Soap making is profitable or not. How to make soap for sale - a step-by-step technology. Sales strategy for finished products

Shampoos, shower gels, cleansing foams and lotions, liquid and bar soaps are not a complete list of personal care products that everyone uses on a daily basis. However, such products often include substances that negatively affect the skin and health in general.

That is why many people using industrial detergents began to think about the feasibility of purchasing them and became interested in products that contain natural ingredients. Against the background of the growing popularity of so-called "organic" products, the level of demand for soap made with essential oils and other substances of natural origin has significantly increased.

Possibility of self-production natural soap and the availability of all the necessary ingredients have made soap making a very profitable business.

Soap making: first steps

Making soap does not require the purchase of specialized equipment and the purchase of expensive components.

The minimum set required for soap making includes:

molds for the manufacture of products of various subjects;
soap base;
essential oils, aromas, colors, oatmeal, coffee grounds, etc.

The cost of such a set varies depending on the quality and value of the oils, the type of base, the manufacturer of the molds and other factors, which can be analyzed by examining the range of any store that sells goods for soap making.

Sales channels

Any, even the highest quality product, can bring a loss to the manufacturer if he does not establish distribution channels. In order to make money selling handmade products, you can use the following ways to find customers:

Social networks

Nowadays, to find a person who does not use the Internet and does not have an account with social networks, almost impossible. That is why a thematic page or group registered on a similar service can become the most powerful tool to promote your product.

The ability to filter the search for people by various parameters allows you to find the target audience and send your offer only to the category of users of the social network to whom it may really be interesting.

Blogs

In order to gain attention target audience, a blogger needs to post information on his page that can attract and interest readers. After the number of subscribers grows significantly, you can start promoting your products. The main thing is to do this unobtrusively, since due to the abundance of advertising, many blog visitors can simply exclude it from their subscriptions.

Master classes

For those who want to learn the skill of soap making, but who do not have the opportunity to do it on their own, it is possible to organize thematic master classes in which to sell their own hand-made products.

Opening your own point of sale

To become the owner of a store or department in mall, you need to legalize your business - otherwise, problems with the tax service cannot be avoided.

Business legalization

As a rule, women who are in maternity leave, or female students who are unable to find a permanent job. The initial costs for making the soap are low, and the finished product is affordable for most buyers as well. The ability to manufacture soaps of various colors, shapes and compositions makes it an excellent gift for women and men of all ages and professions.

However, the legalization of a soap production business is associated with a number of difficulties and costs that can cause significant damage to a beginning entrepreneur with a small start-up capital.

In order to open a soap making business, you will need:

register as an individual entrepreneur or legal entity. How quickly.;
get a certificate for the manufacture of a certain type of soap;
rent a room that meets the requirements established by law for the conditions for the production of cosmetic products.

Naturally, the costs of officially registering a soap business are prohibitive for most women who manufacture and sell their products in small quantities to friends and acquaintances. That is why the majority of small producers engaged in soap making try not to advertise their activities and not to register them officially.

Underwater rocks

Like any type of business, soap making has many nuances that need to be studied at the stage of business planning. Potential problems that a soap manufacturer may encounter in practice include:

Short shelf life of finished products

Since handmade soap is most often prepared on the basis of natural ingredients, storage for a long time is contraindicated for it - it will not only lose its properties, but can also acquire an unpleasant odor and shade. Consequently, the product must be sold before the expiration date, otherwise it will have to be disposed of, reducing the amount of profit received.

Dumping prices

There will always be someone who will make it cheaper. And it doesn't matter that the quality of the finished product will be an order of magnitude worse - many people prefer not to understand the intricacies of production and happily buy a cheaper product.

Searching for stable distribution channels

It is quite difficult to find buyers who regularly purchase goods in volumes that allow not only to cover costs, but also to make a profit. Firstly, due to the low barrier to entry into the market, the number of natural soap manufacturers is steadily growing, and, secondly, for everyday use, many prefer to use classic products sold in stores, rather than unique author's works with an individually selected composition.

