Teach Soap

What are the disadvantages of using shrink wrap to package CP soap? If the ends are left open to allow the soap to "breathe", what problems/challenges would you have to deal with?
It seems like most all the CP soap I see has either been put in a box or wrapped cigar-band style.

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

Soap still shrinks a little bit after a full cure, which would make the shrink wrap loose. This could make the wrap slip off.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

The majority of the shrinking would be in the first 4-6 weeks. After that there is very little water left, but enough for some further shrinkage.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

So......any ideas on how to display soap "cleanly" so the customer can see the whole bar? (Cleanly meaning without all the little soap flakes/crumbles/shedding that naturally happens as it is picked up, smelled, put back down, picked up, smelled, put back down, etc.)

My husband does laser engraving and recently tried engraving my soap. Whoa! It looks incredible! Right now I use a cigar band wrapping, but it would cover the engraving. So I'm trying to find a way to protect the soap (and the table it is on) while still being able to see the engraving.
Help me brainstorm......

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

Use the shrink wrap bands that are open at the ends. Put a card stock label on the side that doesn't have the engraving?

Even if they were open at the ends, wouldn't the shrinkage still effect the wrap and make it too loose after awhile?

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

How about wrapping in paper of choice but always leaving one bar wrapped in shrink wrap with the end open as a display bar of soap for people to hold and smell etc.

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

I also noticed that BB has clear soap boxes.
Has anyone used those? Advantages/disadvantages to this type of packaging?

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

How much of the engraving does the area take up? Is it centered on the bar? A cigar band could run north and south if that would accomadate the design. Or you could use a band of ribbon or a hunk of raffia tied on the soap with a small label attached.
I just posted my mini study on shrinkage of a bar of soap. Over 5 months my bar of soap lost 20.3% of its weight. Only when I reached the 6th month did the weight stay the same. I tend to wrap as soon as they are cured and have noticed that even the cigar bands will loosen. For selling I think the best would be to wrap just before putting them out for sale.

Do we get to see a sample of his handywork?

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

Do you have a larger image? That one is pretty small.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts