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WELCOME
NEW MEMBERS!
PATRICIA ARMSTRONG
The Stylish Collection
Handcrafted by Patricia
PAT BOHNSACK
Treasures from the Heartland
VERONICA BORLEK
Scentful Pleasures
MICHELLE BOUCHARD
Sioux River Soaps
FRANCES BRADBURY
DEBORAH BRINK
Pure Enchantment
SHARRON BROWN
Fogwash Soap Co.
MAURA BUCKLEY
Les Savons des Chatons
CAMILLE CAIN
Cammie’s Handmade Soaps
KENYA CALLOWAY
Jai’s Custom Made Soaps
TWIG CAUDIEUX
Twig Soap
JUDI CHESLEY
LEE CHEW
Aqua Luna Spa Essentials
LIZA COUCHMAN
Black Creek Botanicals
Artisanal Soaps
CAROL CROW
Out Of Eden Soaps
SHARON CZEKALA
Great Lakes Natural Soap Co.
CAROL DEKKERS
Valley Soaps
KAY DELOACH
Desert Heart Gift and Herb
JACQUELINE FREDERICKS
Cantik Soapworks
SHARON GARDA
e.Scents.ials
Putting Your Best Foot Forward:
The Art of Packaging
We all know the phrase “beauty is in
the eye of the beholder” but there is no
doubt that it holds a special meaning for
anyone who deals with marketing and
packaging, particularly for something as
widely used as soap.
Marketing
The subject of “marketing” is vast and
includes all aspects of presenting your
product up to and including the sale.
Identifying your niche, determining your
target market, surveying your public, positioning your product, advertising and,
of course, the actual physical packaging,
are all part of an overall marketing strategy. Whether you approach it from a
sophisticated process of market research
and consumer surveys or from a self-realized understanding of your chosen place
in the market, the thing to know is that
you have a place in the market and your
packaging should reflect it.
“When you wrap or label you soap you
want to augment, not detract from it’s
intrinsic beauty,” says Dottie Simmons
of Simmons Natural Bodycare. “Consider your customers: are they looking for
a very natural, eco-groovy product? Are
your soaps primarily intended as luxurious, upper end gifts? Are they whimsical delights to lure children into the tub?
Are they delectable spa oriented treats?
Each venue can inspire a style of packaging to entice the consumer.”
Once you have a general ideal of your
personal style, and the image you want
to convey to your chosen market, the
next step is creating a physical package
that works for you.
Soap
For soaps, the options are practically endless! We can use foil embossed
boxes, custom hand-tied wraps, simple
or elegant cigar bands, naked soap and
every possibility in between.
However, by virtue of being handcrafted soap makers, we are faced with
unique problems in packaging. Since
we generally deal in small quantities,
the mass-produced packaging of the
“big guys” is not usually workable, costeffective or even available to us.
So what’s a handcrafted soap maker
to do?
Get creative, that’s what!
IN THIS ISSUE
The Art of Packaging . . . . . . . . . . .
Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
From The President . . . . . . . . . . . .
HSMG Supports Our Troups . . . .
Packaging Preliminaries . . . . . . . . .
UPS Bar Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2
2
3
4
5
About Printing & Paper . . . . . . . . . 6
2005 Conference! . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Member Services Update . . . . . . .
Benefactor Members - Thanks . . .
Crossword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10
12
14
15
CONTACT US
Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild, Inc..
3416 Primm Lane.
Birmingham, AL 35216
Toll Free:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:
(866)
900-SOAP
(866)
900-7627
(205)
823-5517
(205)
823-2760
[email protected]
Board of Directors:
Marie Gale, President
[email protected]
Nancy Underwood, Vice President
[email protected]
Linda Stevens, Treasurer
[email protected]
La Shonda Tyree
[email protected]
Jackie Thompson
[email protected]
Public Website & Soapmaker Roster:
www.soapguild.org
Member Forum:
www.soapguild.org/forum
Member’s Website:
http://members.soapguild.org
PUBLICATION
INFO
The Handcrafted SoapMaker is a
quarterly publication for members of
the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild,
Inc. Grateful acknowledgement is
made to the members and associates
who contributed articles, information
and pictures for this issue.
Reproduction of any article, without prior permission is prohibited.
Copyright © 2004
Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
2
From the President
During my time as a soap maker, I can say with absolute certainty that packaging has been both the bain of my
existence and the herald of my successes. It’s a love/hate
relationship for sure.
Every month I get copies of Cosmetic Packaging,
HAPPI Magazine and Food and Drug Packaging. I look
through them, reading interesting articles and wishing that
I could duplicate some of the packaging concepts in my
shop!
Oh, I think to myself, if I could only get some really fancy
labels printed ... with gold foil and embossing with beautiful
graphics in 4-color (or even 8-color) print, waterproof, UV
coated, exactly the size I want (maybe even specially diecut). Wouldn’t that be wonderful!