Despite the seeming simplicity of working in the field of soap making, soap making as a business is quite laborious. Small volumes of production will not bring significant income to the manufacturer, and large ones will require a considerable amount of investment. Money to register a business, obtain a certificate for manufactured products and find a sufficient number of clients. Nevertheless, expanding the range of products offered and organizing an effective advertising campaign, you can achieve excellent results and make soap making your main source of income.

If you are already a master at making soap at home or are just learning, think about how you can make a source of income out of it. Humanity has been making soap for many millennia, and about 10 years ago it turned from work into real art. The variety of recipes, flavors, shapes, ingredients allows you to create masterpieces.

Soap making is an interesting, creative business that can be done practically from scratch. Consumers are attracted by the content of natural ingredients, hypoallergenicity, exclusivity, and unusual appearance. Some products, due to special ingredients, can gently cleanse and heal the skin, protect it from the effects of negative factors. It is also a wonderful gift.

With a competent sales organization, making handmade soap will bring a decent income.

How to start a soap business?

In the west, as a business, handmade soap is popular. In Russia, however, the direction is only developing, so you can take a place “under the sun” without tough competition. Large-scale production began 3-4 years ago, in many regions the niche is still free.

One of the arguments in favor of a business is the ability to produce soap at home or in a small workshop. All you need is a gas or electric stove for cooking. The process does not require special knowledge, long preparation.

In order for the business to develop faster, it is better to organize the release according to the plan drawn up in advance.

Equipment

To make soap at home you need:

Scales for liquids. Do not buy mechanical ones - they have too high an error.
Cooking container.
Forms.
Thermometer.
Soap grater.
Pipettes.
Mixing paddles.
Measuring spoon.
Fridge.

Glass, plastic and stainless steel pots are suitable as containers. Do not use pans made of wood and aluminum, as the alkaline solution reacts with them.

In process of development customer base, expanding the business and reducing the use of manual labor, it makes sense to modernize the technical process.

The soap production line consists of:

mixer;
mills;
forming machines;
stamping machine;
refrigeration equipment;
cutting machine.

Chinese manufacturers offer many suitable equipment for the job at modest prices.

Exotic soap production: technology

There are 2 technologies:

Cold. The soap mass is thoroughly mixed with essential oils, broths, honey, and other components. Then it is poured into molds, solidifies within 2-4 days. The frozen solid piece is cut into pieces, left to "ripen" for a certain time (from a month to a year - depending on the variety).
Hot. The best technique for increasing profitability. The soap mass is slowly heated, constantly stirred, due to which the saponification reaction is accelerated. After a few hours, additional components are added to the mixture, it is poured into molds. The hardened mass is cut, acquires its final consistency within 2 weeks.

Both soap production technologies are similar. Only the composition and proportions of the ingredients for the base change.

Staff

At the stage of promotion, you can do all the work yourself. This will avoid losses if the products are not in demand. Then you will need production and storage facilities, special equipment, personnel.

When expanding, you will need from 5 workers:

Cook. Leads the process and is responsible for the result.
Assistant. Performs minor operations.
Packer. Is engaged in packaging of finished products.
Designer. Designs appearance, logo. It is not necessary to keep it in the state, you can use third-party services. Or develop the design yourself.
Sales Manager. Conducts advertising campaigns, gains the trust of the audience.

Raw materials

In addition to auxiliary products (cellophane, gift paper, ribbons, ropes), you need to purchase raw materials for making handmade soap. By the way, creative packaging is an important detail in product promotion. It should be transparent.

