Teach Soap

Hello!
I wasnt sure where exactly to post this.
Im based in India and am planning to start a small scale venture. I was planning to make CP soaps in my kitchen and retail via facebook and other online stores.
Now, on researching the regulations I realized that making soaps in a residential complex is not allowed. it is mandatory to rent a manufacturing unit in a commercial area. So, I guess I can no longer focus on positioning my products as homemade
And I dont want to hire people to do it for me as I enjoy the process of it.

I wanted to understand a few things to help me plan further-
1. How many of you produce your soap yourselves without hiring any labour.
2. Do you produce soaps at your home?
3. What is your average production capacity

I hope its not silly to ask these questions.
Please advice me on how I should go about.
Any suggestions for names are also welcome

You can still call your soaps "handmade" rather than homemade. Even if you need to make them in a commercial area instead of your home, they will still be handmade. And you can probably do all the work yourself without hiring anyone.

I make my soap in my home in 2-3 pound batches. I just started selling this summer at a small local farmer's market twice a month. I've sold about 200 bars of soap so far.

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

I think in the US there is a bit of a negative stigma with the term homemade (although I think that is turning around a bit with the bad economy). I prefer to use the terms "hand made" or "hand crafted" I think those indicate at I am more an artisan.

1. How many of you produce your soap yourselves without hiring any labour.I make all my products without hiring labor. When assistance is needed I get my husband or other family members to help.
2. Do you produce soaps at your home? I do make them at home, my dining room has become my storage and curing area. When my roomate moves out, that spare room will become the curing area
3. What is your average production capacity? Right now I make soaps in about 5-6 pound batches and generally do 1-3 batches a week. Production (for me) is really about, how many do I have in stock, do I have room to store/cure more product, do I have enough supplies, and the size and length of any upcoming events, along with making sure that soap is coming off the curing rack and steady rate to provide new products or interesting products to my customers

Right now I am mostly working craft fairs, farmers markets and other events. I do have a website and facebook which I promote with everyone I meet at the markets. Since I started selling late September I have gotten 4 custom orders.

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Dawn

I do pretty much the same as Dawn, but my soap is made in 2-3# batches.
I started selling at our local Farmer's Market during the summer and do an occasional craft fair. I have a facebook page and promote my business locally whenever possible. I'm in the process of setting up a website. I do have a number of repeat customers now and they are wonderful about letting their friends know about me.

I also like to include a free sample in orders (lip balm, 2 oz lotion, etc.) I just got an order for 10 8oz size lotions and 12 containers of hand salve because of the samples I put in an order.

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