yet another label prototype

[SeattleMartin]

To me, this statement looks like it would be too much work for you. Like you are cutting corners.
either list the ingredients or don't. You said you search regulations but clearly didn't if you put appx.
you should probably learn to swim & run before you do a triathlon. You need to learn to make a good soap before you start to sell it.
It looks like you decided to sell soap before you learned how to make it. It doesn't work that way and you won't be making $$$$$$$ of money off of it.

I appreciate your feedback but this is not a discussion about my product or how good it is. However, if you must know I have not had any bad feedback on my products (in particular soap, but if you must know I actually do have several other products in development.) In fact, I have literally had to double and triple production on some soaps and this is just with family and friends. I have already somehow started acquiring investors without even trying. So... yah. There is that.

To wit, I am far from trying to cut corners but I am also largely a one person operation using my experience, knowledge and sometimes even expertise in various fields such as: Chemistry; Cooking; Photography; Design (print and online); Printing; Marketing; etc. Must I go on?

I actually did read lots of rules and regulations and LAWS and ... well whatever. To be honest, I really wanted to see if it was something the community here would think is admissible and what, if any, their experiences in this are. I wanted perspective. I was also trying to understand a very vaguely written piece of ... actually I think earlene understood it pretty well if you would like to go back and revisit her reply.

This is a very interesting discussion and I enjoy reading everyone's points of views.
Soap packaging I believe is regulated by the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act.

Glad we agree on how interesting this is
You are right about the FPLA, but the shaving soap is where I discovered (before posting this thread) that some soap becomes cosmetic simply because it is a 'shaving product' and everything that earlene said. Sucks but ... ? Well this is what it is in the USA. I can't wait to dive into the international stuff. I will probably start with Canada and Mexico, then delve a bit into EU. Sounds lovely! Also, trying to design my shaving soap labels has only been slightly less frustrating than developing the shaving soap. At least that has been my experience.
Also, thanks for all your feedback. I am listening. Go ahead and be all over the place in my threads. I don't mind, to be honest.

The regs certainly are hard to maneuver, aren't they? Anyway, I am sorry for not reading your reference more thoroughly!

They really are, and I cannot thank you enough for understanding that I really am just trying to navigate an ever-changing landscape while very honestly doing the right thing and being a decent person. It means quite a bit to me and my business partners. We have a particular vision (admittedly it is mostly my vision, but one they believe in) that is forming and taking shape. And thanks for taking the time to help me understand some of this. I really do mean that.

All of that aside, I do want to thank you all once and again for your feedback and sorry I have not been able to reply to you all personally. I also hope that this helps to enlighten others in terms of labeling and clear up some of the questions that I believe we all have.

Much Love,
Marty (Anna, Martin & Co.)

 

[earlene]

Good luck with your business, Marty.

BTW, it's been awhile since I've spent much time in Seattle, but it was lovely every time I have been there. I'm originally a California gal, but have family all over the West Coast, including one brother in northern Washington (about as far north as it gets, without being in Canada.) I remember one year coming back from visiting baby bro in Washington and absolutely loving the changing colors of the trees along my route toward or through Southern Washington. I am not even sure where I was exactly when I saw those gorgeous color-changing trees, but the route was southern because I was not really headed home exactly at that point.

 

[Bladesmith]

If you're familiar with InDesign, you might want to check out Page Plus. It has a lot of the same features as ID but, at $27.99, it's a much better deal. It is a legacy product with no further customer support but the price is right and it's a pretty powerful program. I use it at home and I have it on my work computer as well I work in a print shop; the designers use ID but I really don't need it as I'm in sales. Every now and then, though, I'm called upon to put something together for a customer and Page Plus works just great.

Ive been reading through this thread and saw your recommendation for Page Plus. I picked it up for $19.99 and must say... What a great deal! The feature set is fantastic and it can do more than I need. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Misschief]

Ive been reading through this thread and saw your recommendation for Page Plus. I picked it up for $19.99 and must say... What a great deal! The feature set is fantastic and it can do more than I need. Thanks for the recommendation!

You are very welcome! I'm glad you checked it out.

 

[bobryan1]

I love the simplicity of the label. Right away from your label I got the impression you were just "down-home" people making a soap that you want people to appreciate for the simplicity of it. I hand cut my soaps as well and I know personally, no 2 are ever the exact same weight. I don't know the legalities of it because I don't really "sell" it publicly, but when I have messed around with a couple labels, and I have put "minimum weight" on the label. In both oz and grams. Does that work or does the law prohibit it to sell publicly? Also, I think the ingredients really should be listed on the label.

 

[earlene]

I love the simplicity of the label. Right away from your label I got the impression you were just "down-home" people making a soap that you want people to appreciate for the simplicity of it. I hand cut my soaps as well and I know personally, no 2 are ever the exact same weight. I don't know the legalities of it because I don't really "sell" it publicly, but when I have messed around with a couple labels, and I have put "minimum weight" on the label. In both oz and grams. Does that work or does the law prohibit it to sell publicly? Also, I think the ingredients really should be listed on the label.

Not in the US, but I don't know where you live, bobryan1. Net weight is what the regulations in the US require and that means per unit at time of sale. So it's okay to list the least amount of weight it will weigh, but not more than that, as mentioned before in the thread. Of course you have to look into the regulations for your given point of sale, should you plan to sell elsewhere. But your use of ounces and grams leads me to believe you are in the US, and that's good that you are using ounces and grams.

 

[SeattleMartin]

Good luck with your business, Marty.

BTW, it's been awhile since I've spent much time in Seattle, but it was lovely every time I have been there. I'm originally a California gal, but have family all over the West Coast, including one brother in northern Washington (about as far north as it gets, without being in Canada.) I remember one year coming back from visiting baby bro in Washington and absolutely loving the changing colors of the trees along my route toward or through Southern Washington. I am not even sure where I was exactly when I saw those gorgeous color-changing trees, but the route was southern because I was not really headed home exactly at that point.

Thanks! We got our license today.
My mother was born and raised in Cali, actually. I have not been able to spend much time there, personally. I hail from central Illinois originally and moved to Seattle in the mid 90's. I have traveled a bit, lived in Florida for awhile, but Washington has become my home. Love it here. Glad you enjoyed it out here too. I hope Illinois has been a great place for you. I do miss it a bit sometimes. It has it's own beauty. Especially the wide open skies and the starlit summer nights.

I love the simplicity of the label. Right away from your label I got the impression you were just "down-home" people making a soap that you want people to appreciate for the simplicity of it. I hand cut my soaps as well and I know personally, no 2 are ever the exact same weight. I don't know the legalities of it because I don't really "sell" it publicly, but when I have messed around with a couple labels, and I have put "minimum weight" on the label. In both oz and grams. Does that work or does the law prohibit it to sell publicly? Also, I think the ingredients really should be listed on the label.

Thanks for the feedback. That really is what we're going for in terms of identity and branding. We want that old general store, down home sort of feel.
Honestly, if you're not really selling publicly, you probably don't need to stress too much? Though, if you would like to be technically correct in listing the weight, I think you could just drop the word "minimum" use the lowest weight of the lot and goodness forbid somebody weighs your soap and finds it to be over the stated weight they will likely be very happy and probably won't complain. Just my two cents.

One last note, things are going so surprisingly well that we should have our soap cutter really soon which feels like a big relief in terms of consistency for size and weight. We still may not be selling publicly anytime real soon, but as long as everything continues to move in the right direction .... sky is the limit?

 

[amd]

Though, if you would like to be technically correct in listing the weight, I think you could just drop the word "minimum" use the lowest weight of the lot and goodness forbid somebody weighs your soap and finds it to be over the stated weight they will likely be very happy and probably won't complain.

That's how I do it! My soaps are labeled Nt Wt 4.0 ounces, but typically weigh 4.3 to 4.7 ounces after a year.

 

[SideDoorSoaps]

Just for the sake of clarity, PagePlus is the precursor to Affinity Designer. There is no further support for PagePlus; however, it is still available for a reduced rate (full program).

I did look into this finally and saw it’s just for windows. I think that’s why I only thought of Affinity. I use a Mac 95% of the time. But for $20 I might put it on my hub’s laptop!