The raw materials used are:

Soap base. Transparent or white, consists of fatty acids, glycerin. Usually sold by weight. There is also a liquid base for the manufacture of liquid soaps, gels, shampoos.
Oils. Protect the skin from dehydration, irritation. Olive, coconut oil, jojoba are widespread.
Ethers. Serve as flavoring agents. Endow soap with beneficial properties. Popular citrus, lavender, mint tree, equalipt, patchouli, ylang-ylang, tea tree. Each oil is a natural antiseptic and protects against facial rashes. The greatest difficulty is the dosage and fixation of the aroma of essential oils.
Dyes. Lets you create bright or multi-colored soaps. There are many dyes on the market, so the creative process is limited only by your imagination. The best way- dyes of natural origin. They are harmless. Natural products are in great demand.
Fillers. These are ingredients for gentle gommage, additives for scrubbing (ground apricot pits, ground coffee beans, raspberry seeds, fruit and berry fiber, synthetic abrasives). They also put dried herbs, gelatin.
Fragrances. Essential oils can create a magical scent, but that's not enough. Flavors will make the smell more intense, help create a product with the aroma of cake, fruit, candy.

Marketing

It is more profitable to sell products on the Internet. You need to create groups in social networks, your website, place ads on women's forums and thematic platforms. Sales through Instagram bring a good effect. Important role plays the picture. Make bright photos- this is the first thing they will pay attention to potential clients... Do not skimp on the description of the product, describe the composition, the benefits of each component and the benefits of the product (natural ingredients, anti-allergenicity, unusual design).

Try to popularize the production of exotic soap through word of mouth. Present a piece to your friends and acquaintances and ask them to tell as many people as possible about their product.

Registration of a soap making business

Soap making in the Russian Federation is mostly illegal. People produce handmade soap in their own kitchens, sell through social networks and instant messengers. You can register as a craftsman. You need to pay the fee regularly - then you can not be afraid of fines.

If you are going to rent premises and hire personnel, open an LLC or IE. Choose a simplified taxation system, for example, the simplified tax system with a 15% tax on the difference between profits and costs.

When registering a soap making business, you will need the following documents:


Application for registration of an individual entrepreneur in the form P21001	Application form P11001
Photocopy of passport	The decision of the sole founder or the minutes of the general meeting of founders on the opening of an LLC
Receipt for payment of the state fee (as of 2019, the amount is 800 rubles).	Articles of Association in 2 copies
	Receipt for payment of the state fee (as of 2019, the amount is 4 thousand rubles)
	Documents confirming the existence of a legal address.

Suitable OKVED codes: 24.51.3 and 24.51.4.

Calculation of profit and payback

Let's calculate the profitability of a home-based business:

Libra - 10,000 rubles.
Dishes, molds, shovels - 15,000 rubles.
Raw materials - 30,000 rubles.
Packaging materials - 5,000 rubles.
Advertising expenses - 15,000 rubles.

Total for the sales plan: 75,000 rubles will be required to start.

You will make about 100 handmade soap bars from the purchased raw materials. The price of each is 300 rubles.

The total profit will be 30 thousand rubles. It takes 3-4 months to recoup the initial costs.

Is this a risky business?

The mini soap business has pros and cons:

Conclusion

Before following the example of the heroes of the movie "Fight Club", make a detailed business plan for soap making with calculations. It is hardly possible to create a mini business without preparation, like in a movie. Scrupulously research the handmade soap market and competitors. If you can create the best product and stand out, get down to business. If you are making a mediocre product that is similar to what you already have, improve your approach.

Don't be limited to your region. An online store is a great way to sell all over the country by mailing it. However, it will take time and money to promote the store. You can sell in Russia through social networks.

It is important to make an exceptional soap that will attract the attention of the target audience both in appearance and characteristics. Then success will be on your side!

Home soap factory - good idea small business without significant financial investments. The amount of profit will depend on how much finished product you can produce. Implementation problems usually do not arise.

Home soap making

I would never have thought that the production of soap or how to say soap making, at home can be like this profitable business if not convinced on personal experience acquaintances.

The undoubted advantage of this business is that it does not need large financial costs to start it. And the profit from home soap making is able to cover all production costs in five months - six months. Given this, it is not surprising that this one began to actively develop in Russia during the years.

To start a handmade soap business, you will need initial capital in the amount of 500,000 rubles. The business profitability is about 50%.

