Teach Soap

We don't have a forum for packaging, but this is about packaging a balm, so here goes: at one store where I sell tins of a balm, they are having a problem with people opening and trying the balm, even when a tester is available. My first attempt to combat this was using decorative washi tape a a kind of "seal" that would discourage someone from opening a can. Obviously, they still could, but I hoped it would make them pause and reconsider, especially since there are testers available. It hasn't worked though.

I don't want to use shrink seals: I would rather minimize plastic; it's a whipped balm, and I don't want to take a chance of melting it or part of it; and the extra time it would take to do packaging is discouraging.

So I'm looking for other ways of putting a hard to break seal on the tins. Any advice? The store right now is eating the cost of these opened tins, but I'd rather solve the problem.

Thanks!

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

I shrink wrap mine, and people still try to get them open.
Instead of shrink wrap, what about using clear regular or packing tape once around the seam? I did this on mine before I got the shrink bands and it worked well.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Here's an idea. Wrap the container with a thin ribbon or a nice twine as if it was a package. I know it's more work, but that might just be enough to deter those trying to open the tin.

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

A nice ribbon would be pretty, but I don't have the patience to do that 100 times for each batch. More/better tape is a possibility. I was thinking of round seals with really good adhesive, too.

I'm also considering buying baker's parchment paper rounds in a size that will fit the tin, which will be on top when you open the balm. That might be a further level of discouragement...

One thought I also had is that maybe people aren't opening the tins--I fill these by hand, after all, and the tops are not perfectly smooth. Maybe it just looks like someone "dipped," but it's just an artifact of filling these. Another reason to get a filling machine. The parchment circle would help with that, because I could push it down to smooth the top.

Thanks!

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

I have been using onlinelabels for my tamper-proof lip balm tubes and they work really well. It takes a hard "turn" to break the seal on these labels and they look professional.

I hope this helps!

I use those too, and they're great, but they don't have anything similar for a large tin, unfortunately. There are labels for honey that are round to fit on the top of a cap, and then have a "leg" that goes down the side of the bottle so that the seal has to be broken to open the honey. I'd like something like that, but I called Online labels customer support and they don't have anything like that. I may just use tape around the seal. Grr.

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

Are there any small labels that you can just stick over the rim to act as a seal even though they are not intended for that purpose? Maybe something like a long rectangular skinny sticker that can be wrapped around the bottom and top and then your circular label adhered over it? I don't know if I explained that well or not.

You did! I tried that, and the label didn't adhere well. Maybe I need one with more stickiness.

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

I know this was from a very long time ago, but i had an idea that i would still like to share just in case you were still tryi g things out and for others who might be looking for ideas. What about adding a small circular label at the sem that says "NOT A TESTER" or if theres room "please dont open me" etc. Or, If you have room on your tamper label you can just add something that say something along those lines.I know its a little more work, but if all else fails. I hope i was at least a little helpful and its not a completely foolish idea.