But then I realize that it would mean that I’d have to
commit to making, oh, say 5,000 or even 10,000 bars of the
SAME soap. Umm, maybe that’s not so good!
Actually, I’ve already made 5,000 bars of several of my
better sellers. But if you talked to me 5,000-bars-of-lavender-soap ago, I probably would never have admitted that I
could forsee THAT many bars of of the same soap in my future. Even now, knowing that I’ve already made that much
soap, I still don’t really want to commit to the idea of another
5,000 bars of exactly the same soap. Maybe 1,000 ... but
5,000? 10,000?
In all honesty, I like to experiment and find new and different soaps to make. I like having different recipes and
scents and being able to make small batches of Blackberry
Soap for the Balckberry Festival and developing a Mechanic’s Soap because a friend of a friend needs some.
It’s one of the beauties of being a Handcrafted soap maker - we can create and changed and develop personally and
professionally. Unlike Proctor and Gamble, we aren’t stuck
in a particular system and we don’t need corporate approval
to change.
Personally, that’s one of the reasons that I love this business and the people in it!
Marie Gale
President, HSMG
HSMG Supports Our Troups
The HSMG is proud to announce our program to
support for our troups through contribution to Morale Kits which are distributed to deploying military
through the USO. Join us in this national effort to
send them something from home. Just think, a soldier could receive a 1/2 bar ( 2 ounces or so) of your
soap to enjoy while he (or she) is in a distant land so
far from home.
We are asking each member to donate (24) ½
bars. If this is to much send what you can but if you
can send more; by all means please do. Our goal is
10,000 bars to the troups which is 24 bars from 416
members. Due to the limitation of bathing on a daily
basis and also being limited in the grooming products they can carry, our troops can utilize our hand
made soaps because of their multipurpose qualities.
So why only a half bar? According to the USO,
our troops are only allowed to take small kits or personal items with them; but don’t fret... these soaps
are still a great size for shaving, showering, and
moisturizing! In fact, our 1/2 bars are the perfect
size to send along in the Morale Kits.
HSMG member Lynnel Camlin, who has been
involved with the USO Moral Kit program and
sent her soaps to the troups. According to Lynnel,,
“Morale Kits are put together from the USO offices
and sent with every soldier upon deployment. The
USO office tells us that the Morale Kits are a gift
that the soldiers look forward to opening once they
are in route to their destination and are not allowed
to open them till they are well along the way.
“The last time we sent soaps, it was reported back
to me that the soldiers were quite delighted and were
sniffing and smelling and trading the soap having a
grand time of it. They truly appreciate the handmade
soap as it is very personal and not just another tube
of toothpaste!”
Each bar should last until our soldiers return
home, as they can’t shower on a daily basis. By taking
along a bar of handmade soap, the need for shaving
cream, shampoo, or lotion will be eliminated, thus
saving room in their kits for something more personal to remind them of their loved ones back home,
what they are fighting for, and the widespread support that cheers them on.
Whether we are in a time of war, or time of peace,
our military personnel sacrifice many things to keep
our country safe and we can show our support every
day of the year.
It is a privilege and honor to offer this small gesture to show support and gratitude for all the soldiers
do and sacrifice to protect not only our nation but to
defend FREEDOM for all.
You may also send a personal note of encouragement/
support to the soldiers but
there are certain restrictions in
what you can say (no religion
or politics!). We have provid GOAL: 10,000 BARS
ed a sample letter to guide you
 1/2 SIZE BARS
through this process.
(APPROX 2 OZ)
Dear Soldier,
 SOAPS MUST BE
Here is a 1/2 bar of handWRAPPED
made soap made in the great
 SEND 24 BARS
USA. It should be nourishing
(IF POSSIBLE)
to your skin and I hope this
wonderful scent will give you
 CUTOFF DATE:
DEC 15, 2004
a small comfort while you are
away from home.
 NOTE MAY GO WITH
Whether in time of war
THE SOAPS
or peace, it is an honor and
(SEE LEFT).
a privlige to offer this small
 SHIP TO:
gesture to show my support
LYNNEL CAMLING
and gratitude for all you do
6282 ILLINOIS 2 N.
and sacrifice to protect our
OREGOAN, IL
nation and defend Freedom.
61061
In Got We Trust and my
prayers are with you.
SOAPS
FOR THE
TROOPS
Sign with your name, city and state and/or website and “Member of the Handcrafted Soap Makers
Guild, Inc.”
Send your donation to HSMG member,
Lynnel Camling at 6282 Illinois 2 North, Oregoan,
IL 61061. She’ll make the donation to the USO in
Chicago, Illinois on our behalf. The deadline to send
the soaps to Lynnel is December 15th, 2004.
If you have any questions about the program, you
can email the HSMG Marketing Committee at
[email protected].
