What DO people do with extra product?

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MGM

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I'm just starting CP soaping but have been making body butters and lotion bars and lip balms for a couple of years. I give them away at work (my friends don't seem as interested) and have made substantial donations to silent auctions for the kids' activities. I don't want to start a business because I don't want the hassle of it (I follow GMP but don't like all the administrivia of it, and I dislike the labelling, packaging, etc.), especially because I want to make what *I* want. Donating/giving seems to be the way to go? I like the shelters idea....fancy soap and lip balm might be a nice treat. Any other ideas?
 
I'm just starting CP soaping but have been making body butters and lotion bars and lip balms for a couple of years. I give them away at work (my friends don't seem as interested) and have made substantial donations to silent auctions for the kids' activities. I don't want to start a business because I don't want the hassle of it (I follow GMP but don't like all the administrivia of it, and I dislike the labelling, packaging, etc.), especially because I want to make what *I* want. Donating/giving seems to be the way to go? I like the shelters idea....fancy soap and lip balm might be a nice treat. Any other ideas?

If you have any scraps of soaps or failed batches i believe that cleantheworld.org i think is the address recieve donations and rebatch them and send them to 3rd world countries as part of a hygene pack to give to im assuming especially rural communities. Think they get most the soap from hotels and used guest soaps but from what i can tell any donations are welcomed by them and sounds like a good cause to me :)
 
If you have any scraps of soaps or failed batches i believe that cleantheworld.org i think is the address recieve donations and rebatch them and send them to 3rd world countries as part of a hygene pack to give to im assuming especially rural communities. Think they get most the soap from hotels and used guest soaps but from what i can tell any donations are welcomed by them and sounds like a good cause to me :)

Oh that is cool. Unfortunately, the exorbitant cost of postage in Canada is one reason I don't want to sell (and ship), so I can't imagine sending my soap halfway around the world....I will put it on my list of places to donate cash to though! That's what we do for teacher/coach gifts, and this is an interesting new one!
 
Oh that is cool. Unfortunately, the exorbitant cost of postage in Canada is one reason I don't want to sell (and ship), so I can't imagine sending my soap halfway around the world....I will put it on my list of places to donate cash to though! That's what we do for teacher/coach gifts, and this is an interesting new one!

Iv not looked into it in that much detail but i think its based in america but has offices in various places around the world. I saw a youtube video where the host mentioned it and they had a box think the organisation had sent it to them so it didnt cost to send thier donations not sure if this is a regular thing they would do or maybe she had been doing it for years as oart of her business. I think its an absolutly fantastic idea especially given the stats they present on thier website for global useage of guest soaps commonly used for one night then no longer used
 
I don't want to start a business because I don't want the hassle of it (I follow GMP but don't like all the administrivia of it, and I dislike the labelling, packaging, etc.), especially because I want to make what *I* want.
My personal feelings: If you are giving away things such as body butters or lotion bars, please make sure that you are still labeling it somehow. Whew! now that I have that off my chest...

Check with churches to see if they would be interested in stuff for donations. My church has used some of my soap overstock in their visitor bags (I remove my business label and they replace with their church logo and the ingredients), and they keep a donation box where people put things they don't want any more and if someone else wants it they can donate whatever they feel is an adequate amount. Also, high school counselor offices may have a collection for this type of stuff to give to students who can't afford proper hygiene things. I donated some soap at our local high school last month but they weren't show how the kids would react to the bar soap, usually they only take body wash but they were open to trying it. Cancer support organizations always seem to be looking for things to put into chemo care bags - I've donated lip balms and unscented soap. I've been told that lotions and soaps with fragrance are a no-no.
 
I know some people here give to the local food banks - mine hasn't responded to my emails or messages. You can also try women's shelters - I gave a bunch to the YWCA.
 
If you have any scraps of soaps or failed batches i believe that cleantheworld.org i think is the address recieve donations and rebatch them and send them to 3rd world countries as part of a hygene pack to give to im assuming especially rural communities. Think they get most the soap from hotels and used guest soaps but from what i can tell any donations are welcomed by them and sounds like a good cause to me :)
They used to accept from hand made soap makers. Unfortunately, they don't any more. I used to send a box of end cuts and uglies a couple of times a year. @MGM they will, of course, accept cash donations. IMHO this is a good organization.
 
They used to accept from hand made soap makers. Unfortunately, they don't any more. I used to send a box of end cuts and uglies a couple of times a year. @MGM they will, of course, accept cash donations. IMHO this is a good organization.

Well thats a pitty because i was going to contact the london office and send my scraps to them. Seems odd that they wouldnt accept soap in this form when they rebatch it anyways
 
Well thats a pitty because i was going to contact the london office and send my scraps to them. Seems odd that they wouldnt accept soap in this form when they rebatch it anyways
London might be different from here in the US. I do know there was a form I had to fill out. I couldn't find it, so contacted them to have another sent and that's when I found out they weren't accepting donations from individual soap makers any longer. I don't know why, but maybe they were getting too many with DOS. Hotel soaps tend to be white - but I can't imagine they really cared about that. Disappointing - I loved the idea that no scraps were being wasted (I don't rebatch).
 
