Packaging My First Batch.

[andyc]

The shrink wrap I bought had unclear sizes and my soap didn't fit! So I had to use 2 bands for each soap and used a cardboard band to cover the overlap. I thing the results look good though. Next time I'll make sure the sizes are correct.

 

[Susie]

You are selling your first ever batch of soap?

 

[andyc]

The first successful one yes, I been using it and it came out well!

 

[doriettefarm]

Noticed you are in the UK . . . don't they require safety assessments and registration of recipes, etc? Where are you TEG?

 

[shunt2011]

Is it even 4 weeks old yet? How can you even think of selling something that you don't even know if it will develop DOS.

Have you had your assessment and do you have insurance? I certainly hope so.

Your link has been removed as it was in violation of forum rules.

 

[Wildcraft_Garden]

Also just a note, at least in Canada, you are required to use INCI names on the labels.

 

[andyc]

I apologise for putting these up for sale and I took them down after about 15 minutes after realising my mistake. They are 4 weeks old and I thought I would be ok to sell them but after research I went against it. I'd delete the post but I can't find a way to do so. I guess they'll make nice stocking stuffers for Christmas!

 

[Wildcraft_Garden]

I apologise for putting these up for sale and I took them down after about 15 minutes after realising my mistake. They are 4 weeks old and I thought I would be ok to sell them but after research I went against it. I'd delete the post but I can't find a way to do so. I guess they'll make nice stocking stuffers for Christmas!

They will be wonderful stocking staffers, they are lovely. ☺

 

[JayJay]

Is this melt and pour soap or CP soap?

 

[andyc]

It's CP soap.

 

[Susie]

They need to finish curing not in shrink wrap. I would give them at least another couple of weeks open to air unless you have very, very low humidity.

 

[JayJay]

How long ago did you make this batch of soap? You said that this was your first batch, then you said first successful batch? How many batches total have you made total? I am trying to get a sense for how much expermentation you have done.

I would advise making the same recipie many times and test the variations in outcome. CP soap can have a surprising way of turning out differently. You don't want to open shop if this soap is a fluke. I would want to repeat the same outcome many times before I felt confident in any particular recipe.

Also, as mentioned above, it takes time to figure out whether there are problems (like DOS) with your soap. Wouldn't you hate to see soap that turns bad on your customers? It could ruin your reputation and also harm customers.

I have seen it recommended that one should make soap for at least a year of serious effort before selling.

 

[pamielynn]

I would advise making the same recipie many times and test the variations in outcome. CP soap can have a surprising way of turning out differently. You don't want to open shop if this soap is a fluke. I would want to repeat the same outcome many times before I felt confident in any particular recipe.

This.

 

[DeeAnna]

I'd try to figure out how to can shrink the plastic so it conforms better to the soap. It looks like there are little bits of plastic sticking up from the top in your second photo (or just bleached out highlights -- I'm not sure). Speaking from experience, odd bits like that can be scratchy and don't give a professional look to your overall package. Also the plastic on the front face in the second photo looks like it could be shrunk down flatter.

Are you using a hair dryer or a heat gun? Might want to consider a heat gun if you don't have one. Perhaps you need more heat and/or heating time to get the plastic to shrink down properly. Sometimes you can gently pat the plastic with your fingertips while it's warm to get it to flatten against an irregular surface.

It's taken me about 10 batches (14 bars per batch) to figure out the best way to shrink wrap my soaps!

Regarding your labeling -- If you're in the UK or EU, I'm pretty sure you must use proper INCI names for your ingredients. Even in the US where common names for ingredients are preferred, the lye should be spelled out as "sodium hydroxide". Your colorant(s) may need to be spelled out explicitly. A net weight is required.