Handmade soap market

In this article, we will look at the market that is closest to us - the soap market in Russian Federation... At the moment in Russia there are about a dozen companies that are exclusively engaged in the creation of handmade soap. We do not confuse these firms with cosmetic companies that produce both soap, shampoos and other toiletries. The cost of a bar of soap is about 150-250 rubles. The price depends on the company, on the appearance of the bar of soap and on its contents.

If we take the glorious city of St. Petersburg as an example, where about 20 soap shops are now concentrated, then their sales volume is about a million dollars a year! That's it, and I was impressed by this figure ... not bad for a soap store !? According to the experts, they say that given market in Russia covered by less than 50%.

One point should be taken into account in the positioning of handmade soap in Russia and in the West. If over the hill such soap is purchased for themselves, in fact, as soap, then we have it as a present. Therefore, the Russians are so demanding of his appearance... it is worth considering this feature when creating your business!

Soap production technology

It is quite easy to make soap at home. The so-called injection molding method is used here. First, you need a soap base - the component that makes up 99% of the soap. You can easily find suppliers of a soap base on the Internet.

This base is placed in a saucepan, or in a special vessel, various components are added there: flavors, dyes, etc. Then this whole mixture is brought to a boil. Well, the last stage consists in pouring liquid soap into pre-prepared molds, or it cools down in the vessel itself - in one large piece, which is then simply simply cut into small pieces, usually 100 grams each.

But we remember that we live in Russia, and they buy soap from us as a gift, no matter how wild and ridiculous it may sound. Therefore, for us, the first option will be preferable - pouring into molds. The recipe for making soap, if you follow the rules, should be bought from foreign manufacturers... But while we are familiar with such a concept as a freebie, and while gigabytes of information are flowing in the veins of the wires of our computers, you can find the recipes yourself, for free. Experts advise starting production of at least 20 types of soap. However, their quality must be top notch. Remember this!

Organization of handmade soap production

Initially, as has already happened. For the production of soap, a room with a size of 40-50 square meters will go, it is no longer needed. In addition, these forty squares are divided into two parts, the first is used to prepare the product, and the second is used as a warehouse. The warehouse is mostly used to prepare the soap to be ready. The fact is that after the soapy liquid is poured into molds, it needs to cool for three hours, and then, within 72 hours, the soap finally hardens.

To minimize costs, you can rent a room somewhere outside the city. Actually, you can use any room, there are no special requirements for it. However, this does not mean that you need to produce soap in unsanitary conditions! The room should have everything you need, including plumbing, sewerage and redecoration is desirable.

The equipment is a gas or electric stove, the cost of which will be about 5,000 rubles. For cooking - three vessels with a capacity of 15-20 liters - this is still about 3,000 rubles. And, of course, soap molds. Wooden molds with various patterns and shapes cost about 5,000 rubles. The set includes 20 molds.

Raw materials for the production of soap

The lion's share of the cost of soap production is the cost of purchasing raw materials. They make up about 70% of all expenses. Raw materials are soap base. If we produce 600 kilograms of soap per month, that is, 6 thousand pieces, then one and a half tons of soap base will be enough for a month and a half. The cost of one ton is about 150,000 rubles.

Also, the costs will go to all kinds of dyes, flavors and essential oils that we will add to our brew. The cost of the above additives will be about 50,000 rubles. And they will be enough for 3-4 months. But this is not all the costs. About 30,000 rubles will be spent on the purchase of various vitamins, vegetable fats, etc. Enough supplements purchased for this amount, also for 3-4 months.

Soap packaging

As you already understood, you cannot save on packaging either. Our production volume according to the plan is 6,000 bars of soap, 20 different types. That is, twenty different packages should be available. Packaging costs will amount to about 40,000 rubles per month.

Soap production staff

For the production of soap, taking into account all of the above, it will take 5 people. Namely: a cook is a person who will manage the soap production process. He will need one assistant. And three more people will be engaged in painstaking work - soap packaging. Also, at the very beginning, you will need to contact a designer who will develop a logo and package design.

