Raw materials for handmade soap. How to Start a Soap Making Business

Ready business plan with calculations and examples for launching a project related to the manufacture of soap. Find out where to start and where to look for potential clients.

In dreams, everything is simple: if you devote more time to your hobby, you will become successful businessman. In reality, things are not so rosy. In soap making, an increase in the volume of manufactured goods entails not only an increase in the purchase of raw materials. This leads to a radical change in production technology, product range and sales market.

How not to make mistakes in calculations and profitably realize your dreams? What form of organization to choose? How long does it take to get approval from the regulatory authorities? How to properly scale your business? We will talk about all this today.

Why soap making is a good business idea

Many people dream of turning their favorite hobby into a source of income. It's great to go to work as a holiday and earn decent money at the same time.

This is exactly what my neighbor Alena thought, who first made soap for pleasure, and then decided to organize own production. I turned to her as an expert and now I share with you the recommendations I received.

When opening a business, the girl already had experience in home soap making. She had already bought several silicone molds, dyes, fragrances and was eager not only to give, but also to sell her products.

After a preliminary study of the issue, Alena came to the conclusion that this direction has good prospects:

soap is a necessary hygiene item and the need for it is high;
production technology does not require special knowledge and experience;
you can start a business at home - most of the equipment is already in every kitchen;
large investments at the launch stage are not required;
raw materials are available even in small towns;
there is no waste in the manufacture of goods (you can always digest a failed piece or even a whole batch);
the assortment is easy to change for any needs of the market;
both the raw material and the final product are not classified as perishable.

Market and competitor analysis

Taking a step from passion to a business project, aspiring entrepreneurs receive important information from future competitors.

Soap making starts with market research

Soap is a unique product presented in several market segments:

Hygiene product. For sanitary purposes, a solid and liquid base is used in large packages. The main market players are large manufacturers with a small assortment. Sales occur through chain or specialized stores.
Synthetic detergent. This includes soaps with stain removal properties and household soaps. It differs from the previous segment in its composition and modest packaging or its complete absence.
Related medical goods . This group includes products containing medicinal substances (antibiotics, essential oils for medical purposes) or lightweight (on a hypoallergenic basis, without fragrances and dyes). Their implementation takes place through store and pharmacy chains, the Internet.
Present. This segment includes beautifully packaged, decorative specimens. They sell this product in online and offline stores. Here you have to compete with flowers, sweets and even socks on the eve of February 23rd.
Objects of creativity. This group echoes the previous one, supplementing it.

More about laundry soap production read in a separate article on our portal.

Production step by step

Let's move on to practice!

To avoid mistakes, follow the expert step by step plan.

Step 1. Choosing a room

To launch a full-fledged soap production self made you need a suitable space.

Basic requirements for the production hall:

ceiling height of 3 meters or more;
the presence of a floor slope for draining condensate into the sewer;
interior decoration with washable materials, such as tiles;
compliance of internal lighting with production standards;
availability of central heating;
electrical network with a capacity of more than 60 kWh;
mains voltage - 380 V;
the presence of water supply with additional filters (for mitigation);
ventilation system.

Please note that if the premises do not meet the stated requirements, additional equipment and repairs will increase the amount of investment in the business.

The area directly depends on the soap production option:

Industrial production with the installation of a production line. For launching equipment producing no more than 80 kg / h. finished products, a room of at least 60 sq.m. (up to 85 - 90 sq.m.) is selected. The specific size of the workshop is indicated in the accompanying documentation for industrial equipment(technical data sheet, etc.) and depends on its brand.
Manual cooking. The minimum size of the room for work without use automated equipment– 30 sq.m.
Home soap making. If the volume of production is small, it is unprofitable to rent additional premises. Most craftswomen make exclusive products in their own kitchen.

Please note: for packaging (except for the use of special automatic equipment) and storage of finished products, a separate room is allocated. Its area is calculated depending on the daily volume of cooking.

Step 2. Business registration

If a hobby has grown into its own business, it must be formalized. For entrepreneurial activity of this scale choose between LLC and IP.

The table will clearly show the difference:

Comparison criteria	IP	OOO
Status	individual	entity
Package of documents	minimum	full
Registration fee	800	4000
Authorized capital	missing	from 10 000
Number of owners	1	from 1 to 50 people
Sale or re-registration	not provided	possible
Liability	with all your property	within the authorized capital
Penalties	cannot exceed 50,000	up to 1 million
Bank account	optional	obligatory
Cash management	free	from the current account for the needs of the enterprise, dividends are issued with the payment of an additional tax
Household decisions	free	recorded
Field of activity	limited	without Borders
Cooperation with big firms	difficult	preferably
Deadlines for liquidation	5 working days	from 2.5 months

Please note: an individual entrepreneur is liable with all his property, even after the termination production activities and business liquidation.

Step 3. Purchase of raw materials and equipment

The choice of ingredients and equipment is influenced by the method of production. Consider soap making equipment.

For industrial production, automatic and semi-automatic production lines are suitable. There are domestic and imported equipment options on the market that can satisfy any need.

Prices fluctuate depending on the capacity and completeness of the lines. On Chinese sites, the minimum cost of a complete set starts from 1 million rubles (excluding transportation costs).

For manual cooking you will need:

Plate. Stop your choice on the gas version.
Containers for cooking the base (vats). The cost of 3-4 vats of different sizes, with a non-oxidizing surface, is 3,000 - 5,000 rubles.
Professional shredders (electrical and mechanical) and mixers are useful in the manufacture of small decorative items. On sites of professional equipment, the cost starts from 15,000 rubles.
Forms, auxiliary containers, graters, etc. around 30,000.