 

[commoncenz]

And here is where I pipe in with a question. I understand that net weight is required. That said, I have been weighing each and every bar from each and every batch (I actually should be keeping track of these weights in a spreadsheet, eh?) ... Anyway, while all my bars are the same dimension and cut to the same depth, some weigh more than others by .2 oz or less after the first 4 -5 weeks (the disparity lessens over time) ... Now, if I were to package those bars at that time, would I have to put the weight of each individual bar on each package, the weight of the lightest bar, the average weight of all bars ... or some other standard?

Also, out of curiosity .. WHY is there a weight disparity? I've kind of chalked it up to each bar doing its own thing at its own pace.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

In the EU, you need to have a safety assessment and you have to register each batch on the cncp portal with a corresponding batch number on the label - the fact that your labels do not come close to standard is the least of your problems.

There are two sides to this - the legal side, which you can't avoid. Then there is the soap making side, where you have a 50% success rate. These soaps are beautiful, granted, but all that glistens isn't gold - how are they to use? Are you happy with the recipe to the extent that you won't be tweaking it? Do you know as much as you realistically can about these particular soaps so that you can answer customer questions? Do you know how they will look in 3 months, in case someone keeps one for a while to give as a gift? Will it have DOS by then?

Learn how to soap before selling. Learn the soaps that you want to sell.

 

[shunt2011]

And here is where I pipe in with a question. I understand that net weight is required. That said, I have been weighing each and every bar from each and every batch (I actually should be keeping track of these weights in a spreadsheet, eh?) ... Anyway, while all my bars are the same dimension and cut to the same depth, some weigh more than others by .2 oz or less after the first 4 -5 weeks (the disparity lessens over time) ... Now, if I were to package those bars at that time, would I have to put the weight of each individual bar on each package, the weight of the lightest bar, the average weight of all bars ... or some other standard?

Also, out of curiosity .. WHY is there a weight disparity? I've kind of chalked it up to each bar doing its own thing at its own pace.

My bars are between 5 or a bit more oz. so I just list 5 on my labels. I have a bud cutter and there is still a slight variance sometimes. Before I had a reliable cutter I would list the lowest weight.

 

[Susie]

Also, out of curiosity .. WHY is there a weight disparity? I've kind of chalked it up to each bar doing its own thing at its own pace.

Because every one of us is human, and therefore prone to imperfections. Bud is a human who could set one wire 1/84th closer to another wire. I am human and could cut my bars a little off.

We are also making a handmade product. Not every batch of the same recipe is going to be the same, no matter how careful we are. We are still not machines.

And thank goodness for that!

 

[osso]

And here is where I pipe in with a question. I understand that net weight is required. That said, I have been weighing each and every bar from each and every batch (I actually should be keeping track of these weights in a spreadsheet, eh?) ... Anyway, while all my bars are the same dimension and cut to the same depth, some weigh more than others by .2 oz or less after the first 4 -5 weeks (the disparity lessens over time) ... Now, if I were to package those bars at that time, would I have to put the weight of each individual bar on each package, the weight of the lightest bar, the average weight of all bars ... or some other standard?

Also, out of curiosity .. WHY is there a weight disparity? I've kind of chalked it up to each bar doing its own thing at its own pace.

I list a minimum weight, usually 4.5oz. My bars are often closer to 5oz, but not less than 4.5.

 

[DeeAnna]

"Net weight" is actually minimum weight at the time of sale. I weigh all of my bars at the time of packaging and figure out what the minimum weight is. And then I actually list a net weight that is slightly under that. So if my lightest bar is 4.2 oz, my "net weight" is 4 oz for all the bars in that batch.

The variation in weight from bar to bar is likely due to imperfections in cutting and variations in height from when the soap batter was poured. Some might also be from variations in density due to colorants and other ingredients that might not be evenly distributed throughout the soap. The weight might vary due to changes during cure, although I don't think (from a few checks I've done) that this is a big issue compared to the other reasons.

ETA: If you cut a bar just 1/32nd of an inch (0.8 mm) smaller, that will change a 4 oz bar into a 3.9 oz bar. Something to think about!