London might be different from here in the US. I do know there was a form I had to fill out. I couldn't find it, so contacted them to have another sent and that's when I found out they weren't accepting donations from individual soap makers any longer. I don't know why, but maybe they were getting too many with DOS. Hotel soaps tend to be white - but I can't imagine they really cared about that. Disappointing - I loved the idea that no scraps were being wasted (I don't rebatch).

Yeah ill still look into it see if they have a different policy for the london office. Iv not tried rebatching never even researched it. im still just testing different fo eo and recipes so a failed batch is just part of the process of learning every so often. Could be different for canada then? if your in the US and the op is in canada :)
 
Yeah ill still look into it see if they have a different policy for the london office. Iv not tried rebatching never even researched it. im still just testing different fo eo and recipes so a failed batch is just part of the process of learning every so often. Could be different for canada then? if your in the US and the op is in canada :)
True, it could be different in Canada as well.
 
Iv not looked into it in that much detail but i think its based in america but has offices in various places around the world. I saw a youtube video where the host mentioned it and they had a box think the organisation had sent it to them so it didnt cost to send thier donations not sure if this is a regular thing they would do or maybe she had been doing it for years as oart of her business. I think its an absolutly fantastic idea especially given the stats they present on thier website for global useage of guest soaps commonly used for one night then no longer used
You could also donate to single-mother facilities or veterans facilities.
 
I think your question is the one that caused many of us to sell. I sell at 5 craft fairs and have no-online presence and do not take credit cards. I sell what I want to make and keep the amount I make to a level I call fun. I do make and sell a lot more than I did when I started but I have kept the same basic plan. In the process I have developed customers that are now called friends. So, the idea of how much "business" you make it is really up to you and not some pre-defined concept. I know this isn't the type of answer you are looking for but I encourage you to not limit yourself to some idea that a business has to be all things business. As for as shelters I think most shelters for abused women are always wanting and needing items. Plus the women do appreciate something pretty and nice.
 
Thanks everyone. I do intend to do at least basic labelling wherever the product goes, for allergies, if nothing else. Lucycat, maybe I'm creating an artificial bright line between "selling" and "not selling", but it seems the Health Canada registration regulations only kick in for selling. Same thing for insurance. I follow GMF for the most part, but am not ready for this. Etc. etc. Everything I read, I find something else that is required and appropriate, but would be a barrier for me as a hobbyist.
 
Howdie y'all. This thread is the most current info I can find on the subject. I have in the past donated a variety of sample sized individually labeled soaps to a local women's shelter here in Portland, Oregon. Recently I've been so much more busy and just don't have that kind of time anymore. My hopes were raised upon hearing about clean the world followed by a giant Womp Womp upon hearing they no longer accept handmade scraps. Has anyone else been able to discover any other charities that accept handmade scraps? Any ideas? Y'all want handmade organic scraps? I can't bare to throw it away!
 
I'm just starting CP soaping but have been making body butters and lotion bars and lip balms for a couple of years. I give them away at work (my friends don't seem as interested) and have made substantial donations to silent auctions for the kids' activities. I don't want to start a business because I don't want the hassle of it (I follow GMP but don't like all the administrivia of it, and I dislike the labelling, packaging, etc.), especially because I want to make what *I* want. Donating/giving seems to be the way to go? I like the shelters idea....fancy soap and lip balm might be a nice treat. Any other ideas?

About every three months, I cut my half my soaps in half and put half of them in inexpensive zip lock bags with inexpensive wash cloths and the other half in a box and take to the local homeless shelter. I don't label the individual soaps, but the shelter has a print out of the ingredients and my card in case there are issues.

The other half are kept whole and are wrapped in parchment or wax paper; I attach an ingredient label and then donate them to the local food bank at my church.
 
About every three months, I cut my half my soaps in half and put half of them in inexpensive zip lock bags with inexpensive wash cloths and the other half in a box and take to the local homeless shelter. I don't label the individual soaps, but the shelter has a print out of the ingredients and my card in case there are issues.

The other half are kept whole and are wrapped in parchment or wax paper; I attach an ingredient label and then donate them to the local food bank at my church.
Good idea! I don't want to not donate to local shelters also don't wanna be lazy about it. That seems like the best compromise. Thanks, bud!
 
My local food pantry loves homemade soap and the local free health clinic has contacted me that they would like some too. I don’t give them my scraps usually because I can use them myself, but I make a 100% lard bar with no scent that I donate. The lard comes from a local farmer and he gives me a hefty price cut so we are both helping.
 
Good idea! I don't want to not donate to local shelters also don't wanna be lazy about it. That seems like the best compromise. Thanks, bud!

It is quick work to cut bars in half. The zip locks bags I get from the Dollar Store and I watch for sales on wash cloths are WalMart. I print my labels on office store brand address labels. I usually got with paper from the Dollar Store until my grocery store has a sale. For Christmas this year, my sister's local stamping group has offered to stamp a Christmas theme on my wax paper for donation.
 
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