Shrink Wrap

I like the dan's bands at www.the-sage.com. my bars are 2.5 x 3.5 x 1 and the bands just fit. They're perforated too.

 

I also use the Dan's bands for my 3 inch round loofa's they are way to small for my soap. Although I like the 4x6's my customers do not like shrink bands. I went back to my bags 4.5 X 6.34 with twistie ties, which I really don't like With the MM mold size bar filled, 4x6 just fits and slows down your production, would be cool if they were just .5 all the way around bigger. Vicki

 

I use Dans bands, too. I keep mulling over making a change to my packaging, which is a horizontal cigar band under a Dans band. I do textured tops & they show well with this packaging, but the face of the soap is still hidden, so no one sees the swirls til after they've unwrapped it.

Diane W

 

Diane, do you use log or slabs? I use logs and I just have one label on one side of the bar so the swirlies can be seen on the back.

 

I use logs. I've thought about a label for the front only, but I'm not sure I can squish all the info onto it and still have room for my logo & 'brand name'.

I love the look of cello bags tied with ribbon, and all info inside on a card, but that has the same problem off not much room for info.

Right now, my labels have my bee & flower logo, 'Brushwood Farm', name of the soap flavor, 'Goat's Milk Soap' or 'Handmade Soap' and the weight on the front. One side had ingredients, the other, a quotation, and contact info/website on the back. The quote is most expendable, but part of the 'personality' of the soap, & I get lots of comments from buyers on them, so I hate to give them up.

Diane W

 

I have all but the quote on mine. Small fonts! I think the ingredients are 8 or something. Everything else is between a 10 and a 12

Bethany

 

I made to flaps onto my label- the main info is on the front of the bar (which is really the back), the farm name & contact is on the bottom flap & the warnings or cute stuff is on the top flap. That way you can still see textured tops & swirls, and use the sides of the bar for info.

I have to cut the top 1-1.5 inches off the top of the 4X6 bags, otherwise I don't end up with a sniffy hole. I like how clean my soap stays in the shrink bags, but it is harder to smell.

I get my bags here- http://www.papermart.com/templates/36-0-30.htmthe cheapest I have found. About a penny apiece.

 

I've used flaps too - I put coupon codes for my website on the bottom flap!

 

OK whats a flap? can't visualize

 

So let's say you have a 2 x 3.5 label on the front. My soaps are one inch thick. So I would add 3/4 inch to the height of my label and under the main portion of the label I would add a coupon portion, fold that 3/4 inch down and that would be the bottom "flap" the crease of the fold on the bottom edge of the soap with the coupon on the bottom.

Clear as mud? :biggrin

Bethany

 

I've been thinking about changing mine to have a flap so I could put my contact info on there. Now it's on the reverse side of the card so you can't see it until you unwrap the soap.

 

Bethany, so you are using paper under your shrink wrap for your label? Shannon

 

Yes, if I used a sticky label on top and had to reshrink because the bar shrank (which happens over time) the sticky label wouldn't work so well.

Bethany

 

hmmn, I use stick on clear address labels and even if I have to reshrink the wrap I haven't had a problem. I like the clear labels because you can really see the soap through. Shannon

 

Maybe it is because your labels are smaller and clear vinyl? Mine are 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall. They cover almost the whole front of the bar. I tried it with a paper plain white sticker label and it wrinkled up a bit on reshrinking. Having the paper underneath also keeps the label looking neat after the bars have been handled a bit.

I do love the idea of the clear ones though. I've though of that but there is no way I cold get my logo and other info on and address label. So I just keep the back clear and on my display I have a bar facing to the front and a bar with the back showing. It works pretty well.