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Labeling Challenges
Part 1 of a Series   

So you have taken the plunge and made a beautiful batch of soap, carefully cut the bars, sniffed away to your heart's content, and are eager to share with someone else.   Now wouldn't it be be nice to wrap that soap up before you give it away or sell it?   The label gives you a place to show off all those luscious ingredients you used, plus get your name & contact information out there.  It can even be a real selling point if you have a lovely label, and the right label can give a gift a very special touch.

So how the heck to start?   There are so many options when it comes to labeling your soap.  One place to see a stunning variety of packaging ideas is in a Soapnuts swap.   The 'Nuts go all out for their swaps and the labels are often just too pretty to unwrap.    For the purposes of selling your soap, this probably wouldn't be the way to go as your "norm", but it is fun to see what others have come up with.    We tend to go "all out" for those people that we know will appreciate it.

For a round soap, Frances Schuff uses a coffee filter and then closes it all up with a lovely round label.  I have also seen round soaps done up in tulle, then with a hang tag tied on with ribbon or raffia.

The basic cigar band is very functional and looks neat and professional too.     It is fairly easy to set up and print on your own printer, which makes it a popular choice with so many soapers.    The basic information I like to see on a label is:

* Name of the soap
* Fragrance
* Soap weight (I print the words "approximate weight", then some blank space, then "oz."   I hand write the actual weight when it's labeled and weighed.)
* Who made it with their contact info
* Ingredients (which are not required by law, as soap is not considered a cosmetic.  For more info on this, see this from the Soapnuts Library: http://www.soapnuts.com/cosmeticlabeling.html )
* Disclaimer
* Brief info about the soap

Seems like a lot to get on one label, but it can be done!    I create mine in Microsoft Word, then use my paper cutter to cut nice and straight.   I attach the band around the soap using clear tape. I personally don't label my soaps until I need to, meaning either before a show or at the time of sale.  If you do it too soon, the soap may still shrink a bit and the label will be too loose.   

I also love to experiment with different kinds of paper.    This add a very special touch and helps to convey the "feeling" you want from the labeling.  

Be bold!  Be brave!   Go out and create some labels that will "wow" them in the next swap, or just entice someone to pick up and sniff your masterpiece.

~ Jessica Miller