Acquisition ready-made business with a plan and work under famous brand seem to be a more attractive solution, especially given the popularization of free soap business franchises self made. 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 agreement with partners.

Support and training in the rules of doing business in such cases are offered in a free advisory form, without providing instructions, technologies, techniques, 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.

Business plan for handmade soap production

If you want to present a unique product on the market, you need to learn how to make soap yourself. No special education is required for this. Any creative person can learn this skill. You can start working at home (in the kitchen) with a minimal range of finished products. Next, when you have built up a customer base, you can expand your business by opening a small workshop and training hired staff.

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

Equipment for making handmade soap

The technology for preparing 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), flavorings ( essential oils) and dyes. At home, a regular kitchen stove and a set of dishes (preferably stainless steel) are suitable for this procedure:

  • pots and bowls of different sizes- up to 40 dollars;
  • measuring spoons- up to 10 dollars;
  • measuring cup (scoop) with spout- up to 10 dollars;
  • knife and grater for cutting and grinding soap- up to 8 dollars;
  • whisks for whipping- 1 dollar;
  • mortar for grinding fillers plant origin - about 15 dollars;
  • manual oil sprayer- up to 10 dollars;
  • spatula and slotted spoon- up to 5 dollars;
  • watering can- 1 dollar.

In addition, you will need:

  • Silicone molds for soap making or soap 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 temperatures- from 4 dollars.
  • White plain towels- from 4 dollars for 1 piece.
  • Protective clothing, glasses and gloves- from 3 dollars.

Thus, the costs of equipment and inventory are from only $106.

Important! You cannot use utensils used for cooking, and therefore a separate set is required.

Calculation of raw materials and production volume

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

  • Soap base- retail price of raw materials from 4 dollars per kilogram.
  • Oils for moisturizing- base oils (almond, grape) are usually used, 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 American cents per 10 ml, and jasmine from 1.5 dollars. Special flavors can also be used, the price of which is from 1 dollar per 10 ml.
  • Soap dyes- can be liquid or powder. The retail price of the material is from 80 American cents per 10 ml or 5 grams.
  • Glitters and pearls- decorative components that give the soap brightness and shine. The cost of raw materials starts from 90 cents per 10 grams of glitter or 5 grams of mother-of-pearl.
  • Fillers- scrubbing ingredients (pumice powder, almond shells, strawberry seeds, lavender flowers). Retail price from 30 American cents per 10 grams.

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

The time required to produce soap at home depends on the chosen soap-making technology. There are three main methods:

  • 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 undergo a maturation process.
  • Hot- the cooking process takes about 3-5 hours, but it will be ready for use within a day. On the other hand, to improve the quality of the product prepared in this way, masters recommend leaving the soap to mature 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, can produce from 2 to 8 kg of product during the day. When loading into one standard working week 40 hours, per month you can independently produce from 40 to 160 kilograms of soap. The potential profit that such a home-based handmade soap business can provide ranges from $440 to $1,760 per month.

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

Branding and increasing brand awareness will allow you to bring out home business handmade soap new level, increase customer loyalty to your brand, expand your customer base and significantly increase revenue.

Premises and hired personnel

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

  1. soap production workshop;
  2. raw materials warehouse;
  3. finished goods warehouse.

According to the law, the premises for the production of soap must be located outside the area of ​​​​residential buildings and comply with the standards fire safety. It must also contain communications and plumbing.

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

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

Methods of selling products

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

  • Own online store. You will need to invest $500 or more in creation and promotion.
  • Retail point of sale. The most effective is considered to be opening a retail outlet in a crowded place (shopping center). The rental price depends on the city and location of the shopping center.
  • Selling through social networks. Suitable for small production volumes, as well as for craftsmen working to order. For large businesses, social networks can be used as an advertising tool to attract customers to retail and online stores.
  • Wholesale supplies 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 an advertising campaign (see How to properly advertise a product: basics, examples).
  • Sales through special sites. For small volumes, you can sell goods on classifieds websites (Avito, OLX, UBU.ru), as well as on resources for handmade craftsmen (Fair of Craftsmen, hand-made.ru, fintiflu.com).

An additional advertising tool can be the decorative packaging of your soap. It should correspond to the status of handmade products and attract the attention of buyers, especially if you sell at a retail outlet.

It is worth understanding that advertising of handmade soap must correspond to its quality. If you make natural and health claims to customers, you must ensure that you use safe ingredients. Otherwise, if fraud is discovered, you will lose your reputation and may even end up in court.

Legalization of activities and permits

Build without registering with the tax authorities effective business production of handmade soap is difficult, since you will not be able to actively advertise, open outlets and engage in direct deliveries. Working in the shadows is only possible with small private orders.

The most suitable forms of entrepreneurial activity for such a business are individual entrepreneurs (FOP) or LLCs, 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 “Production of soap and detergents”;
  • 42 “Production of cosmetic soap”;
  • 92 “Activities for packaging goods”;
  • 75 “Retail trade in cosmetics and personal care products in specialized stores” (suitable subsections are selected).

In the Russian Federation Certification of handmade soap is voluntary. However, in mandatory a declaration of conformity is required, which confirms the quality of the product. Without this document, your product cannot be sold in stores. As regulatory 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 To legalize soap production activities, it is necessary to develop specifications and obtain a conclusion from the SES. At the same time, making soap at home is not allowed by law and you will need to organize a full-fledged workshop (to save on rent, it can be moved to a suburban area). Next, a certificate is obtained for each type of product. But even in this case, there is a simpler way out - obtaining quality certificates for product components and providing them to customers. These can be requested from your supplies retailer.

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

In practice, handmade soap as a business has one significant problem - the long-term development of regular customers. This is due to the specifics of the type of product itself, which is forced to compete with cheaper factory products. This is why many masters stop working in the first months, but if you improve your product and learn sales techniques and business management, you will undoubtedly achieve success.

Alexander Kaptsov

Reading time: 7 minutes

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Soap is one of those products that will always be in demand and will find its buyer. To set up soap production and make it profitable business, you just need to register your business, purchase raw materials and equipment, and study the technology of making soap. Special attention should be paid to the detailed development of the business plan and the search for sales channels for products.

Starting your own soap business

In order for a business to be legal and a businessman’s actions to be lawful, it is necessary to stand on. The optimal form of work for those who are beginning to comprehend the basics of running their own business is individual entrepreneurship. Individual entrepreneur can lead entrepreneurial activity without education legal entity, which reduces the level of risks, speeds up the registration process, and reduces the size of future payments and potential fines by tens of times.

You can also establish a Limited Liability Company (LLC), this form is suitable if the origins of the business are not one, but two or more people. All relationships and interactions of company participants are regulated by the charter, and the distribution of income and expenses is also prescribed there.

To register as an individual entrepreneur, you must have the following documents:

  • Application for registration as an individual entrepreneur using form P21001.
  • A receipt confirming payment of the state duty.
  • Copies of all pages of the passport.

The application for registration of an individual entrepreneur specifies the activity code; soap production is included in OKVED code 24.51 “Production of glycerin, soap; detergents, cleaning agents, polishing agents.” For production you will need to obtain a quality certificate. To do this, you will need to contact the regulatory authority and submit documents describing in detail the production technology, as well as test reports. The production area must comply with sanitary standards.

What raw materials are needed to make soap?

The materials used to make soap can be divided into two categories: the main raw materials that form the basis for the future soap, and additives that enhance cosmetic properties or give the soap a particular appearance.

Basic materials

The main material for preparing solid soap is fat of plant and animal origin, as well as solid and liquid vegetable oils, alkalis, fatty acids, esters. In order for the soap to be of high quality, retain its structure and not deform after interaction with water, the recipe must be strictly followed during the preparation process.

Most often, soap contains the following animal fats:

They are the cheapest and most accessible. For luxury soaps, mink oil can be used. Coconut and palm oils are used as solid oils; from liquid oils, sunflower, cottonseed and others are added during the production process.

For production, a ready-made soap base is purchased, consisting of the above components.