With such expenses, the cost of solid soap from a finished soap base is about 65 rubles. When switching to a full production cycle from scratch (from fat and alkali), it will decrease by 25-40%.

When making soap at home, the utensils available in the kitchen are suitable.

Alena's advice: only non-oxidizing, non-reactive utensils are suitable. For example, glass and enamel pots are a good choice, and wooden spoon- No.

The choice of raw materials depends on the manufacturing method:

at full cycle production uses alkalis (sodium and / or potassium) and fats of animal and vegetable origin;
for production from the finished substrate, a matte or transparent soap base is purchased.

Additional oils (overfat), dyes, fragrances, decorative elements are used for the production of any hygienic detergent. The exception is laundry soap.

You can learn more about the technology of making hot soap here:

Step 4. Recruitment

The choice of soap makers, technologist, storekeeper-packer is carried out on competitive basis. Preference is given to employees with similar experience.

Look for candidates on specialized sites. Consider resumes from labor exchanges in your city.

Step 5. Coordination with SES and fire services

Soap is not included in the list of goods subject to mandatory certification. However, to sell it to the SES, you must apply. There you will receive a certificate of conformity for the goods.

A complete package for registration of permits in the SES includes:

registration certificate legal entity;
certificate of registration with the tax authority;
confirmation of the legality of the lease of premises;
specifications(in the absence of production compliance with GOST);
technological instruction (regulation);
samples of each type of manufactured products (5 pieces of all items, 100 g each);
packaging material and labels with names;
description of the recipe with the percentage of ingredients included in the composition;
certificates for the raw materials used.

The hygienic conclusion based on the tests carried out with the samples is issued after 3-5 weeks.

The soap making room must pass an SES check

room for soap production equipped with a fire alarm. Specialists of security companies design, install, and subsequently maintain the installed devices.

Step 6. Starting a business and finding clients

From this moment, start to establish the supply of raw materials, production and marketing. To build a stable business, choose reliable suppliers, study technological processes and delivery methods.

Look for customers according to the market segment that the product is aimed at. You need to position (orient to a specific group) your product correctly.

For example, Alena, at the very beginning of the production of gift soap, thought of it as hygienic. Obviously, she failed to sell it to cosmetic stores and salons, and she found her main clients in groups of young mothers.

How and where to look for customers - a marketing plan

The success of a business is measured by the level of product sales and profitability.

Let's compare several distribution channels:

Sales channel	Characteristic	Peculiarities
Organization of your own point of sale	Small department in mall, a kiosk or a store on the first line with a large flow of people, next to other points of sale for your target audience.	Requires constant additional costs for rent, repairs, seller, etc.
The shops	Network or profile.	Long implementation period.
Pharmacies	Private pharmacies (preferably network pharmacies).	Limited range for sale.
Beauty Salons	Beauty salons, hairdressers selling care products.	A good option to disseminate information to customers.
Exhibitions-fairs	Events for local producers or thematic (by September 1, City Day, etc.).	A rare but good opportunity to study all competitors in one place.
Internet	Website, landing page, contextual advertising etc.	Requires additional investment.
Social networks	VK, Instagram, Odnoklassniki.	Running a specialized group is profitable, but requires investment.

Income and expenses - financial plan

To make a decision about the transition from a hobby to a business, drawing up a financial plan will help:

Monthly expenses:

The average price of 1 finished copy is 100 rubles.

The output of finished products is 6,000 pieces.

The amount for the entire product is 600,000 rubles.

The starting capital is 505,000 rubles.

Profit per month 210 000 rubles.

Please note that in order to receive such a profit, it is necessary to sell 200 bars of soap daily.

Overview of possible risks

With the relative simplicity of production, this business is not without risks.

We highlight the following difficulties in the manufacture of handmade solid soap:

Customer search and distribution channel development. The client base is formed gradually. Often the influx of people who want to buy soap does not keep up with its release. In this case, overstocking occurs and a shortage of not only money for wages, but also for the purchase of raw materials for the next batch. This is especially true for the sale of gift and decorative items. Little is known about them. And having bought handmade soap several times, customers run out of friends and acquaintances who have not yet received such gifts.
Compliance with technology. Soap making - simple manufacturing process, but has its own characteristics. If you add more dye or fragrance, violate the proportions of adding oils or do not allow the finished product to settle, “ripen” before packaging, the finished product will lose its presentation. Remelting will take additional time.
Obtaining a certificate of conformity. Even with strict implementation of manufacturing technology, SES will issue permits no earlier than 3 weeks. It happens that the period for obtaining a certificate is extended for several months.
Low quality raw materials.

Ways to minimize risks:

Risk	Way to overcome difficulties
Slow growth in customer base	Start advertising before the release of large batches. Promote finished products in mass groups of social networks. Run promotions to encourage customers to bring their friends.
Loss of presentation	Observe the ratio of ingredients, withstand the manufacturing technology (temperature, humidity and speed).
Certificate Delay	Provide the SES with a complete package of documents. Personally supervise the transfer of prototypes for testing. Start certification with a margin of time before the start of main production.
Obtaining low quality raw materials	Conduct a trial production of a small bar of soap from each new batch of raw materials. Purchase raw materials from trusted manufacturers.

Download business plan

For a more detailed consideration of the features of handmade soap production, I suggest downloading one of the business plan options for free.

It is easy to change, transform to local features. For example, Alyona installed a burglar alarm, which reduced the cost of a night guard.

