Packaging Your Handmade Soap and Candles

Soap packaging turns a simple bar of soap into an attractive handmade gift. Packaging that complements the artisan nature of handmade soap helps to emphasise the uniqueness of the soap and the fact that it has been lovingly made by hand and not mass produced.

Why Package Soap

Packaging handmade soap is an important part of soap making, yet it is often overlooked. Packaging soap helps to keep the soap dirt and dust free and helps to preserve any scent or fragrances in the soap. If handmade soap is to be given as a gift or sold then packaging is also important to help protect the soap against damage. Packaging also presents the opportunity to label soap with ingredients, a use-by date or special instructions.

Soap Packaging Ideas

The type of packaging required will depend very much on the style of handmade soap. Rustic artisan soaps will look best with a natural form of packaging, while fun and funky soaps can be packaged with less conventional materials. If the soap is to form part of a gift basket or gift set then it is important to ensure that the soap packaging complements the other items in the gift basket.

Ideas for packaging soaps include:

• Cellophane – sheets of cellophane or cellophane bags give a crisp finish to handmade soaps. Cellophane sheets and bags are clear and are a great way to show decorative handmade soaps. One easy way to use cellophane sheets is to place the soap into the middle of the sheet and gather the edges up around it. Fasten this together with an attractive ribbon or cord.
• Fabric – scraps of fabric make attractive wrappers for handmade soap. This is also a good way of recycling fabric from clean unwanted garments.
• Paper – many different types of paper can be used to wrap handmade soap. Scrapbook and decorative papers can be used to make sleeves for soap and this is a quick and easy way to package bars of soap.
• Gift boxes – shop bought gift boxes are ideal for packaging handmade soap and these can be customised with embellishments. Gift boxes can easily be made at home using free gift box templates that are readily available on the Internet. Gift boxes are perfect for packaging bars of soap, however they are also useful for packaging soap shapes that may otherwise be difficult to wrap.
• Wash cloths - wrapping a piece of handmade soap in a wash cloth makes the packaging part of the gift. Pick a colour wash cloth that complements the soap.

Tips for Packaging Handmade Soap

Here are some tips for packaging handmade soap:

Embellish packaged soap with materials that follow the theme of the soap. A sprig of lavender, for instance, can be used to embellish a bar of lavender soap. Some soaps 'sweat' in certain weather conditions. Wrapping soap in cellophane or shrink wrap before placing this in packaging that may get marked can be a good idea to ensure that the packaging is kept in good condition. Use packaging to label soaps or to add a list of ingredients. If there is no room on the packaging then a small gift tag could be added.

Attractive packaging can make a big difference to a simple bar of soap. As well as helping to ensure that the soap is protected and in good condition it also presents the soap maker with another opportunity to emphasise the handmade nature of the soap.