Depending on the goals, it can be different:

  1. Organic.
  2. Liquid.
  3. Creamy.
  4. Transparent.
  5. White, etc.

Ingredients and Additives

In order for the soap to take on a unique appearance, special dyes are added to its composition; special requirements are imposed on them: they must be resistant to alkaline substances used for saponification of raw materials, and must not color the foam. Dyes can be combined and used to create spectacular designs and patterns.

The same goes for flavorings: they not only give the soap a certain aroma, but also eliminate the smell of fatty raw materials. Also, stabilizers (antioxidants) can be added to soap to improve its qualities and increase shelf life. They protect the soap from darkening and the appearance of dark spots on its surface. Other important components are antiseptics, glycerin, and methanil as a deodorizing additive. If the soap has a medicinal purpose, it may also contain various infusions and decoctions of medicinal plants.

Equipment for organizing soap production

In order for production to become widespread and the business to be profitable, it is necessary to launch a process capable of producing up to 600 kilograms of the finished product per month. Therefore, it is recommended to equip a small workshop for a soap factory. To start you will need a room of 30-40 square meters: this will be enough to install the equipment and prepare a place for hardening and storing the finished product.

Basic equipment for soap production:

  • Powerful stove (gas or electric).
  • Metal containers for making soap.
  • Faucets for mixing masses
  • Forms for pouring soap.

The room must be roughly divided into 2 zones: in the first the soap preparation process will be carried out directly, in the second the molds will be placed until the soap completely hardens. To make the process comfortable, you should equip the room with special shelves and variations of the storage system.

It is also necessary to consider a place for cutting soap and packaging it. To do this, you can use special knives or purchase a machine, which will help automate the work.

Soap production technology and its features: diagram of the soap making process

You can prepare a soap base yourself, but to do this you need to thoroughly study all the intricacies of its composition, the characteristics of the chemical reactions of the reagents, their properties and other nuances. You will also have to prepare your own fat - most often pork fat, which is the most inexpensive product.

Modern soap makers use a ready-made soap base - it reduces the cost of the production process and speeds it up. Big choice different types base allows you to choose the optimal composition for soap with a variety of purposes and tasks.

  1. You need to prepare everything in advance materials and equipment. The soap making process takes place on high temperature, so you can’t hesitate after launching it and get distracted.
  2. The soap base needs to be crushed or finely chop, the pieces should be equal.
  3. Turn on the stove average temperature and set up a water bath. The profile plate is usually equipped with this mode of operation.
  4. When the base becomes a homogeneous liquid mass, it is necessary to add oils, esters and other additives in accordance with the recipe. You can also add dyes, they will give the soap bright color.
  5. After this, the soap must be poured into the molds (in several different ones or one common one), and, after complete hardening, remove from the molds and cut, if necessary.

In the case of preparing soap according to a recipe without using a soap base, the production principle remains the same. The process can be automated using a feeding device, mixers and a temperature sensor.

An approximate business plan for the production of soap - we calculate the profitability and payback period of the soap factory

Depending on the scale of production and the availability of established distribution channels, the payback period for a business can vary significantly. For it to be successful and generate income from the first days of operation, it is necessary to develop a competent business plan, take into account all risks, pay attention to advertising and carefully work out all potential channels for promoting and selling finished products.

Business premises

To equip the workshop, you will need a room with an area of ​​30-40 square meters. m. On average, the rental cost is 1 sq.m. production premises cost 500-700 rubles, therefore, renting the premises will cost 15,000-30,000 rubles per month.

Additional expenses should include cosmetic repairs and room planning - 30,000 rubles.

Business equipment

  • Stove - 5000 rubles.
  • 3 vats for making soap – 3000 rubles.
  • Molds and other tools – 10,000 rubles.

This is the minimum set of equipment that will be required to organize soap production. Modern entrepreneurs also have the opportunity to purchase a ready-made production line from foreign suppliers. Such equipment will cost 7-10 thousand dollars, but will make the cooking process faster and the product better quality.

Materials for making soap

Raw materials are the main expense of a soap manufacturing business. The quality of the soap itself depends on how high quality the source material is: if you plan to produce elite soap with high cost, you must use only natural, expensive oils and other additives. They increase the cost of production, but such a product should also be present in the line of soaps produced at the soap factory.

