SMF site to have everything I need. From great articles to links for sites I needed to read....although I did find them before hand, dangit. Could have saved myself a heck of a lot of time coming here first! :crazy: To a very informative forum, you guys are amazingly helpful!

So....with all that said the labels I am looking for will be needed for bottled bath products. They need to be water and oil proof for the life of the product. Oh, plus lip balms, I will be making those as well. I have experimented with Avery labels but in all honesty they just didn't seem to cut it so I assumed I did something wrong. Plus, I will be using a black background and thought a professional printer might give me a better looking label.

Whew...long-winded, sorry.

I kind of know what I want the label to look like, I'm just not too sure how to get it to print. Ahh well....look out Google, you and I are going to become BFs!

Thanks again for the help!
Seragilo

 

[kmarvel]

Which Avery template do you use for a cigar band????

 

[kylie_au]

I purchased waterproof label paper from o/s and I use publisher to design my labels as it is so easy to customise every section of a label.
I have a inkjet printer with waterproof ink, and I cut my labels out of the sheets with scissors or a craft ruler with sliding cutter.
This time around I am seriously considering online label.com, as it would save a lot of time to simply peel and stick, without all the extra cutting out etc.

 

[Dorymae]

For now your best bet is to do them yourself with waterproof labels and ink. However when you grow and have the funds to do so you might want to consider this:

http://www.primeralabel.com/lx900_features.html

 

[kmarvel]

Is this Microsoft Publisher a free download from Microsoft??

 

[cmzaha]

For now your best bet is to do them yourself with waterproof labels and ink. However when you grow and have the funds to do so you might want to consider this:

http://www.primeralabel.com/lx900_features.html

Primera label printer suck big time...They are good for short runs but very expensive if printing large amounts of labels. Also after fighting them for a year, while my primera was under warranty, it is now going to cost $250 to fix my printer. They stalled and stalled until it went out completely. I will confess it does a good job on round labels which is why it is going to get fixed

 

[cmzaha]

Is this Microsoft Publisher a free download from Microsoft??

It is included in most of the Office Suites, but I think it can be purchased stand alone. They do have a free trial

 

[hmlove1218]

Microsoft Word works wonderfully IMHO. But I don't have publisher to compare to..

In word, you can just insert a table and adjust the widths of the columns until everything lines up right with your product.

 

[Seragilo]

I tried Onlinelabels.com and they worked out ok but not water/oil proof which I needed....by law. Also Onlinelabels were a wee pricey, I still use them occasionally for other things....

I did some research and found a local company just a few minutes away. Their labels are waterproof, oil proof and pretty much seem to handle anything! I was quite happy with their prices too...and they are a small company just like all of us. I am not so much into soaps but bottle type products.

Label It Inc, Ontario Canada worked for me!

 

[kmarvel]

I just tried to load Microsoft Publisher Free version. It is glitched. So I nixed that.

I currently DO use Microsoft word for my labels. BUT, the person on this forum (I don't remember her name) had a template with the dimensions for word. I can make 4 bands with it. But dummy me lost the template.

 

[AKjulz]

I use Publisher for all my labels and am very happy with it. You can do SO much more that with just Word. I also have a primera printer....not so happy with that. Been using it for several years and when it works it's great but I waste so much material and time trying to get things to line up and the ink cartridges stop working when they are half empty. I have done all the troubleshooting, cleaning and such without much positive result. Got fed-ups couple weeks ago and bought a brother laser printer. So far I am SUPER happy with it, and I can even use the primera labels (rolls) with it if I hand feed them. Love that with a laser printer the ink is water resistant so no smearing if they get dripped on!

 

[Jaccart789]

Hi...
as low as $27.00 for 2"x2" for 250 custom labels the first choice:

http://www.uprinting.com/cut-to-size-label-printing.html

or

http://us.moo.com/products/business-logo-stickers.html

 

[AKjulz]

I looked at that type of option before getting the laser printer. Problem is (as far as I understand it) it would be $27 for each separate fragrance/flavor. If I had the money up front, that would be the most time saving and professional looking way to go...but it would cost more than the price of my new printer just to get labels for my lip balm. So to get professional labels for all my product would cost thousands, and that probably doesn't even include soap labels. I think it's awesome that we can get professional labels like that for such a great price, just unfortunate that I need so many DIFFERENT labels

 

[Jaccart789]

Yes that indeed would be expensive.
hoping you find the best solution! Let us know. I just had a graphic artist create my logo/ brand and this has been on my mind as far as labels. Good luck!!!