3
Packaging Preliminaries
Deciding on your actual physical package has to take into account your allowable cost, the
quantity you need (and will use),
your available resources and skills,
the time you are willing to put
into finishing each package of
soap, and the venue in which the
product will be sold.
Allowable Cost
Before committing to a package style, be sure you know exactly
what your costs, expected revenue
and desired profit are. Take into
account the cost of the materials, your time and wear and tear
on your equipment, as well as any
fixed costs like electric, heat or
gas.
If you sell wholesale, use the
wholesale price in your calculations. (see below for some guidelines on how to calculate your
costs accurately)
Quantity
Generally, if you know you’ll
use over 1,000 of any package
component within a reasonable
time, then ordering from a specialized supplier is an option.
This is particularly true for labels
and boxes (although boxes may
have a slightly higher minimum).
Remember, that doesn’t have to be
1,000 of the whole package, just
of one component (say a label or a
box or other piece of the complete
package.
CALCULATING YOUR COSTS
FIGURE COST PER BAR:
+ COST OF INGREDIENTS PER BATCH =
+ COST OF TIME PER BATCH
+ $______
+ $______
(____ HOURS PER BATCH X $____ PER HOUR)
+ COST OF EQUIPMENT PER BATCH =
+ $______
(COST OF EQUIPMENT $____DIVIDED BY
____ BATCHES BEFORE IT WEARS OUT)
+ OVERHEAD COSTS PER BATCH =
+ $______
(HEAT, ELECTRICAL, GAS, RENT, ETC.)
+ COST OF TIME =
+ $______
(# HOURS ____ X $_____ PER HOUR)
= TOTAL COST PER BATCH
÷ NUMBER OF BARS PER BATCH
= TOTAL COST PER BAR
FIGURE LABELING & PROFIT
EXPECTED INCOME PER BAR
− COST PER BAR (FROM ABOVE)
= AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR
_
4
LABELING AND PROFIT
= $______
÷ ______
$______
$______
− $______
= $______
Available Resources
What you have available to you
at the start must also be taken
into consideration. Obviously,
how much money you have to
spend at the beginning is important. There’s no point in planning
for a package design that requires
an up-front investment of several
thousand dollars if you don’t have
the money available.
Your own skills and resources
are a key factor as well. Do you
have a computer and are you able
to create and print high-quality
labels? Do you have the knowhow to make a good graphic design?
If you are lucky enough to have
access to a particular packaging
part for free or at low cost, be sure
to take that into account.
Time
Your time is important and
how you want to spend your time
is must be taken into account
when you design your package.
It takes a great deal more time to
hand-tie every bar of soap than it
does to drop it into a pre-preinted
box. If you choose a time-consuming packaging method that
requires a “personal touch” to every bar, consider not only whether
you can afford your (or someone
else’s) time spent but also whether
you want to commit to that time
and attention to every single bar
of soap. It’s a very personal issue some may find hand-tieing every
bar a pleasure, and some may find
it an incredibly boring chore.
continued on page 13
Bar Codes
As consumers, we’re all familiar with
barcodes. With every blip and bleep
of the cash register, these numbers
and lines identify the product to the store’s central
computer system allowing the retailer to speed up
the check-out process, track inventory and change
prices efficiently, while the consumer receives a more
detailed account of their purchases. Because of the
efficiency of the barcode system, more and more
businesses are requiring barcodes on product labels.
As a small scale soap-maker facing the dilemma of
whether to place barcodes your packaging, questions
arise like over-agitated bubbles in a soap pot! In an
effort to come to an informed decision, the following questions and answers may be of help.
What is a UPC Barcode?
What do those numbers mean?
UPC stands for Universal Product Code which
is a group of bars and symbols created to uniquely
identify your product worldwide. The UPC Barcode
is made up of a machine readable barcode with a 12
digit human readable number. The first
six to nine digits identify the manufacturer, the next two to five digits identify
the product and the last digit (called the check digit)
assures the item was scanned correctly.
How do I get a UPC Barcode for my products?
The first step is to apply to the Uniform Code
Council (UCC) for permission to become a member of the UPC system (www.uc-council.org). Upon
payment of membership fees you will receive a manufacturer’s identification number along with a kit
that will give you guidelines and assistance on how
to use it. The UCC does not supply barcode labels.
Fees?…what’s it going to cost?
Membership fees to the UCC are based on current or projected gross sales of your company and the
number of products you will be identifying with a
UPC symbol. As an example, an on-line application
(https://catalog.webed.uc-council.org/application)
continued on page 14
Upland Soap Factory
Upland, CA
Silicone Lined Soap Molds
Stainless Steel Shaft Squirrel Mixers
Private Label Herbal Soap
Consultations to the Trade
(866) 788-1966
www.uplandsoapfactory.com
5
LABELING
REGS (US)




ALL PRODUCTS SOLD
REQUIRE
CONTACT INFO
AND WEIGHT
SOAPS MADE WITH
OILS AND LYE DO
NOT REQUIRE INGREDIENT LABELS.