  • Soap base – 100,000 rubles (for the production of 600 kg of soap per month).
  • Cosmetic oils and other additives – 15,000 rubles.
  • Plastic transparent packaging – 20,0000 rubles.

Product packaging is one of the key aspects of successful product sales. Handmade soap is most often bought as a gift or souvenir, and therefore the appearance and its packaging play an important role.

Staff

At first, you will need 1 person to make soap, and 1 more person to pack the finished product. The cost of wages to workers will be at least 50,000 - 60,000 thousand rubles per month.

Thus, the start-up costs for organizing a business will be 48,000 rubles, and about 220,000 rubles will have to be spent monthly on rent, raw materials and wages to workers. Considering that about 600 kg of soap (6,000 pieces) will be produced per month at such costs, the cost of 1 piece will be 36 rubles.

With an average retail price of 90 rubles for 1 piece of handmade soap, the profit per month will be about 300,000 rubles.

Risks associated with starting a soap production from scratch

There are several difficulties associated with the business of producing and selling soap:

  • Passing certification.
  • Compliance with recipes and product quality.
  • Establishing sales channels.

The certification process can take up to several months - this is a fairly long procedure that requires thorough compliance with all state control standards. However, it will not be possible to avoid it - soap prepared without a quality certificate will not be accepted for sale in any serious store, much less a pharmacy.

If the recipe for preparing soap is not followed or is stored improperly, it may lose its quality and appearance. attractive appearance. If there is a lack of flavorings and the proportions are incorrect, the soap may contain an off-odor odor of rancid pork fat or its other components.

But the main danger awaits soap makers when searching for customers for their products. . The handmade soap market is quite specific; the Russian consumer has not fully studied the properties and benefits of such soap, and therefore it needs additional advertising. Unusual shapes, colors and decorations on soap help solve this problem.

Features of the sales market for soap factory products

The soap-making market in Russia is quite young and allows novice businessmen to build a full-scale and successful production. Their main competitors are home soap factories that operate without quality certificates at home.

There are several ways to market soap factory products:

  • Organizing your own sales point.
  • Working with perfumes and...
  • Working with pharmacies.
  • Online stores.

To ensure that your business brings maximum benefits, it is recommended to use all sales channels. In addition, you also need to work with wholesale companies: having several contracts for the supply of soap in bulk will allow you to develop your business and increase the scale of production.

Handmade soap is more expensive than regular toilet soap, so the sales market has its own characteristics. Most often, such soap is sold as a separate series, the emphasis is on its unusual appearance and organic materials used in production.

Vegetarians and vegans are increasingly turning to handmade soap

Taking care of hygiene is an integral part of life modern man. For this reason, the demand for products necessary for personal care is constantly increasing.

Opening a soap production is a promising business direction. In order for a business to generate income for a novice entrepreneur, it is necessary to know all its nuances in advance.

Having decided to start such a business, an entrepreneur needs to know all its advantages and disadvantages. TO positive aspects decision taken relate:

  • Possibility of organization at home.
  • Simple production technology.
  • No big startup costs.
  • No special equipment required.
  • High level of demand.

TO negative aspects relate:

  • High level of competition.
  • The business is not suitable for allergy sufferers.

Based on the cumulative analysis, we can conclude that soap making can generate income with a small level of investment.

You can get interesting information about this area from the following video:

Registration of activities

Having decided to start producing soap, an entrepreneur must choose a form of ownership. For this type of mini-business, or is suitable.

The final choice should be made based on the scope of the project.

If an entrepreneur plans to start producing handmade soap at home, then he should go through the procedure of registering as an individual entrepreneur. This form of ownership simplifies reporting and does not require availability. An individual entrepreneur can make payments to the state according to.

LLC registration is required if a businessman plans to open a factory or workshop. This form of ownership allows you to attract up to 50 founders, from whose contributions the authorized capital is formed.

Having chosen the organizational and legal form, the entrepreneur must collect the required package of documents. The list of required papers includes:

  • Permission from the SES.
  • Permission from the fire department.
  • Agreements with service companies.