Sales of manufactured soap

And so, you followed our instructions, and now you have 6,000 beautiful soap bars in your warehouse that you need to sell. This process is no less important than the production itself. It is advisable to have one. Two sales managers who will be responsible for the distribution of products to household stores and wholesale buyers.

The ideal option would be to create your own store or a chain of stores selling handmade soap. But, now - these are only plans for the future. First of all, you need to produce the first batch and implement it in order to understand whether this business is right for you or not.

Instead of a conclusion

So what we got. Our expenses, including the initial expenses for premises and equipment, will amount to about 500,000 rubles. Fixed costs, including workers' salaries, will amount to 250,000 rubles. The monthly income, with an average price for one bar of soap equal to 90 rubles and with a production volume of 6,000 bars, will amount to about 500,000 rubles per month.

At the same time, it is about 50%. At the same time, by increasing production volumes, as well as expanding your sales markets for soap, you can significantly increase your profits several times.

Soap making: the secrets of a profitable business step by step

We present to your attention a step-by-step course on starting a home business based on the production of handmade soap.

The first stage of any business is. The article describes the pros and cons of individual entrepreneurs and LLCs, and in the conclusion you will find out what is best for the production of soap.
Second phase - .
The third stage is.
The fourth stage is ().
The fifth stage is (,).
The sixth stage is for business expansion ().
The seventh stage is (,).
The eighth stage is.

Soap making business plan

In order to even more clearly demonstrate the pros and cons of this business, as well as continue to correspond to the step-by-step course, we provide a mini business plan with basic calculations and comments ... It is worth remembering and understanding that each city will have its own calculations, somewhat different for a couple of hundred rubles, and in some ways for thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands of rubles (as for the lease / purchase of premises).

First, let's give a list of what we will have an initial cost for:

Registration of an individual entrepreneur (or LLC, if you immediately want to open a Company)
Rent / purchase of premises for office and warehouse
Redecorating. You should not buy or rent a room that needs serious repairs, or will require it in six months or a year.
Purchase necessary equipment and tools for the production of soap. Alas, this is indispensable.
Initial investment in raw materials and ingredients.
Costs for purchasing / ordering or self-production of packaging.
Payment for staff work. Although, at first, this point can be discarded, since the first batch (a trial one, so to speak) can be made independently, with the help of a husband / wife / children, etc.

Above we have a list of seven points. If we ignore the latter, we get six cost points that await us at the initial stage. Avoiding the cost of one or more items can be, for example, provided that you have a room where you can make soap and store finished products.

Below, in the calculations, I will not take this into account. Let's take a situation when you have nothing and have to start, as they say, from scratch.

Expenses

One-time expenses:

Registration of individual entrepreneurs - 800 rubles.
Room 40 sq. m. (purchase) ~ 400,000 rubles.
Cosmetic repairs - 35,000 rubles.
Commercial equipment - 15,000 rubles.
Purchase of equipment - 30,000 rubles. (rounded off)
Scales for weighing liquids - 1500 rubles.
Oilcloth - 500 rubles
Steamer - 2,000 rubles.
Stainless pots - 10,000 rubles
A bowl for mixing soap - 300 rubles.
A heat-resistant container with markings and a stainless steel spout - 1,000 rubles.
Pipette - 10 rubles.
Skimmer - 100 rubles.
Measuring spoons - 100 rubles
A spoon made of plastic or stainless steel - 50 rubles.
Plastic kitchen containers - 150 rubles.
Knife - 50 rubles.
Electronic or laboratory thermometer for food products- 200 rubles.
Oil sprayer - 50 rubles.
Mortar and pestle - 150 rubles
Spatulas for the kitchen - 100 rubles.
Graters - 250 rubles.
Clamps - 100 rubles.
Corollas - 100 rubles
Cookie molds - 300 rubles.
Sieve - 100 rubles.
Respirator, goggles and gloves - 1500 rubles.
Funnel / watering can - 50 rubles.
Towels for wrapping soap - 300 rubles

Total one-time costs are: 455 800 rubles. (Roughly speaking, it will take 500,000 rubles for everything)