MELT AND POUR
SOAPS, INLESS THEY
ARE ONLY MADE
WITH OILS AND LYE
DO REQUIRE AN INGREDIENT LISTING.
INGREDIENT LISTINGS MUST INCLUDE
ALL INGREDIENTS
LISTED AS THEIR
STANDARD INCI
NAME IN DESCENDING ORDER OF USE
6
Packaging Soaps in UK/EU
To package and sell soaps and cosmetics in the
UK or EU, you must follow specific guidelines which
are different from the US regulations. The European
Cosmetic Legislation covers all manufacturers particularly for aromatherapy, soapmaking, cosmetic
manufacture and those making therapeutic products. Natural products are not considered ‘better’ or
safer than those made with chemicals, in fact many
natural products are frowned upon! Many ‘natural’
products have unsafe issues which are currently under great legislative scrutiny.
The golden rule of EU cosmetics: If it Perfumes,
Protects, Keeps in good condition, Cleans, Changes
the appearance, and/or Corrects body odours, AND
it is applied to the Skin, Hair, Nails, Lips, Teeth, External genital organs, Mucous membranes of the oral
cavity - it is a cosmetic. Nothing else, just a cosmetic.
Therefore the rules apply.
In order to manufacture and sell cosmetics, you
must register with the DTI -CCP Directorate (Department of Trade and Industry - Consumer and
Competition Policy) and have a certification that
every single recipe and manufacturing process is safe
(see below for more information).
The labels must have the manufacturers address
(the one registered) and no claims may be made for
the product.
You must include the word “INGREDIENT:”
and a list of the ingredients in descending order
(greatest first and colours last), all in lower case or
first letter upper and remaining words in lower case.
All ingredients must be in INCI terms and colours
in CI numbers.
You must also place a batch number and best before date if the product is deemed to be suitable for
use in less than 30 months.
Even unwrapped soaps that are cut as required
infront of the customer must have the INCI ingredients on a label or sign nearby. Labels may be hand
printed but in indelible ink (lazer is perfectly OK
not inkjet). Smallest text point as clear (not squiggly text) is 4pt. All soaps and cosmetics must be sold
in the UK/EU with the weight (checked on legally
stamped scales) in grams. Note that Grams are written ‘g’ not ‘G’!
In March 2005 is that all cosmetics containing
certain fragrance or essential oils which may contain
certain allergens must also be recorded on the label.
For example as soap currently labelled:
INGREDIENTS: Sodium palmate, Sodium
olivate,
Aqua,
Cymbopogon
nardus,Lavandula angustifolia, Eucalyptus globulus, Pinus sylvesris,
CI 77007
becomes:-
INGREDIENTS: Sodium palmate, Sodium olivate, Aqua, Cymbopogon nardus, Lavandula angustifolia, Eucalyptus globulus, Pinus sylvestris,
Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol,
Citral, Euganol, CI 77007
These regulations apply to all soaps and cosmetics
packaged and/or sold in the UK and EU. France
may have additional requirements.
This article was written by Maxine Nelson, HSMG
Member and author of ‘Make Your Own Makeup’
Her personal mission is to demystify the unnecessary
jargon in the EU and to encourage manufacturing of
natural products by the home and small crafter. She is
available to assist soapmakers is wading through the
UK/EU red tape and can be reached through
www.maxinenelson.co.uk and
www.makeyourownmakeup.com
7
Putting It All Together
Susan Svec of Susan’s Soaps and More in Scurry,
Texas prints labels on card stock which are then
tied on to the
bars with raffia. She chose
this method
initially because
she
felt she could
produce an
attractive label for very
little cost and
SUSAN SVEC
SUSAN’S SOAPS AND MORE
would be able
to change the
copy on the labels at any time with no costs or problems. Customers seem to like the rustic look of the
hand-tied raffia and the fact that they can see and
smell the soap.
However, Susan recognizes that there are some
drawbacks to this packaging style. It is labor intensive and there are no economies of scale on hand
tying soap. Also, the soaps do not stack flat on a display shelf and some people do not want the soap
exposed.
All in all, Susan is still essentially satisfied with
her packaging system, especially producing her labels herself because she introduces too many new
products and makes too many ingredient changes to
be able to allow someone else production. She also
like the rustic look of the hand tying and feel that
it fits well with my all natural soap. So far no stores
have had a problem with shelving the products.
Barb
Marsh
and Janie Taylor of
Denali Dreams in
Anchorage, Alaska
chose pleated tissue to package
their oval soaps.
