Once your soap is made, good packaging makes it look store-ready, whether you’re giving it as a gift or selling it. Here’s exactly how I package my melt and pour soap: shrink wrap, a heat gun, and a simple label with the soap’s name, ingredients and weight.
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What You’ll Need
- Shrink wrap bags (I like a brand with no odor)
- Impulse sealer (or clear tape if you don’t have one)
- Heat gun
- Printable labels
- A home printer and a free Avery account for label templates
- A kitchen scale to weigh each bar
How to Shrink Wrap Melt and Pour Soap
1. Choose the Right Size Bag
I use 4×6 shrink wrap bags for regular bars. If your soap has a frosting or decorated top, size up to 6×6. Tall tops are really hard to fit into a 4×6 bag. Slide the bar into the bag.
2. Seal the Bag
Let the impulse sealer heat up. You’ll hear it click when it’s ready. Place the open end of the bag in the sealer as close to the soap as you can without touching it, press down, and the extra plastic pulls right off. No sealer? Fold the open end and close it with clear tape. It works, and your label can cover the tape. Turn the sealer off when you’re done and let it cool before putting it away, just like a curling iron.
3. Shrink It With a Heat Gun
Turn on the heat gun, give it a second, and run it over the bag quickly. The plastic shrinks tight around the bar in seconds, so don’t overdo it. I use an inexpensive heat gun rather than a hair dryer, and it works great.
4. Flatten Sharp Edges
The corners can harden into little sharp points. While the plastic is still warm, press them flat with your fingers so there are no edges to poke anyone. If a hard point forms, warm it again and push it down. A tiny hole in the wrap is fine. It even lets people smell the soap. Some soap makers leave a small hole on purpose for that reason.
How to Make Soap Labels
5. Design a Label in Avery
Avery’s free online templates make labels easy. Create an account, start a new project, and type in your label number (mine was 22806). Pick a template. I like a simple, basic design, because pictures can distract from the soap itself. Add:
- The soap’s name (this one is “Lovely”)
- Ingredients, copied from your soap base supplier. If they aren’t listed, email the company and ask.
- Fragrance oil and any colorants you added
- Net weight. Just weigh the bar on a kitchen scale.
6. Print and Apply
Save your design to your account so you can reuse it, then print on a regular home printer. You can print only the labels you need and save the rest of the sheet for later. Stick the label on the front of the wrapped bar, covering any tape seam. If you make a lot of soap, ordering labels in bulk is usually cheaper.
Tips & What I Learned
- Pick odorless shrink wrap. Some brands have a plastic smell that competes with your soap’s scent.
- Size up for decorated tops. 6×6 bags fit frosted or tall bars much better.
- Wrap soon to prevent sweating. If your base isn’t low-sweat, wrap the bars as soon as they’re cool. If beads of moisture (glycerin dew) form, wipe them off with a damp cloth and wrap right away.
- Keep labels simple. A clean label lets your soap design shine.
- Reuse ingredient lists. If you make several soaps with the same base, you can use the same ingredient list and just change the name and fragrance.
Troubleshooting
The shrink wrap has sharp points.
Press the corners flat while the plastic is still warm, or rewarm them with the heat gun and push them down.
My soap is sweating in the wrap.
Use a low-sweat base, or wipe off any moisture and wrap the bars as soon as they’ve cooled.
The bar won’t fit in the bag.
Use a bigger bag, like 6×6 instead of 4×6, for bars with tall tops.
FAQ
Can I shrink wrap soap with a hair dryer?
I use a heat gun because it shrinks the wrap quickly and evenly. An inexpensive one works great.
What should go on a soap label?
The soap’s name, the ingredients from your base supplier, the fragrance oil and colorants you added, and the net weight.
Do I need an impulse sealer?
No. Clear tape works to close the bag, and your label can cover it. A sealer gives a neater finish.
Why does my melt and pour soap sweat?
Glycerin in the soap pulls moisture from the air. Low-sweat bases help, and wrapping bars soon after they cool keeps them fresh.
More From Koala Soap
- How to Package Melt and Pour Soap for Gifts (holiday video)
- How to Swirl Melt and Pour Soap
- Can You Remelt Melt and Pour Soap?
- All my melt and pour soap tutorials on YouTube
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