Remember

Do not confuse a hobby with a full-time job: what pleases once a quarter will be a daily burden, and it must be chosen wisely.
Sell the product for its intended purpose: children's assortment in groups for moms, decorative items in gift departments. Don't sell everything to everyone.
Hire a technologist to compile the recipe. In the future, you will only have to implement his recommendations.
Find customers first, and then start large-scale soap making.

5,00

Not everyone likes to earn money sitting in an office or working in a factory. Many people prefer to organize a business on their hobbies. One of the popular small business movements is the making and selling of handmade soaps. What is the relevance of this business - handmade soap? First of all, soap making is a relatively new kind of art, and even more so, earnings. The idea of making homemade handmade soap appeared 8-10 years ago, and the idea to sell it on a fairly large scale appeared 3-4 years ago. That is, we can conclude that in most cities the niche is not yet occupied.

Soap made at home from natural ingredients attracts many buyers because it can cleanse, heal the skin and favorably affect the general condition of the external integument. Often it does not cause allergies (depending on the components used), therefore it is suitable for sensitive skin. unusual, beautiful soap handmade draws the attention of buyers. Such a product is in demand if it is enough to properly organize production and marketing.

Registration of home soap making as a business

Before officially registering a business, it is necessary to find a suitable premises and purchase primary necessary materials, make up small . For the production and sale of soap, you can register or.

Premises of 40 sq. m. will be enough. If you want to save on rent, choose a suburban option. The space should be divided into two parts of different sizes. The larger one will serve directly as a place of manufacture, and the smaller one will serve as a warehouse for raw materials and the finished product.

Business registration - soap making - takes place in tax office and doesn't take much time.

Handmade soap production technology

Before you deal with the production technology, you need to purchase all necessary tools, products and components for soap. It is better if for this you have accumulated certain amount, which will allow you to select everything you need at once.

Required materials and equipment

Soap base

A product consisting of fatty acids and glycerin. It has a transparent or white color, usually sold by weight. There is also a liquid soap base (for liquid soap and shampoos). If you plan to produce products in this direction, then a liquid base is also necessary.

Base oils

So that the soap does not dry the skin and does not cause irritation, various solid and liquid oils are added to it. Base oils are usually the following: olive, coconut, jojoba. There are other basic oils - the choice should depend on the type of soap being made.

Ethers

For aroma and various effects, essential oils are added to the soap. Here the choice is wide: from fragrant ylang-ylang to simple tea tree. Each of the oils is an antiseptic, which can be a great addition to your facial rash soap. The esters make the soap fragrant.

Dyes

Special dyes will help make the soap bright, varied and achieve originality. The variety of dyes is great - it is worth buying as many colors as possible so as not to limit yourself in creativity. Choose natural dyes: low cost is not as important as quality and acceptance among consumers.

Fillers

Soft gommage components, scrubbing additives (apricot kernels, ground coffee, raspberry seeds, fruit and berry fiber, synthetic abrasives) can also serve as fillers. Dried flowers, gelatin and other additives can also be put into soap.

fragrances

Essential oils give a wonderful aroma, but you can’t do without additional fragrances. The assortment of the modern needlework market allows you to purchase flavors with all kinds of smells.

Forms

Several sets of molds of various modifications will be enough to produce a product various forms and variations.

Basic forms:

classic (rectangular);
gift (paired forms, hearts, festive options for Easter, New Year and others);
children's (dolphins, cartoon characters).

Scales

In order to measure the weight of the finished piece evenly, good scales are needed. In no case do not purchase mechanical ones - for such production they have too much error.

Capacities

Pots without enamel (preferably stainless steel), forms for a water bath, as well as knives and graters for soap base, pipettes, stirring blades, measuring cups and spoons - all this will be needed in the process.

Product promotion

Once you've made trials of several soaps, you can post photos of the product on your personal blog. In connection with the development information technologies Internet advertising is the most effective.

For sale throughout the country, you can create a group in any social network. Sales using an Instagram account are effective. Here big role play attractive pictures. It's not a sin if you process them with high quality.

If opportunities allow, creating your own website for promotion will not be superfluous. On it you can make an online store system and take orders.

A very good service from soap makers is the production of soap to order. It can be handmade gift soap, soap with certain additives, etc.

Do not forget to tell relatives and friends about your business. The so-called "word of mouth" can bring you additional income and new loyal customers.

Possible difficulties in this business

Of the difficulties, one can single out low demand for products, force majeure in the production process when manufactured in large volumes and, as a result, the waste of raw materials and time, lack of funds for the purchase of all necessary ingredients.

Sometimes there may be problems with SES without a special certificate. To make quality certificates for products, you need to check the batches in the laboratory, and you need to pay a certain amount to receive the document.

To avoid any difficulties in the organization this business, you need to think through all the expenses, have an initial capital, correctly select all the necessary materials and tools and study the market in your area.

Soap making at home is considered to be a fairly simple type of business that is suitable even for beginners.

In today's world, handmade soap is in huge demand as people want to use as much as possible. natural products. Among other things, this soap has excellent properties, a delicious aroma and has a beneficial effect on the human body.

Soap, wrapped in a rather original packaging, is in even greater demand, because by purchasing it, you can make a wonderful gift, both to yourself and to other people.

Business plan for beginners

Of course, before starting this type of business, you need to purchase the materials that you may need for soap making. Do not forget about the preparation of the required documents.

In order to establish the production of soap, you must:

register an individual entrepreneur or LLC with the tax authorities;
purchase or lease premises;
purchase tools and equipment necessary for the production of soap;
prepare the necessary ingredients for this;
develop packaging.