Originally
each
bar was hand-tied
with raffia and a
tag, they now have
labels profession-
8
BARB MARSH & JANIE TAYLOR
DENALI DREAMS
ally printed to secure the tissue and display the soap
name on the front and product information on the
back.
For wholesale accounts they also offer display
crates which protect the soaps during shipping and
also provide an attractive and informative point-ofsale display.
Barbara Rubin of Valley of the Mist Botanicals
in
Temecula,
CA wraps her
soaps in translucent “candy
paper”,
then
addsan ivory paper sleeve with
the ingredients
and informaBARBARARUBIN
tion about each VALLEY OF THE MIST BOTANICALS
scent. Then it is
tied with red cord around the bar and a matching
red seal with the first initial of the brand is attached.
The bar inside is “signed” by the soapmaker with a
soap stamp of the same initial.
Katherine
Wright of Lathering Up! in
Hernando, Mississippi makes
round bars and
in the beginning
struggled with
her packaging
and
labeling.
Since a typical
cigar band label
KATHERINE WRIGHT
wouldn’t work,
LATHERING UP!
she tried using
wraphia ribbon and tieing on a label, but the labels
would become wrinkled and or torn. Naked soap in
bins resulted in customers picking them up, sniffing, and then putting them back in the wrong bin.
A fellow soaper suggested using coffee filters. Combined with labels that would showed the information and held the wrapper securely, customers can
smell the fragrance thru the wrapper, the soap can
still “breathe.” They are easy, inexpensive and attractive.
advantage of the economy of quantity printing for
the boxes, yet still use them to package different
types of soaps.
Nancy Underwood of Ancient Oracle Soaps in
Surry, Maine, has chosen to shrink wrap her soaps.
She uses 60
gauge polyolefin shrinkwrap.
This particular
type and gauge
shrinkwrap is
used because it
is strong enough
to protect the
soap and prevent it from
NANCY UNDERWOOD
sweating, but is
ANCIENT ORACLE SOAPS
still allows the
consumer to be able to smell the fragrance of the
soap - a big selling point.
Marie Gale of Chandler’s Soaps in Broadbent, Oregon, uses a
small piece of clear cellophan to wrap her soap
bars in the style of gift
wrap. Then she wraps
the package in a printed
paper cigar band label.
She prints the labels
MARIE GALE
using a color solid-wax
CHANDLER’S SOAPS
printer, creating waterproof print and allowing changes in the ingredients or other label aspects
when needed.
Kim Brooks of Annie Goatley Hand Milled
Soaps in Potterville, Michigan
Jackie Thompson of Gaily Rebecca Soaps in Titusville, Pennsylvania had a multi-use box printed for
her soaps. The front panel displays her logo and has
a space for a label with the soap name to be applied.
The back is printed with
general
information
about their soaps.
One side panel is
printed with the company contact information
and the other side panel
is printed with decorative brackets leaving
room for an ingredient
label for that particular
soap. She prints the ingredient labels herself,
JACKIE THOMPSON
allowing for the possiGAILY REBECCA SOAPS
bility of changes in the
ingredient list for each
different kind of soap. Utilizing all the space on the
box, the top has a logo image and the displays the
HSMG Member Logo.
By having an adaptable box design she can take
KIM BROOKS
ANNIE GOATLEY SOAPS
9
nce
e
r
e
f
Con 5
200
Transitions For Growth
Reaching Your Goals
Believe it or not, it’s already time to start thinking about your plans to come to the Handcrafted Soap
Makers Guild 9th Annual Conference in 2005! This one is shaping up to be a dandy, so mark the dates on
your calendar.
This year our theme is “Transitions For Growth”. Wherever you are in your soap making career, you
probably have goals you are working toward and whether they are big or small, achieving those goals will
take you through various stages of growth and expansion. The information from the 2005 Conference is
geared to help you on your way.
New For 2005
Due to popular request, this conference has been
expanded to 3 days. Thursday will be filled with two
Master Classes, one on
Large Batch Soap Production and one geared
to Specialty Melt & Pour
Techniques. Both of those
APRIL 27 - 30, 2005
classes will run the whole
morning, allowing plenty
RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL
of time to get into the
PITTSBURGH, PA
finer details.
Also new for 2005 is a
field trip! We’ll be taking Molly’s Trolley’s through downtown Pittsburgh
and going to tour the soap manufacturing plant of
Designs by Jay.
CONFERENCE
DETAILS
Hotel
The Conference will be held in downtown Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Ramada Plaza Hotel. While
you will, of course, be spending your time learning
about soap making and networking with other soap
makers, you can also take advantage of the hotel’s
heated indoor pool, health club, spa, convenience
store and gift shop.
The Hotel has set aside a number of rooms for
Conference attendees at a special rate of $79.00 per
night (plus tax) for up to 4 people per room (2 queen
beds). Also available are one bedroom suites that
can sleep 5 with two double beds and a pull out sofa
for $109.00 per night (plus tax). Nearly all rooms
have small kitchenettes, too.
