Teach Soap

Hi everyone!

My name is Dave...and I'm a Soapaholic

I started a few months ago so that my daughter and I could have some quality father/daughter time together...
and in the process, I became hooked on making my own soap. (Who knew! )

Anyway...in the process of developing my own recipe, and sharing my results with friends, co-workers, and family...
I have discovered that I would like to package my soap in something other than Aluminum Foil.

I'm not interested in selling my soap, and don't really want to go overboard on the packaging... but I would really appreciate
your advice in what I could do.

I am currently doing 2.5 lb Hot Process batches in a Crockpot with liquid colorants, and a 14" long x 3" round PVC, and
cutting them 1" thick.

I was thinking about using 6" x 6" Heat Shrink bags with 1.5" Avery print stickers, but don't know if the bags will work.
I would really appreciate your input!

Here's some samples of the soap that I have made. (Not the best cuts in the batch cause they are all gone now)











Thanks.

Dave

Hi Dave! to answer your question "Who knew?" Well, we ALL know!

Your soaps look really nice! I like the Sandalwood Java best.
CP/HP soap doesn't need to be shrink wrapped, but if you decide to do that, make sure you have a few holes in the wrap so air can get to the soap. Some people like to wrap their round soap in coffee filters and then put a label on to hold it closed.

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

Welcome Dave. Once the soaps have fully cured, you could try shrink wrap bags. I would poke a little hole in it so the soap can breathe. You can also use wax paper, paper boxes, or tissue paper (white only as colors bleed). Some people use muslin bags to wrap their soaps.

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

Your soaps look great. I love the java sandalwood also. Since theyre round, my favorite for round soap is a coffee filter, the 100 for a buck plain old white ones with a round sticker to hold it together. They look like a fancy french wrapped soap. If you make yourself a nice label/sticker I think they will look great and you cant get cheaper than that!

The paper filter still allows the soap to breathe and people to sniff it too. If your not selling it people dont have to see what it looks like first.

What about organza bags? Nice and cheap, but look great. Then I would do a small card (you could even use Vistaprint's business cards as you can get them free most times) for the 'labels', punch a hole in the corner and feed the bag's tie string through it.

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Thanks everyone for the quick feedback! (Really appreciated)

I would have never thought about using coffee filters...I tried one out and it was the perfect size.
I also like the organza bags...that way people can see what they are getting. (Maybe I'll try both )

I was thinking about putting out a basket of my soap at work so people could help themselves.
I never realized how popular this would get...and my daughter and I are having a great time with it!

Now that my daughter has picked most of the fragrances...I think its my turn to come up with some
"Man-Soap" (Although the Sandalwood Java was my idea )

Thanks again for your feedback!

Dave

here's a Flickr group dedicated to soap packaging...take a look for inspiration :

http://www.flickr.com/groups/soappackaging/

Dave your soap looks great! The java sandlewood is my favorite too.

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Debbie

Thanks Debbie

And methree...thanks to your flickr link, I haven't gotten much work done today.
(My boss may be giving you a call ) Just kidding...lots of great ideas though!

Dave

Hi Dave! My suggestion for you: coffee filters. They're very cheap, allow the soap to breathe and look great with round soaps like yours. Wrap those babies up and slap a round label on there and you're good to go. The only drawback is that they aren't transparent, so just depends on whether that is important to you.

Here's an example from Google:

I, too, endorse the cofffee filters. I use them for rectangles and squares, too, and I love them. I print off labels on plain paper using Microsoft Publisher and glue them to the wrapped soap with no-wrinkle glue gel.

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You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus – Mark Twain
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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

Mella,
Wow...pretty packaging! It looks like you put a lot of time and thought into the presentation of your soap! Nice

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

Hey everyone

Thanks for all the great ideas!
I decided to try the Natural Coffe Filters with a simple printed Custom Logo. (Cheap and easy)
Like I said...I'm not interested in selling my soap...but I do want it to be fun, and packaged.
Here's what I came up with:



I think everyone will get a kick out of it!

Thanks again for your help

Dave