Of course, if the business goes well enough, its owner will no longer be able to cope on his own. In this regard, he will need to think about hiring employees in his staff, and therefore about the amount of possible salaries.

If the funds to start this kind of business were not enough, you can initially cook soap in your own apartment. To do this, you will have to allocate a separate place for a warehouse, and carry out the direct process of soap making in the kitchen.

And you can also take a chance and not open an individual entrepreneur or LLC initially, but try to distribute your products among friends and acquaintances. However, this way of doing business will be relevant only until a sufficient number of clients are recruited, and a novice businessman accumulates enough money to open his own official business.

Soap making costs

In this section, a business plan will be given for an enterprise whose starting capital is 700 thousand rubles.

At one time you will have to spend money on:

IP registration - 0.8 thousand rubles.
Acquisition of premises (about 40 square meters) - 400 thousand rubles.
Repair of the premises - 35 thousand.
Commercial equipment - 15 thousand;
The equipment that is necessary for the production of soap - 30 thousand.

If a person is not initially going to register as an entrepreneur, as well as buy premises for trading, he should pay attention only to the fifth item of the above list.

So, the equipment necessary for the production of soap includes:

scales - 1.5 thousand rubles;
oilcloth - 0.5 thousand;
pans made of stainless steel - 10 thousand;
double boiler - 2 thousand;
a bowl for mixing soap - 0.3 thousand;
heat-resistant container with a spout and a scale - 1 thousand;
slotted spoon - 0.1 thousand;
plastic containers - 0.15 thousand;
measuring spoons - 0.1 thousand;
means of protection - 1.5 thousand;
towels - 0.3 thousand;
funnel - 0.05 thousand;
sieve - 0.1 thousand;
forms - 0.3 thousand;
clamps - 0.1 thousand;
corollas - 0.1 thousand.

Following this business plan, the opening of an enterprise specializing in the manufacture of soap will require 455.8 thousand rubles.

See also: How to start the production of wooden products at home

However, this scheme also needs to include all the expenses for which the money will be spent every month:

Soap packaging - 60 thousand rubles (based on the production of 6 thousand bars of soap per month and the cost of packaging one piece of 10 rubles).
Employee salaries.
Raw materials for soap making.
Based on 6 thousand pieces per month, you will need:

soap base - 100 thousand rubles (provided that the cost of one ton of this ingredient is 150 thousand);
ingredients - 12 thousand;
utility bills.

From this it turns out that on average one month you will have to spend about 200 thousand rubles.

When selling a batch of soap in 6 thousand pieces (provided that the weight of one soap is 100 grams, and it will be sold for 100 rubles), the turnover is 600 thousand rubles.

Thanks to simple calculations, we can come to the conclusion that with proper business management, all cash investments in soap making can pay off in the first month. Further, the profit every month will vary in the range from 350 to 400 thousand rubles.

Making soap at home: a recipe

If there is not enough money to open an individual entrepreneur and purchase premises, soap, as mentioned earlier, can be cooked at home. To do this, there are three main methods, the difference in which is only in the basis used to make soap:

solid or liquid soap base;
odorless baby soap;
making soap from the first stage, that is, using soda ash and caustic soda, as well as fats.

It should be noted that whichever method of manufacture you choose, the additional ingredients will be the same for each of them:

herbal decoctions. You can brew them yourself, since the necessary herb is sold in every pharmacy;
water;
essential oils. They can be purchased either at a pharmacy or at firms specializing in the sale of this product;
dry or finely ground flower petals, tree leaves, etc. All this, if desired, should be used as a filler for each individual bar of soap;
perfumed oils, which can also be bought at any pharmacy.

There should be no problems with selling homemade soap. Initially, it can be sold or even given to friends and acquaintances, making small bars. Next, you should try to negotiate with stores that sell various kinds of cosmetics or gifts. And as soon as the business becomes popular enough and begins to bring stable income, it will be necessary to register as individual entrepreneur, purchase or rent premises, as well as hire employees.

Soap making at home has recently been quite developed. Recipes for soap making at home are in free access And this work, in principle, can be done by anyone, regardless of age. Many do it just for themselves, as a hobby. But some have taken up this business as a business.

Today we will consider this issue. You will see soap making for beginners at home videos, then you can at least imagine what kind of work and business it is.

Running your own business is not easy. If you work from home, then it will be easier to do. There are no permits in the same way as in remote work. But you can try. You definitely won’t lose anything from this, but it’s quite possible to find a new application for yourself.

Also, do not forget that if you become a specialist, it can not only provide for you, but also help in emigration. After all, in any country people are needed who can provide themselves with work and can give work to others. And while developing a business, it is quite possible to find sales markets abroad. So you can immediately see the countries where it is easier to move and which are the most attractive for emigrants.

Soap making at home: features

Soap making at home for beginners is not such an easy question, especially when you have not done it. But everything is not so difficult. Speaking of handmade soap, of course, I would like to note that this is a pleasant trifle, because by doing such work, each person will be able to enjoy good mood getting pleasure from it.

Moreover, for some people, this is an opportunity to realize themselves and open their own business, thereby giving joy to people. After all, it is like chocolate, designed to fight stress, which means only one thing, that such a product will always be in demand and popularity, so this must be taken into account.

Attention: It is for this reason that today such a business is the most in demand and promising, because it is impossible not to evaluate it.

It is important to note that the soap, unusual in shape and color scheme, is really a wonderful gift for relatives and friends, because the soap looks attractive and original. Moreover, the work that is done by hand is always appreciated.

Features of organizing your own business

Soap making as a business can be done. Soap making at home for beginners you will find recipes without problems. Only here you need to worry about sales in the first place. After all, a business should not only pay for itself, but also generate income. It depends a lot on how big a business you decide to organize. Each option has its positives and negatives.