You can get more information on the hotel and take an on-line virtual tour by going to
www.plazasuites.com.
10
Conference Activities
Friday and Saturday will be filled with speakers
covering a range of subjects - from scent blending
to trademark and copyright law. Also planned are
several demonstrations and a couple of short movies
about soap making.
We’ll have memorabelia on the history of soap
making, packaging and advertising and some Soap
Guild historical items and photographs.
Our beloved Soap Swap will take place, as will
the “Soap Bloopers” that were such a hit last year.
Books about soap making and related topics will
be available along with any books authored by our
speakers (who will probably autograph them for you
if you ask!). HSMG merchandise (aprons, shirts and
some surprise new items) will be available as well.
Like years before there will be goodie bags, prizes
and awards and througout the conference we’ll have
raffles for items donated by our fantastic vendors
and supporters.
Registration
This year the early-bird conference fee will be
$275.00 (full price $325.00). Registration forms will
be available on the website soon - in plenty of time
to sign up for the early bird special.
Meals
Your Conference fee includes lunch on Thursday
and Friday, Banquet Dinner on Saturday and two
breaks a day with substantial refreshments available
at each break
For other meals and snacks you’ll have the kitchenette in your room and time available to explore
downtown for culinary delights.
Travel
Pittsburgh is serviced by several major airlines, including American, Continental, Delta,
United and Northwest, however US Air has a
hub there and has the most flights in and out.
We are working on getting a group discount
rate through US Air and will inform everyone
if we can get it set up.
There is a shuttle service to and from the
airport ($16.00 one way; $30.00 round trip).
Rental cars are also available. If you are driving
into Pittsburg or have a rental car, the hotel
has parking available at $12.00 per night (the
lowest rate in downtown Pittsburgh).
Other Entertainment
The hotel is centrally located and you can
walk to all the downtown areas in less than 15
minutes. The subway system is right across the
street and travel to any stop in the downtown
area free to hotel guests. There is also a metro
bus which can take you to the outlying area.
We are making arrangements for discounts
for some local attractions for those who would
like to see some of the area sites during conference down time.
And, of course, no conference or gathering of soapmakers is complete without plenty
of time to get to know the other soap makers, network and share stories and recipes. So
you’ll be able to spend a little time chillin’ and
having a good time!
More Information
Information on the Conference:
[email protected]
To reserve a vendor table:
Julia Creggar
[email protected]
For sponsorships, advertising or demos:
LaShonda Tyree
[email protected]
Donations for goodie bags, raffles or prizes:
Robert Kishtok
[email protected]
SCHEDULE*
WEDNESDAY APRIL 27
4:00 - 8:00 PM
7:00 - 8:30 PM
REGISTRATION
WELCOME RECEPTION
THURSDAY APRIL 28
7:00 - 8:30 AM REGISTRATION CONTINUES
9:00 - 10:30 AM MASTER CLASSES:
1) LARGE BATCH SOAP
PRODUCTION
2) SPCIALTY MELT AND
POUR TECHNIQUES.
10:30-10:45 AM BREAK
10:45 - NOON
MASTER CLASSES CONTINUE.
12:00-2:30 PM LUNCH & ANNUAL MEETING.
3:00-5:30 PM
FIELD TRIP:
TOUR OF DESIGNS BY JAY SOAP
MANUFACTURING PLANT
6:00 - 8:00 PM VENDORS OPEN
FRIDAY APRIL 29
9:00 - 10:30 AM
10:30-10:45 AM
10:45 - NOON
NOON - 1:00 PM
1:00 - 2:30 PM
2:30 - 3:00 PM
3:00 - 4:30 PM
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
BREAK
SPLIT SESSION (TWO CHOICES)
BUFFET LUNCH
DEMONSTRATIONS
BREAK
SPLIT SESSION (TWO CHOICES)
SATURDAY APRIL 30
9:00 - 10:30 AM
10:30-10:45 AM
10:45 - NOON
NOON - 1:00 PM
1:00 - 2:30 PM
2:30 - 3:00 PM
3:00 - 4:30 PM
4:30 - 5:30 PM
7:00PM
PRIMARY SPEAKER
BREAK
SPLIT SESSION (TWO CHOICES)
LUNCH (ON YOUR OWN)
DEMONSTRATIONS
BREAK
SPLIT SESSION (TWO CHOICES)
SOAP SWAP
BANQUET & AWARDS DINNER
WITH KEYNOTE SPEAKER
VENDORS WILL BE OPEN IN BETWEEN SESSIONS
AND IN THE EVENINGS.