Monthly expenses:

Packaging (for 6,000 bars of soap) - 60,000 rubles. (10 rubles for one package)
Salary to staff - 0 rubles. At the first stage, all the work can be done independently, or with the help of a husband / wife, etc. (then it all depends on the number of staff and the average salary in your city).
Raw materials (based on the production of 6,000 bars of soap per month)
A ton of soap base - 150,000 rubles. (with average volumes - for 1.5 months)
5 kg of ingredients - 35,000 rubles. (with medium volumes - for 3-4 months)

Total, on average, monthly expenses will be: 170,000 rubles. This is without wage costs! Total costs in the first month will be 500,000 rubles, then monthly costs will be about 170,000 rubles. + salary to employees + utility taxes.

Income

The first batch produced by us is 6,000 pieces of soap. When selling one piece of soap (100 grams) at a price of 100 rubles, we have: 600,000 rubles / month.

Outcome

As you can see, the business may well pay off in the first month! And subsequently bring up to 350,000-400,000 rubles a month. As you can see, this business is quite profitable, does not require large initial investments and any specific knowledge. Everything is simple and within the power of everyone, since the market does not yet have serious competition.

In our time, it has already become popular to do what you love and get good money for it. A striking illustration of this fact can be called the emergence of a new line of business - the production of handmade soap.

A business that emerged relatively recently (8-10 years ago) has already managed to prove its worth. The commercialization of hand soap began only a few years ago. That's why market competition is not high and there is great potential for development:

Financial experts point out that the minimum profitability of "soap" production is 50%, and the initial investment is not so high.
Another important point that businessmen pay attention to is demand for the product that they are going to spend their time and money on.

Today people cannot do without clothing, food and personal hygiene items. Soap is one of the main hygiene products, and hand soap is in great demand, and therefore its production is ideal business idea for aspiring entrepreneurs.

How to organize an enterprise?

Technologically, the soap making process consists of cooking and casting soap. The soap base is mixed with various ingredients and poured into special molds.

Organizing such a business at home will not be difficult.... However, despite this, it is necessary to take a responsible attitude towards creating your own business and go through all the steps of the preparatory stage:

Market analysis

Hand soap is a relatively new business and there may not be a manufacturer in your area yet.

The analysis can be based on the volumes of production and sales of ordinary "branded" soap.

After going through shops selling soap, an entrepreneur needs to:

determine customer preferences and market volumes,
establish contacts with retail outlets in advance.

Make a verbal supply agreement and try to find out the wholesale price of competitors... This information will guide you through the costing phase of your soap.

Mastering technology

A businessman needs to collect all available information about soap making technology. Information from the field of perfume production will not hurt either. Using different ingredients, you can combine not only the color, but also the smell of the soap.

After collecting and analyzing the information, the entrepreneur must draw up his own unique recipe and create a product line consisting of at least 3 types of soap.

You can start production with soap without aroma, but customers are unlikely to be interested in such products. Today, soap making technology has reached the point that experienced manufacturers have learned to create real masterpieces, colored with herbs, slices of fruits, vegetables and exotic smells.

Planning and implementation

Based on information gathered through market analysis and technology research the entrepreneur must draw up a step-by-step business plan to implement the idea, which must be followed rigorously.

After the completion of the previous stages, it is time to implement the project:

An entrepreneur begins with a process state registration ... If you do not plan to cooperate with legal entities, then it is enough to register as Individual Entrepreneur... Otherwise, you will have to register an LLC.
The registration process, depending on the form, will take you 1-2 weeks. In addition, it is advisable to open a current account in a bank, which will facilitate the process of mutual settlements. As a result, the cost of registering and opening an account will amount to 10,000 rubles.
Soap certification is voluntary and has recently not been a requirement.

Please note that if your product has a quality certificate, then consumer confidence in it increases significantly.

In order to obtain a certificate, you must submit an application to the nearest certification body. Copies of constituent documents, samples of certified goods and descriptions are submitted along with the application. technical conditions production.