If you decide to take up this type of activity, then make trial batches. Then you will know the costs and then understand the whole principle of work. And if you think about how to start a soap making business, then it’s better to make trial batches. You will understand how much soap will cost, after that you can go through the points of sale and understand how much money they will actually buy it for. Then it will be possible to think about cost reduction.

Attention: The price of handmade soap is always more expensive. And it is sold as a souvenir. If you are thinking of doing just economic things, then it will be different costs and a different implementation system.

Big business organization

If you would like to organize home business soap making, then know that, first of all, you need to rent a suitable room, you also need hired employees, expensive office equipment.

This is really one of the interesting and effective businesses of the modern world, it can be started from scratch, which is an important point for many who want to work for themselves.
You also need to take into account the fact that you do not need to invest much money in this business, all you need to start is desire and inspiration, then everything will definitely work out.
So, we can safely say that anyone can open a soap business. But for starters, it’s worth making it with your own hands and going all the way. After all, this process, first of all, attracts with ease, accessibility, simplicity, and you will definitely appreciate it as it should.

Attention: But for your business to flourish, you need to approach it responsibly and comprehensively, only then you can count on a decent result. Do not worry that you start with such a small business, because this is the way to big business.

Recipes for soap making at home with a photo are not a difficult question, it is important to organize everything correctly here.

Benefits of a homemade soap business

Soap making at home video you can see on this page. Let's see what's good about it and how much it costs to start doing it.

In the West, homemade soap making has conquered the market, but in our country, this is not happening yet, as the market is just beginning to develop, and perhaps you will be one of the first.
This business is distinguished by the fact that you do not need to invest much, the market is proven, and it is particularly successful and in demand, which means that you can start boldly without worrying about it.
Soap is a constantly consumable product, which means that if you try to make your customers like your product, then know that they will become your regular customers anyway, and this is the most important thing for every businessman, even a beginner.
You are also provided unique opportunity constantly experiment, because you can find new products that are popular and in demand today.

What you need to know

Soap making as a business can be done.

This is truly a unique business for aspiring entrepreneurs. Already in the first month, you will be able to enjoy the fact that your factory will pay off, and you will enjoy the fact that you did it.
As practice shows, all those who have already begun to engage in the introduction of this business were able to achieve good results.

Attention: But we should not forget that sales are needed here first of all, otherwise you will simply fly out into the pipe.

Do not take risks and at the first stage do not try to get into loans and take expensive equipment. Unless, of course, you are sure of complete success.

Cost of homemade soap

Of course, this question is of interest to all those who wish to engage in the introduction of this business.

You should be aware that soap base, fatty oil, dyes and shock absorbers are available today at low prices, and that's all that is needed for this job.
Thus, you can create natural homemade soap, the cost of which will cost you about thirty rubles, and this, of course, is nice.
In the store, such soap is sold for about 100 rubles, which allows you to understand that your business will really flourish in any case.

Attention: Prices change, so everything must be calculated constantly. Also, don't forget. That in large volumes various muck is added to the soap, it also has high humidity. Then it is cheaper and weighs more.

Where to sell soap

First of all, it is necessary to solve the issue of product sales. You shouldn't start without this. You must clearly understand and see the perspective. In fact, there are a large number of options, so there should not be any problems here.

Attention: You can always sell soap on popular resources, which are quite widely represented today. Do not discard this option.

Conclusion

In any case, you must understand that this type of business is indeed very successful today, despite the fact that so far not many people want to do their own soap making.

But you are smarter and smarter, you must understand that soap will always be needed, which means that your business will flourish in any case. After all, low prices for soap will surely please every buyer, which means that you are guaranteed a good profit and good mood from this. So, now decide what is the right thing for you to do.

Soap making at home is a profitable business, but this is if you approach it with your head. There is an instruction, now you need to find out the prices for today and think carefully. And only after that make the final decision. But it's certainly worth a try.

This activity is attractive in that with small investments that pay off within the first 4-5 months of work, it gives very good results.

The profitability of this type of activity at home is about 40-50%, which is not bad at all.

In this case, earnings will depend only on the master, who decided to do a home business. In what it will “pour out” to him and will be discussed in the article.

Production technology

There are several ways to make soap at home. They differ in the material that is used in this case, as well as in the manufacturing process.

Soap making methods

Soap can be brewed from the base, that is, finished industrial soap. For this, baby soap is most often purchased, since it does not contain, or contains a small amount of additives, fragrances, dyes.

For beginners making soap at home, you need to purchase a transparent or matte industrial soap base without color and odor. Such a basis is purchased in specialized stores, of which there are now many on the Internet. (one of these convenient resources is the site www.aroma-beauty.ru).

Making soap from scratch is a laborious process that requires not only skill and experience, but also elementary knowledge of chemical processes. In this case, you will have to deal with aggressive alkali, and with animal or vegetable fats, which, during the cooking process, are saponified and transformed into soap.

Manufacturing steps

Base Meltdown (or cooking from scratch). The base is crushed, placed in a special dish and melted in two ways: on a stove or in a microwave oven (the container is selected accordingly).
Adding essences to the molten mass (aromatic oils, perfumes, vanilla, honey, etc.).
Base coloring. For this, everything that fantasy tells can come up, but you should add it gradually and not overdo it.
Other additives. These can be vegetable oils, scrub components - poppy seeds, sugar, chopped herbs, ground coffee, and more.
Filling in forms. Everything is simple here: a children's “pasochka” can be used as a form, as well as plastic boxes and trays from butter or cheese, baking dishes, or you can buy ready-made forms in special stores, but it will be a little more expensive.
Extract from forms.