* SUBJECT TO CHANGE
11
Member Services
Administrative Services
Member Benefits
We now have a management company taking care
of the day-to-day paperwork involved with managing the Soap Guild. Our Managment Administrator takes care of processing all the memberships,
banking, bill payment (on the authorization of the
Treasurer) and other functions. They also provide
phone service. See “Contact Us” on page 2 .
Just a quick reminder of your basic membership
benefits and how to access them!
Member Profile: View & update your Member
Profile at http://members.soapguild.org/profile.php
Journal: Make sure your mailing address is upto-date in your member profile.
e-Newsletter: Sent to the email listed in your
member profile - be sure it’s up-to-date!
Forum: Your log-in data is listed in your member
profile. (www.soapguild.org/forum)
On-Line Roster: Update your display information in your member profile. (www.soapguild.org)
Soap Gallery: Soapmaker and Benefactor members can have picture(s) in the soap gallery (www.
soapguild.org/soap_gallery.php). See Profile for specs.
Submit pictures to [email protected].
Vendor Listings: Vendor and Benefactor members can have listings including product descriptions and any special discount included in the on-line vendor list shown at
(http://members.soapguild.org/vendor_list.php). Info
can be updated in your member profile.
2005 Elections
2005
Our next election will be
to fill the position of President and seats of 3 seats on
the Board of Directors (one
SEND SUGGESTIONS FOR
Board Member’ term is exNOMINEES TO:
piring
and we are [email protected]
ing the Board to 6 seats per
the revisions in our Bylaws
passed in 2004).
Nominees for these seats will be presented by the
Nominations Committee by the end of the year. All
members may submit suggested nominees to the
Nominations Committee for consideration. Send
to [email protected].
ELECTIONS
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS (CON’T FROM PAGE 1)
PATRICIA GIGLIO
Sweetness & Light
TERESA GREGORY
Daily Blessings Farm
ANITA LESKO
Pear & Partridge Luxurious
Handcrafted Soap
REBECCA MAYHEW
MARITZA HESTER
Vineyard Candle & Bath
MARY JANE HETLAND
Wood Soap Molds.com
COLLEEN HILL
Greenbrier Soap Factory
MELISSA HOSTETTER
Raices
Generations Natural Beauty
River Valley Soap
Just Add Water
C&M Valley Farm
JESSICA INGRAHAM
Soaps By Jessica
ERESCENE JOHNSONSTOKES
KARA JONES
Hoof & Hide LLC
12
GAIL PALMER
Village Soaps
LISA SPRANG
ELAINE STAVERT
REGINA PARKER-MCKEE
The Littlecote Soap Company
ELOINA PELÁEZ-VALDEZ
Hummingbird Scented Soap
DARLA STIPANOVICH
AARON MCGILL
Rosmarinus Finca de Hierbas
Soapstones Handcrafted
Soap & Skincare
MICHAEL MEYER
STEPHANIE PREBLE
Keep It Simply Soaps
WENDY STUART
KATHRYN QUICK
TIFFANY TABBERT
LORI RIGGS
ABBY RITCHIE
DONNA TAYLOR
LARISA MOLINARI
MARJORIE MOUTARI
Kazam Natural Body Care
MARY MURPHY-TAYLOR
Curanda Designs
LAURIE NEIDIG
The Botanical Bee
KRISTOPHER NOISEUX
Meadow Stone Farm
Elizabeth Rose Purity Inc.
Abby’s Handmade Soaps
Alice Salyer
Sweet Water Natural Soap Co.
GEORGANN SERINO
TRAMPAS SISK
The Mind Body & Soap
Whitcore Farms
Tres Belle
The Soap Emporium
MICHELLE WETZEL
Cedar Wren Creations
SHERRI WOODUS
KATHERINE WRIGHT
Lathering Up!
EM ZEMBER
Goats PEI
PACKAGING PRELIMINATIES, con’t from page 4
The Mad Cutter, Inc.
Selling Venue
Where and how you will sell these beautifully packaged bars of soap
also plays a role. If you sell in a venue where you determine your own
displays, like craft shows or fairs, it may not be much of an issue. If you
are selling wholesale, where your products will be out on display, then
keeping the product clean and ease of stacking and storage should be
taken into consideration.
If your product will be shipped, packaging that won’t be damaged
during shipping is important. You want them to come out of the box
just as beautiful as they went in.
Summary
innovative engineering
solutions
for soap makers
manufacturer of custom
molds
slicers
cutters
1909 Livingston Street
Evanston, IL 6020
tel: 847-328-2806
fax: 847-328-4919
Once you have reviewed all the preliminary factors, then it’s time
to look into the nitty-gritty of what you can do. That’s where the real
ativity comes in. The more constraints you have, the more creative you need to be. to get an affordable and
cost-effective package that will stand out, display your product well - and ultimately get it sold and into the
hands of the consumer.