Business does not require a license. However, the premises must undergo appropriate inspections. In the direct production area there must be a fire extinguisher and a fire alarm must be installed.

Required areas

To start such a project, an entrepreneur will have to find a suitable premises. Its size should be at least 40-50 sq. m. The room must be divided into 2 locations. The first will house a soap production workshop, and the second will house a warehouse for finished products. If the sale of goods will not be carried out from the workshop, then it will be necessary to allocate a 3rd location for the store.

To reduce rental costs, you can find premises located in a residential area. All categories of citizens use soap. For this reason, the number of potential clients here is no less than on the central streets of the city. However, it should be taken into account that the building is located close to public transport stops and has convenient approaches.

All communications must be carried out in the workshop. Before starting to sell products in the premises, it is necessary to carry out cosmetic repairs.

Can this be done at home?

Soap production does not require specific equipment or a large number of personnel. Any entrepreneur can quickly master the manufacturing technology. For this reason, starting production at home is not difficult.

Consumers are more willing to purchase designer products made by hand. It has no factory analogues, which makes the soap exclusive. For the client, production at home is a guarantee that the product does not contain harmful additives that could have harmful effects. Negative influence to your health.

Equipment

An entrepreneur will need to purchase:

  • electric stove;
  • vessels for melting soap base;
  • containers for preparing decoctions;
  • soap molds;
  • personal protective equipment;
  • thermometer;
  • scales;
  • dishes

Soap making involves interaction with chemicals. For this reason, the entrepreneur must take care to protect the people involved in production. They must be provided with gloves and respirators.

Scales are necessary for precise measurement the required number of components to produce 1 piece. Having mastered the technology, a businessman may subsequently refuse to use measuring instruments. But at first you can’t do without them.

Production technology

The soap making process is divided into 2 stages:

  1. Cooking soap base with additives.
  2. Distribution of the mass among the molds and its subsequent cooling.

The manufacturing procedure begins by heating the soap base in a pan or other container. During the process, the master adds flavors, essential oils and dyes to the mass. The resulting mixture is brought to a boil. Then the heated soap is poured into molds and sent to the warehouse, where it cools within 72 hours.

Factory production is a more complex process. It uses fats and alkali. To organize a workshop, the entrepreneur must be familiar with the saponification process. The full-scale manufacturing process may take up to 30 days and requires specific equipment.

Staff

At first, no additional personnel are required. An entrepreneur can independently manufacture products or involve family members in the process. If he does not want to do this himself, he will need to hire:

  • Masters.
  • Sales consultant.
  • Accountant.

Having an accountant will allow you to minimize costs and control expenses. He must do the reporting. The permanent presence of this employee on the territory of the organization is not required. It is enough if he deals with the affairs of the company 2-3 times a week. Part-time work will reduce costs.

What raw materials will be needed?

Soap base is the main ingredient for making products. Its acquisition accounts for up to 80% of the total cost of raw materials. To make 1 soap, up to 100 grams of base is required.

It is better to purchase it at wholesale warehouses or order it from online stores. This will allow you to save significantly.

For the remaining 20%, the entrepreneur must buy dyes, essential oils and flavors. To attract new customers and ensure the prosperity of your business, you must constantly search for new color combinations and unusual scents. For creative process You can purchase unusual soap fillers. This will help maintain the exclusivity of the product.

A businessman must remember that soap is a personal care product. To make it, you need to choose high-quality ingredients. They should not cause an allergic reaction.

Sales channels

For the project to be profitable, the entrepreneur needs to find potential customers interested in purchasing products and provide advertising for the business. The following can be considered as sales channels for handmade soap:

  • social media;
  • forums and websites;
  • attracting clients through master classes;
  • sales in stores;
  • opening your own point.

To attract potential clients, an entrepreneur can create an organization website or group in in social networks. It is necessary to post on the Internet page information about the products being sold with photographs of the goods. High-quality design will attract the attention of new customers.

Organizing master classes serves as good advertising for an organization engaged in hand made soap A worker involved in production can periodically conduct lessons for those wishing to learn the skill. During the lesson, the specialist may offer students to purchase products or raw materials at slightly reduced prices.