Business income and expenses: a simple calculation

We figured out the process of making soap, now it’s worth thinking about the price of a home business.

Soap production costs are divided into permanent and one-time.

Fixed costs:

Basic raw material for making soap (this is the main cost of the entire business - about 85%)- from 200 rubles per 1 kg - for wholesale buyers, and 300 rubles - for retail. This includes: soap base, essential oils, additives and beneficial ingredients.
One-time costs (their cost will be gradually transferred to the final product):
Tools (scissors, knife, brushes, spoon, wire, etc.)- 200 rubles.
Table scales: 400 &- 1500 rubles.
Saucepan: 200 - 400 rubles.
Forms for pouring: from 40 to 100 rubles.
Other expenses: 100 - 300 rubles.

Master Class

The income of the soap manufacturing business will depend only on the master: what quality the finished soap will be, the design and variety of its forms, advertising your own product, the desire and desire to sell, the resources involved in the sale.

However, it can already be said that at many Internet fairs craftsmen sell finished soap at a price: a 50-gram piece - from 80 rubles per piece, 100-gram piece - already from 150 rubles. At the same time, more refined and unique products are more expensive in price, they are sold from 200 rubles per unit.

We are looking for buyers

Even 5 years ago, the consumer at the sight of soap, which is made by hand, asked a lot of questions. And the sellers had to explain and explain. It took a lot of effort and certain time. However, in recent years, the consumer already has an idea of what he is dealing with and has used such a product at least once.

The dedication of the consumer has increased significantly, as well as the number of outlets that offer their customers various handmade goods.

However, the market still remains free, and in this regard, a competent manufacturer can easily take advantage of this and make a good profit.

The market of the city is represented by various networks of products. The Latvian manufacturer has about 6 stores. Lush products are represented in 3 outlets that have the same name. The Greek representative of the market - Fresh Line also offers its products in 3 trade pavilions. In addition to crazy names, the market has at its disposal about 10 small shops that offer the consumer various brands of soap and cosmetics.

The consumer, as a rule, purchases the product not for his own use, but as a gift, so the seller must pay special attention to packaging or packaging.

A small business at home, as an addition to the main job, is always a very profitable investment of time and money. does not require large financial investments, takes little time and is highly valued due to the uniqueness of the manufactured products or goods. These “hobbies” include the handmade soap business, and much more.

Why is this particular business very good for a small home factory?

The business idea of soap production for our country is new and has not yet had time to unwind on the market. Beautiful, original, and most importantly, useful, soap has turned from a hygiene item into the best gift for loved ones and an opportunity to express your creative self.

Business Advantages and Disadvantages

Why start selling handmade soap as a business?

Soap making has many advantages:

Inexpensive equipment;
Soap making technology is available to everyone;
Your customers can be men and women of any age, social status, professions;
Making handmade soap is pure creativity, an opportunity to experiment;
Even if your city has several dozen soap makers, the products of each of them will be unique. This means that there will be no problems with the clientele.

Of course, working with soap has its drawbacks:

You still have to invest certain resources in this business;
The sale of finished products is far from being established immediately;
Soap production is not suitable for allergy sufferers. Working with essential oils or chemicals if you have sensitive skin or mucous membranes, it can turn from a pleasant pastime into a living hell.

Manufacturing technology

Soap manufacturing technology includes two global stages:

Cooking soap base with additives;
Formation of this mixture into a product ready for sale.

Soap making process

The soap base with which our process begins is sold in stores. You need it in large quantities, so negotiate with suppliers. So, you can buy raw materials for the future (if you're lucky, then at a discount), so that later you don't have to look for the base you need after each new batch of the finished product.

The base for soap is poured into a saucepan, where it is then boiled, and the master simultaneously adds essential oils, dyes, and aromatics. Soap making has a lot of recipes, so every master should know at least a couple of dozen.

A more labor-intensive process is full-scale soap making. In such production, natural fats, alkali and other components are used. This method requires more careful preparation. You must be familiar with technology industrial production, know the principle of the saponification reaction, be able to measure the pH of the resulting product. It takes a long time to ripen the finished product. It takes about 30 days for the soap to reach a neutral pH.

The appearance of the soap is critical to the success of the business. Most often, people buy soap as a gift to loved ones for the holidays. Beautiful packaging, bright color, impurities of shades, enchanting aroma - something that will cling, attract attention. The more little things are successfully combined in the finished product, the more likely it is to sell it profitably.

Business plan

We will consider a business plan for the production of soap for two cases: selling products at home (via the Internet, for example) and opening a store.

The first case allows you to safely omit as many as three points of the plan:

Registration;
room;
Repair.

You do not need to draw up or search for anything: you can immediately proceed to the stage of purchasing equipment.

The second situation is much more interesting. The first step is the registration of an individual entrepreneur (private entrepreneur), registration with the tax authority and local administration, obtaining permits from the sanitary-epidemiological and fire station, and then - searching for a place.

Premises for rent

Let's talk about the room. The small room chosen for the future store should be located where it will be seen by future buyers. The ideal option would be a street, avenue, areas close to the metro or the center, big stores. The premises will require appropriate repair work. Think of a concept that will make it unique, draw attention to it. Glue beautiful wallpaper, hang draperies on the walls, arrange racks that will house beautifully packaged soap sets, set up a counter, a chair for the seller, purchase cash machine and computer. If your point of sale has a specific theme, for example, “soap made according to ancient Indian recipes”, all the more interesting. So, the store will have a chance to become a tourist attraction.