Also it is necessary to obtain the conclusion of the sanitary services.

What will it take to get started?

The process of soap making is quite possible to establish at home. It is only necessary to create a comfortable working environment.

For debugging hand-made soap it is necessary to solve the following tasks:

Search and finish premises under the shop.
Buying the necessary equipment.
Supplier search raw materials and ingredients.

Let's consider each task separately.

Premises

Your own private house can become an ideal place for a soap shop. However, if the entrepreneur does not have his own home, then the premises should be rented.

There are no special requirements:

The first condition is sufficiency of area... For soap making you need 40-50 sq. m.
Necessarily availability of communications, sewerage, electricity and water.
Compliance with all sanitary standards, otherwise you risk not getting a sanitary certificate and being fined.

To minimize running costs, it is better to rent a room outside the city..

The area will be divided into 2 parts:

warehouse,
manufacturing facility.

Product passes several stages in the manufacture:

After the soap is boiled and poured into the molds, it need to cool, which will take about 3 hours.
The cooled molds will be transferred to the warehouse, where they will continue to cure. Curing process will take about 3 days.

Therefore, the warehouse also needs to be divided into 2 areas and the finished products must be stored separately.

Equipment

Handicraft soap production does not require large quantities equipment:

First of all, you need to purchase gas (electric) stove... It is not necessary to install a stationary hob. The cost of this equipment can be about 5,000 rubles.
The process will involve several pots with a capacity of up to 20 liters, which will cost 9,000 rubles.
Soap molds you can choose at your discretion.

If you wish, you can order individual soap molds, which will add originality to the final product. A set of special wooden molds with drawings costs about 3,000 rubles.

In addition, the process will involve instruments:

Scales for liquids - 1500 rubles.
Bowls - 300 rubles.
Skimmer - 100 rubles.
Steamer - 2,000 rubles.
Oilcloth - 500 rubles
Measuring spoons - 100 rubles
Knife - 50 rubles.
Plastic kitchen containers - 150 rubles.
Clamps - 100 rubles.
Thermometer - 200 rubles.
Sieve - 100 rubles.
Spatulas for the kitchen - 100 rubles.
Graters - 250 rubles.
Funnel / watering can - 50 rubles.
Respirator, goggles and gloves - 1500 rubles.
Corollas - 100 rubles
Towels for wrapping soap - 300 rubles

In total, you will need 7300 rubles for the tools.

Raw materials

The largest expense item in soap making is the purchase of raw materials. Average from 70% of all investments are in the purchase of raw materials.

The properties of the final product will directly depend on its characteristics.

Therefore, the most important thing to look for when looking for suppliers is not the price, but still the quality of the raw materials.

In soap production the following components are involved:

Soap base, which makes up 99% of all soap. 1 ton will make about 600 kilograms of the finished product. With an average weight of 1 bar of 100 grams, about 6,000 units are obtained.
One ton of soap base costs about 150,000 rubles (150,000 / 6000 = 25 rubles for 1 soap). The easiest way to find a supplier is via the Internet.
Flavors, colorants and essential oils... They are an integral part of the cooking process. According to approximate estimates, the production of 1 bar of soap of these components takes about 3 rubles.
Vitamins and vegetable fats... These additives are needed to enhance the benefits of the soap. Their consumption for 1 block in monetary terms will be approximately 2 rubles.
Soap packaging... Will be made to order and have a separate design for each type of soap. The cost of one package will be 6-7 rubles.

Total the production of 1 soap will take a maximum of 37 rubles.

If we produce up to 6,000 units of soap per month, then general expenses for raw materials and packaging will amount to about 220,000 rubles.

If you are just planning to start your own business, watch a video with recommendations on the choice of ingredients for making handmade soap at home:

Example of a financial plan

The final step is to calculate the initial investment and financial performance of the project.

The amounts shown are approximate (average) and depend on the specific region.

Expenses - 339,300 rubles.

One-time expenses- 69300 p.