WoodSoapMolds.com
www.WoodSoapMolds.com
[email protected]
Reg. $39.95
Sale Price $34.95
* Constructed of quality, hand-picked wood
* HSMG - 5% Discount
* Completely collapsible for easy unmolding
* Unique design will not leak
* Lid & Hardware included
* Made with precision craftsmanship
* Holds 4 pounds of soap
* Each piece marked for easy re-assembly
* Wholesale orders welcome
* Custom sizes available
13
Thanks To Our Benefactor Members
Patron Members
MICHAEL LAWSON
Friend of the Guild Members
GREG ANIGBO
Columbus Foods/
Soaper’s Choice
The Edible Oils Company
SunFeather Natural
Soap Co
Daybreak Lavender Farm
SANDY MAINE
JAMES, BUSH
MakeYourOwnSoap.com
,JODY BYRNE SLYKER
MONIKA DOWKER
Aquarius Aromatherapy & Soap
Voyageur Soap &
Candle Company Ltd.
LISSA LEE
Arcadia Aromatics
MARGIE LEMONS
Hill Country Haiku
MARJORIE MOUTARI
DENNIS F IORAVANTI
Kazam Natural Body Care
MARIE GALE
Texas Soap & Sundries
JUDI CHESLEY
KATHRYN GASSAWAY
Upland Soap Factory
DONNA MARIA
COWLES-JOHNSON, ESQ.
BARRY GILBOW
Select Oils Inc
Soapstones Handcrafted
Soap & Skincare
DEVJANI MITRA
The Box Co-op
Susan’s Soaps & More
Supporter Members
JESSICA BUSH
SKS Bottle & Packaging, Inc.
From Nature With Love
JANICE A. SHEPLER
My Grandmother’s Garden
Essential Wholesale
Chandler’s Soaps
Plantopia Gifts
JOHN GREE
TERESA GREGORY
Daily Blessings Farm
DEBORAH JASIEN
Fields of Ambrosia, Inc.
BAR CODES, con’t from page 4
submitted with gross annual sales of $50,000.00
and rerquest for 10 products (each color, size,
fragrance, etc. of a product is considered a separate
product), returned an application fee of $750.00 for
the first year and around $150.00 per year thereafter. That level membership allowed up to 100
products.
How much space is needed for a UPC Barcode?
The UCC sets standards and guidelines for UPC
Barcodes. According to several printing companies
who regularly print barcodes for customers, a label
area 1 ½” X 1” is common. This allows enough white
area around the perimeter of the barcode making it
easier for less expensive scanners to successfully scan
the barcode.
How do I actually get a UPC Barcode Printed?
You have several options. You can get UPC Barcodes designed as a part of your package and printed
directly on the package, printed by a professional
printer and applied to your product or you can use
14
ROBERT KNOWLES
BARBARA OWENS
LINDA STEVEN
DARLA STIPANOVICH
SUSAN SVEC
PATRICIA THRASHER
Cape Cod Soap Company
MARY VASTOLA
The Ponte Vedra Soap Shoppe
software specifically designed for printing UPC
Barcodes and print them yourself on your inkjet or
laser printer. A helpful list printers and software
packages can be found at http://usenet03.uc-council.
org/sp_dir_new/listing.cfm.
Do I need a UPC Barcode?
If you are a manufacturer looking to sell wholesale to several of the larger retail firms, the answer
is more than likely yes. Having a UPC Barcode is
a marketable tool in getting your foot in the door
of the larger stores! However, if you only want to
sell wholesale to a few of the larger retail firms and
those firms agree, you may be able to get by with
a Retail Barcode for In-Store Use. These barcodes
begin with the number 4 and are set up by the store.
They only identify products within that store. Ask
the stores sales representative if this is an option.
This information was researched by Jackie Thompson,
owner of Gaily Rebecca Soapsand a long-standing
member of the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild.
Soaper Crossword
2
1
3
4
6
5
7
8
10
9
11
13
12
14
15
16
18
17
19
20
21
ACROSS
4. The quarterly publication of the HSMG
6. Mixed with lye and water, this makes soap.
10. Small shiny colored minerals that can be added to
soap.
11. The full name of “MP”
12. After you take your soap out of a log mold,
it is then _____ into bars.
14. Doing the Happy Soaper _________.
15. Lather
16. Smell or scent.
17. Eye protection
20. www.soapguild.org, for example
21. Remove rough edges from a bar
DOWN
1. What we’re all about
2. Byproduct of the soap making process
3. Our on-line member community area to exchange
ideas with other soap makers
5. Package soap
7. Mineral made from volcanic rock that can be added
to soap.
8. Location of the 2005 Conference
9. Soap make without additional heat.
13. The stage when you can pour the soap into the mold.
17. Type of milk often used in soaps
18. Initials of our group
19. Plants used for cooking (or in soap) such as
rosemary and thyme.
15
16