Selling products in gift or personal care stores will allow the entrepreneur to start working with an already established customer base.

To start selling goods at a retail outlet that has been on the market for a long time, a novice businessman will need to come to an agreement with the owner. However, the store owner will require you to pay a certain amount for renting the space or give away part of the profit from sales.

Opening your own point – best channel for product sales. You can create a store on the basis of a workshop or rent space in a shopping center.

Financial expenses

To open this business, an entrepreneur will need start-up capital in the amount of about 70,000 rubles.

Here sample list initial investment:

A businessman must be prepared in advance for the fact that in addition to the funds to start the project, he will have to spend every month about 100,000 rubles on its content:

Approximate calculation of profit and payback

The average price of 1 piece of handmade soap is about 100 rubles. The cost of the product may be higher and depends on the size, cost of ingredients and exclusivity. The markup can be 150-200% of cost.

By producing 3,000 pieces per month, an entrepreneur can earn 300,000 rubles. However, it should be remembered that you first need to form a customer base that will be able to purchase the entire volume of goods produced in a month. Soap has an expiration date. If the entrepreneur fails to sell the product, it will be unsuitable for sale.

With an established customer base, a business can pay off in 2-6 months and start generating stable income.

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

Why is this business very good for a small home plant?

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

Advantages and disadvantages of business

Why should you start selling handmade soap as a business?

Soap making has many advantages:

  • Inexpensive equipment;
  • The technology for creating soap 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 downsides:

  • You will still have to invest some resources into this matter;
  • Sales of finished products are not established immediately;
  • Soap production is not suitable for allergy sufferers. Working with essential oils or chemicals if you have sensitive skin or mucous membranes can turn from a pleasant pastime into a living hell.

Manufacturing technology

Soap manufacturing technology includes two global stages:

  • Boiling 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 future use (if you’re lucky, at a discount), so that you don’t have to look for the base you need after each new batch of the finished product.

The soap base is poured into a pan, where it is then boiled, and the master simultaneously adds essential oils, dyes, and aromatic substances. 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. This production uses natural fats, alkali and other components. This method requires more careful preparation. You must be familiar with industrial production technologies, know the principle of the saponification reaction, and be able to measure the pH of the resulting product. It takes long time. It takes about 30 days for the pH of the soap to reach neutral.

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

Business plan

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

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

  • Registration;
  • Premises;
  • Repair.

You will not need to fill out anything 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 to register an individual entrepreneur (private entrepreneur), register with tax authority and local administration, obtaining permits from the sanitary-epidemiological and fire stations, and then searching for a location.

Renting premises

Let's talk about the premises. The small room chosen for the future store should be located where future customers will see it. The ideal option would be a street, avenue, areas close to the metro or center, large shops. The premises will require appropriate repair work. Think over a concept that will make it unique and attract attention to it. Glue up beautiful wallpaper, hang draperies on the walls, arrange shelves on which beautifully packaged sets of soap will be located, install a counter, a chair for the seller, purchase cash machine and a computer. If your outlet has a specific theme, for example, “soap prepared according to ancient Indian recipes,” it will be even more interesting. This way, 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 saucepans (at least 15 liters), molds into which the final solution will be poured, scales, laboratory glassware, and a thermometer. The stove will cost a future businessman from 100 to 300 dollars. For pots it will cost from 60 USD. That is, and 20 forms will cost you about $200.

The 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 sandboxes, baking, or special ones (they are sold in soap stores).

Consumables

A big 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 starters, 100–200 kilograms will be enough. To give the products a beautiful appearance a variety of dyes are used. Making handmade soap as a business is attractive because each piece of the finished product will be different from its counterpart. To achieve this, the manufacturer needs to purchase a large assortment of aromatic and vitamin supplements, herbs, honey - in general, give free rein to your imagination.

Staff

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

Advertising

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

Many soap makers held pre-holiday themed promotions at the initial stages. When making a batch of New Year or Christmas themed soap, they offered it in offices and stores, took orders, and distributed business cards. Booklets, leaflets, Business Cards- generally a universal way to talk about yourself. They can be left everywhere and given to anyone.