Equipment

To make handmade soap at home, you need one or more stoves (gas or electric), huge pots (15 liters, no less), forms where the final solution will be poured, scales, laboratory glassware, a thermometer. The stove will cost the future businessman from 100 to 300 dollars. The pots will take from 60 cu. e., and 20 forms will pull about $ 200.

Forms can be very different. The simplest option is ordinary rectangular shapes. But it is much more interesting if the soap takes on the appearance of some flower, bird or geometric figure. You can use children's molds for the sandbox, baking, special (they are sold in soap making stores).

Expendable materials

A large expense item will be the purchase of materials: soap base, oils, perfume compositions, vitamins.

For example, 1 ton of base will cost about 6 thousand USD. e. A ton is too much, for a start, 100-200 kilograms will be enough. To give products a beautiful appearance, various dyes are used. The production of handmade soap as a business is attractive in that each piece of the finished product will be different from its fellow. To achieve this, the manufacturer needs to purchase a wide range of aromatic and vitamin supplements, herbs, honey - in general, let your imagination run wild.

Staff

Soap production does not require a lot of personnel. While the master works at home and does not plan to open a store, he will be the only employee in this company. Unless, his relatives want to help. When the time comes to open a retail outlet, sellers (2 people in shifts), an accountant, a security guard and a cleaner will be required there. The salary of each of them will go from 20 thousand rubles a month. Selling products via the Internet from this point of view is clearly more profitable.

Advertising

Soap production is a process that produces a very beautiful product. Advertising should be based on this. Make a website with artistic photos, come up with an original presentation, create communities on social networks.

Many soap makers early stages held pre-holiday themed events. Making a batch of themed New Year or Christmas soap, they offered it in offices and shops, took orders, handed out business cards. Booklets, flyers, Business Cards- in general, a universal way to talk about yourself. They can be left everywhere and given to anyone.

Acquisition ready business with plan and work under famous brand seems to be a more attractive solution, especially given the popularity of free franchises of the handmade soap business. However, in practice, most potential franchisees (Tsarskoye Selo Soap Manufactory, Soap Treasure Shop, Riga Soap Manufactory, MyloFF) are nothing more than ordinary product suppliers who enter into a standard supply contract with partners.

Support and training in the rules of doing business in such cases is offered in a free consultative form, without providing instructions, technologies, methods, and most importantly guarantees that the original franchise agreement provides. This means that you will still need to develop a business plan and solve organizational problems yourself.

Handmade soap business plan

If you want to bring a unique product to the market, you need to learn how to make soap yourself. Special education is not required for this. Anyone can learn the art creative person. You can start working at home (in the kitchen) with a minimum range of finished products. Further, when the customer base is built up, you can expand your business by opening a small workshop and training hired staff.

The necessary start-up capital to start work consists of the cost of purchasing equipment, raw materials, payment utilities and product advertising. If it is supposed retail soap at your own point of sale, you should add the rent of the premises and the cost of branding and furniture (racks, counters).

Equipment for the production of handmade soap

The technology of making soap at home involves the use of a ready-made soap base (glycerin and fatty acids), which is melted and mixed with various fillers (scrubs, oils), flavors (essential oils) and dyes. At home, an ordinary stove and a set of dishes (preferably stainless steel) are suitable for this procedure:

pots and bowls of various sizes- up to 40 dollars;
measuring spoons- up to 10 dollars;
measuring cup (ladle) with spout- up to 10 dollars;
knife and grater for cutting and grinding soap- up to 8 dollars;
beaters for whisking- 1 dollar;
mortar for grinding vegetable fillers- about 15 dollars;
hand sprayer for oils- up to 10 dollars;
spatula and skimmer- up to 5 dollars;
watering can- 1 dollar.

In addition, you will need:

Silicone molds for soap making or casting(you can use baking molds) - from $ 5 for 1 mold.
Scales with the ability to weigh up to 1 kg or more, with an accuracy of 1 gram- from 5 dollars.
Cooking thermometer for tracking temperature conditions- from 4 dollars.
White plain towels- from 4 dollars for 1 pc.
Protective clothing, goggles and gloves- from 3 dollars.

Thus, the cost of equipment and inventory is from just $106.

Important! Do not use utensils used in cooking, and therefore a separate set is required.

Calculation of raw materials and production volume

The actual consumption of ingredients for the preparation of the final product depends on the recipe and technology used. You can determine the exact calculation by making test samples. On average, for the production of finished soap, the following ingredients will be required:

Soap base- retail price of raw materials from 4 dollars per kilogram.
Oils for moisturizing- commonly used base oils(almond, grape), used in aromatherapy and for the preparation of massage oils. The cost of 100 ml of oil is from 2 dollars.
Essential oils and fragrances- The cost varies depending on the type of oil. For example, orange can be bought from 50 US cents per 10 ml, and jasmine from $1.5. Special flavors can also be used, the price of which is from $ 1 per 10 ml.
Soap dyes- can be liquid and powder. The retail price of the material is from 80 US cents per 10 ml or 5 grams.
Glitters and pearls- decorative components that give the soap brightness and shine. The cost of raw materials is from 90 cents for 10 grams of glitter or 5 grams of mother-of-pearl.
Fillers- Scrubbing components (pumice powder, almond shell, strawberry seeds, lavender flowers). Retail price from 30 US cents per 10 grams.

Thus, to make soap from scratch (1 kilogram), you only need 9 dollars. The retail price of a finished piece (100 grams) starts at $2. Thus, your income will be 20 dollars or at least 11 dollars of net profit.