When deciding in which area to open your own manufacturing business, it is important to choose a direction where the product produced, regardless of the season, is in high demand. And soap is one of the few products that can be included on this list without any doubt. If you competently buy soap production equipment and set up distribution channels, you can very soon recoup all capital costs. This market segment is characterized by great competition, since in Russia both large industrial enterprises producing soap and mini workshops operating in local markets operate successfully. But this fact should hardly stop an entrepreneur, since with a competent approach it is quite possible to “win” your niche.

Our business assessment:

Starting investments – from 5000 rubles.

Market saturation is high.

The difficulty of starting a business is 5/10.

This direction is especially attractive because an entrepreneur can launch a full-fledged factory with all the appropriate equipment, and a mini soap production at home. And you can make a choice in favor of one or another path for developing your planned business, based on your own skills and available finances. But in any case, the “soap” business, provided that all produced products are sold, can generate a consistently high income.

So how to start a soap production in Russia from scratch? What should be described in the business plan?

What assortment to offer customers?

The technological process for producing soap will practically not depend on the type of product being manufactured - the difference is greater in the raw materials used. And before purchasing all the necessary components and equipping the workshop with machines, you need to carefully consider the assortment that you plan to offer to customers.

What types of solid soap can be distinguished?

  • laundry soap,
  • toilet soap,
  • antibacterial soap,
  • baby soap,
  • perfume soap.

And in terms of the purpose of soap, products can be very different:

  • shampoo soap,
  • shaving soap,
  • scrub soap,
  • garden soap.

The business plan for soap production must necessarily include the list of products that are planned to be offered to customers in the future. The cheapest option is to produce laundry soap. In this case, there is no need to carefully work out the recipe and select raw materials. But industrial soap production will only begin to generate high profits when the consumer sees on the shelves not only laundry soap, but also other types.

The production of toilet soap is complicated only in the sense that it will require a thorough study of its composition. Operating enterprises, of course, will not disclose their recipes. Therefore, you will have to resort to the help of a qualified technologist who will develop specifications and create an “ideal” product.

If you offer a potential audience at least 10-20 types (in composition and purpose) of soap, the production of toilet soap is more likely not only to stay afloat, but also to develop.

Raw materials and technology for producing soap

And if the production of children's soap on an industrial scale in technology is practically no different from the production of the same products, but at home, then the composition of the raw materials is strikingly different. In industrial conditions there is no time for creativity, and therefore, as a rule, inexpensive raw materials are used here, which reduce the cost of the final product.

What raw materials are processed in the workshop to produce soap?

  • beef or pork fat,
  • palm or coconut oil,
  • naphthenic and fatty acids,
  • rosin,
  • fragrances,
  • fruit acids,
  • stabilizers,
  • preservatives,
  • dyes.

The final recipe will depend on what type of soap is planned to be produced.

But why not start producing natural soap on an industrial scale using better ingredients? But the whole point is that this is completely unprofitable, since it will almost double the cost of production, which, naturally, will also affect the price of the product. And the mass consumer, for the most part, is inclined to buy inexpensive soap. Products with added natural ingredients(higher quality and more expensive) it is better to release at first only as a kind of “addition” to the main line of budget products. Well, then, when the enterprise reaches the break-even point, you can think about “repurposing” the existing mini-workshop.

The soap production technology at the enterprise looks like this:

  • Saponification of fats with alkali to obtain a viscous liquid (“soap glue”).
  • Salting of “soap glue” (its treatment with electrolytes), as a result of which the mixture is divided into a liquid fraction and a solid residue - a soap core. At this stage, the production of laundry soap is almost complete. The product, after adding various additives to the mixture, molding and packaging, can be sold.
  • Grinding the dried soap core with the addition of fragrances and dyes.
  • Pressing the mass.
  • Soap packaging.

The process is relatively simple. In addition, in industrial enterprises, all operations are performed by an automatic soap production line, which reduces the use of manual labor to a minimum. It turns out that in order to produce a quality product it is important to pay Special attention choice of equipment.