Time costs for the production of soap at home depend on the chosen technology of soap making. There are three main ways:

Cold- the process of soap making and mixing with additives takes from 1 hour per cycle. On the other hand, such soap will be ready for sale and use only after 1-1.5 months, since according to technology it will need to go through the maturation process.
Hot- the cooking process is about 3-5 hours, but it will be ready for use in a day. On the other hand, to improve the quality of the product prepared in this way, the masters recommend leaving the soap to ripen for at least 7 days.
Combined (cold-hot)- the cooking process takes only 2 hours per cycle, and the ripening time is reduced to 2 weeks.

This means that if your equipment allows you to prepare 1 kilogram of soap per cycle, you, depending on the technology, will be able to produce from 2 to 8 kg of product during the day. When loaded into one standard working week 40 hours, per month you will be able to independently produce from 40 to 160 kilograms of soap. The potential profit that such a homemade handmade soap business can provide will be from $440 to $1,760 per month.

You should also consider the cost of packaging. It can be ordinary transparent film, customized plastic or carton boxes, fabric bags and other types of decorative packaging.

Branding and building brand awareness will allow you to take your homemade handmade soap business to the next level, increase customer loyalty to your brand, expand your customer base and significantly increase revenue.

Premises and staff

If you are planning small volumes of up to 100 kilograms of soap per month, you can organize work at home. But it should be borne in mind that the finished product must be stored somewhere. For large volumes, you will need a separate room, consisting of at least three rooms:

soap production shop;
warehouse of raw materials;
finished products warehouse.

According to the legislation, the premises for the production of soap must be located outside the area of \u200b\u200bresidential buildings and comply with fire safety standards. Also, it must contain communications and a plumbing unit.

A home business in the manufacture of handmade soap can be organized together with relatives or like-minded friends. But if you want to open your own point of sale and achieve high turnover, you will need professional help the following specialists:

Accountant- he can be invited on an outsourcing basis to resolve issues related to the preparation of tax documentation and the maintenance of general accounting of the enterprise.
Driver (courier)- necessary for the delivery of goods to stores or direct customers.
Designer- you can come up with a design yourself, or you can only deal with sales, shifting tasks to a professional designer.
soap makers- with large volumes of production, you will need 1-2 soap makers on an ongoing basis.

Ways to sell products

An effective handmade soap business can cover several areas of product sales at once. These can be the following ways:

Own online store. It will be necessary to invest from 500 dollars in the creation and promotion.
Retail point of sale. The most effective is the opening of a retail outlet in a crowded place (SEC). The rental price depends on the city and the location of the shopping center.
Selling through social networks . Suitable for small volume production, as well as for craftsmen working on order. For big business, social networks can be used as a promotional tool to attract customers to a retail and online store.
Wholesale deliveries to cosmetics stores for sale. In this case, you will have to reduce the cost of selling soap, but at the same time you will be spared the need to conduct advertising campaign(see How to properly advertise a product: basics, examples).
Selling through dedicated websites. With small volumes, you can sell goods on ad sites (Avito, OLX, UBU.ru), as well as on resources for craftsmen of handicrafts (Fair of Masters, hand-made.ru, fintiflu.com).

An additional promotional tool can be a decorative packaging of your soap. It should match the status of handmade products and attract the attention of buyers, especially if you are selling at a retail outlet.

It should be understood that advertising of handmade soap must correspond to its quality. When you advertise natural ingredients and health benefits to your customers, you must ensure that safe ingredients are used. Otherwise, if a fraud is discovered, you will lose your reputation and may even end up in court.

Legalization of activities and permits

It is difficult to build an effective handmade soap business without registering with the tax authorities, since you will not be able to actively advertise, open outlets and do direct deliveries. Working in the shade is possible only with small private orders.

The most suitable forms of entrepreneurial activity for such a business are individual entrepreneurs (FOP) or LLC, while it is best to choose simplified forms of taxation on net profit(income minus expenses). OKVED codes for this area of activity (RF and Ukraine):

41 "Manufacture of soap and detergents";
42 "Manufacture of cosmetic soap";
92 "Packaging activities";
75 "Retail sale of cosmetics and personal hygiene products in specialized stores" (select appropriate subsections).

in Russia handmade soap certification is voluntary. However, in without fail a declaration of conformity is required, which confirms the quality of the product. Without this document, your product cannot be sold in stores. As normative documents for the manufacture of products, you can use GOST or TU. A declaration is obtained for each type of product (soap recipe), which makes the process very difficult for those who like to experiment with new ideas. To avoid such problems, you can sell your soap as souvenirs - in this case, obtaining certificates is not required. However, if you plan to hand over the goods for sale, stores may refuse you such registration.

In Ukraine in order to legalize the activity of soap production, it is necessary to develop technical specifications and obtain the conclusion of the SES. At the same time, it is not allowed by law to make soap at home, and you will need to organize a full-fledged workshop (to save on rent, it can be moved to a suburban area). Further, a certificate is obtained for each type of product. But even in this case, there is an easier way out - obtaining quality certificates for product components and providing them to customers. They can be requested from the consumables dealer.

If you want to create a recognizable brand, you must also register a trademark, which will subsequently give you the opportunity not only to gain a foothold in the market, but also to begin expanding the network by selling a franchise.

In practice, handmade soap as a business has one significant problem - the long-term accumulation of regular customers. This is due to the specifics of the type of product itself, which is forced to compete with cheaper factory products. That is why many masters stop their activity already in the first months, but if you work on improving the product and learning how to sell and run a business, you will undoubtedly achieve success.

THE BELL