Technical equipment of a soap production enterprise

Due to the popularity of this area, the market today offers a large selection of specialized equipment for producing soap. The line set usually includes the following machines and devices:

  • melting tank,
  • digester,
  • mixer with stirrer,
  • two-stage screw press,
  • stamping forms,
  • automatic machine for cutting and labeling products.

The entrepreneur has to make a difficult decision - either buy low-productivity, but at the same time cheap, equipment, or equip the workshop with a powerful, fully automated line. And the price of soap making equipment will have a direct impact on the choice, since equipment can be quite expensive. For example, the price of a line with a capacity of up to 300 kg/h costs at least 2,500,000 rubles. But it is unlikely that a novice entrepreneur needs to spend that kind of money on organizing a business. Here it will be enough to equip the workshop with machines with a capacity of up to 60 kg/h. The cost of these is, on average, 550,000-800,000 rubles.

Example of a soap production line

01. Steel platform 02. Mixer 03. Mill 04. Mill 05. Belt conveyor 06. Molding machine 07. Conveyor 08. Soap stamping machine 09. Return machine 10. Refrigeration unit.

What prospects does a home business promise?

And if the wait for the payback of a full-fledged workshop, even according to optimistic calculations, will take at least 1.5 years, then the production and sale of handmade soap as a business is more promising in this regard. Not only will its organization not require large investments, but also the cost of finished products is almost half the selling price.

The demand for handmade soap is consistently high. And this is explained by the use of natural ingredients in its production process. And given that today there is an increasing tendency on the part of consumers to buy everything “original and of high quality,” it becomes clear why the craftsmen do not keep the goods prepared for sale.

In terms of technology, the production of handmade soap is even somewhat simpler - there is no stage of saponification of fats. In their work, craftsmen use special soap bases of different compositions, which only need to be melted and poured into molds. In addition to the main ingredient, various additives are used:

  • essential oils,
  • dried herbs,
  • scrubbing particles,
  • loofah,
  • natural pigments,
  • glycerol,
  • vitamins.

And this business is not only interesting, but also low-cost, since the work requires a minimum set of equipment:

  • plate,
  • containers,
  • forms.

In order to offer customers a wide variety of products, it is important to buy soap molds of different configurations. They can be made from many materials, but experienced soap makers advise purchasing silicone ones. Special silicone for making soap molds is completely safe for human health, easy to use and durable.

Silicone molds for making soap

Handmade soap production at home is a real space for imagination for creative people. Here it is quite possible to develop hundreds of recipes based on a variety of components. Having occupied this niche, you can organize a business both for producing entire batches of products and for fulfilling private orders. Over time, when things get going, you can think about opening your own retail outlet or online store.

Sales strategy for finished products

Russian-made soap in a wide range is presented on store shelves. But a high level of competition is not a reason to give up, since retail outlets are always interested in expanding the lines of products presented to consumers.

The best option is to establish wholesale sales of finished products. Thus, without lying in warehouses, all manufactured products will be sold immediately.

Who can you offer soap produced within the factory?

  • retail chains,
  • private hardware stores,
  • trading warehouses,
  • children's stores,
  • pharmacies.

Homemade soap can be easier to sell because the finished product is sold in retail. You can offer original products through the Internet and newspaper advertisements. Having developed a client base and studied the technology in detail, you can enter another sales market - handmade stores and natural cosmetics stores, because small retail outlets often take soap from masters for sale. But for this, most likely, you will need to develop your own logo and attractive packaging. In addition, such cooperation will require official registration of the business, which involves certain costs for tax deductions and product certification.

How much profit can a business generate?

The real profitability of the enterprise will depend, first of all, on sales volumes and the type of products produced. And to calculate the payback period, you should calculate the starting capital.

Concerning capital costs, then to fully equip the workshop, register the enterprise, provide a raw material base for the first month and prepare for work, at least 1,600,000 rubles will be required. Making handmade soap at home will cost much less - here the entrepreneur will need no more than 5,000 rubles to create the first batch of goods.

The average cost of a piece of ordinary toilet soap is approximately 5-12 rubles. But its wholesale price on the market will be at least 10 rubles. Original handmade soap costs much more – at least 80 rubles. per 100 g. And this is even with a low cost of the product - 20-30 rubles.