Registration of an LLC and opening an account - 10,000 rubles.
Repair of the premises - 35,000 rubles.
Purchase of equipment (including tools) - 24,300 rubles.

Running costs- 270,000 rubles .

Premises rental - 25,000 rubles.
Raw materials (in case of production of 6,000 units per month) - 180,000 rubles.
Packaging - 40,000 rubles.
Utility costs - 5,000 rubles.
Transportation costs - 10,000 rubles.
Other expenses - 10,000 rubles.

Profitability and prospects

The average cost of one package of soap is 100 rubles. If the entire batch of soap is sold within a month, the proceeds will be 100,000 rubles.

As the calculations show, the business is very profitable. Net profit per month, if the entire batch of products is sold, it is 330,000 rubles.

According to entrepreneurs, the business pays off easily within the first month.

Entrepreneurs will strive for a constant increase in production volumes, however first of all, you should take care of the expansion of representative offices and retail outlets.

Today, a rare master who perfectly owns any craft does not dream of leaving the boring hired job in favor of opening own business... Soap makers are no exception here, and this craft itself allows you to start your own business even at home and with minimal start-up costs. For those who are still in thought, it will be useful to learn about how to turn your favorite hobby into a full-fledged and profitable business venture.

Soap making as a business: where to start

If you are not yet a professional soap maker, but are convinced that you can realize yourself in this particular niche, you should start by studying the technologies for making soap, as well as with practical experiments in its production. To study the practice of soap making, you can watch master classes on the Internet or attend several live classes. After you have made at least five or six bars of soap with your own hands and are finally convinced that this activity is to your liking, and you are ready to invest effort and money in the development of the soap business, you can start more active actions.

If you have successful experience making soap, and you made a conscious decision to convert your hobby into the category professional activity, to start the project, it is necessary to draw up a business plan for the enterprise, as well as ensure the implementation of a number of standard procedures, which will be discussed below.

Photo gallery: handmade soap

Homemade soap simple geometric shape looks very beautiful Soap can be made of any shape, color and size Homemade soap will be an excellent gift for the holiday Handmade soap contains healthy components When making soap, you can use medicinal plants A variety of molds for casting allows you to make soap for every taste Homemade soap always consists of natural ingredients

Soap making business plan

Among aspiring entrepreneurs, there is an opinion that a business plan is only necessary to attract investors when setting up a large company or to obtain bank loans. In reality, however, a business plan is a serious tool for the competent conduct of business, with its help you can detect in advance both potential weaknesses and pain points of the future enterprise, and find new ones. promising directions work. A business plan will help you correctly assess your resources and capabilities, as well as plan the distribution of financial flows to achieve maximum results.

Video: soap making is a promising business

Activity registration

The best option for official registration production activities a soap-maker is the registration of an individual entrepreneur. The registration fee is only 800 rubles, and the term for registration of an individual entrepreneur does not exceed three workers days.

To register an individual entrepreneur, you must submit to regional office UFNS the following documents:

application for registration of an individual entrepreneur;
receipt for payment of state duty;
copy of your passport;
notification of the transition to a simplified taxation system.

You can also register an LLC. The terms of registration will remain the same, but the costs of registering a company will increase. The registration fee will be 4,000 rubles, and the minimum authorized capital is 10,000 rubles.

It only makes sense to worry about formalizing your business if the scale of your business goes beyond making a few bars of soap a month as a gift to friends and family. You can register a business at the moment when you reach a new level, the number of orders grows, and strangers begin to appear among your customers.

Video: how to choose between an individual entrepreneur and an LLC

Soap certification

Several years ago, soap certification was mandatory, but today it has been replaced by a declaration of conformity.

Certification of handmade soap is a voluntary procedure in the GOST R certification system, but these products are subject to declaration of conformity according to the technical regulations of the Customs Union on the safety of perfumery and cosmetic products. That is, the entrepreneur who manufactures this product must issue a mandatory declaration of conformity of the Customs Union. Together with the declaration of conformity, an additional voluntary certificate of conformity can be issued.

www.rospromtest.ru/content.php?id=75

A declaration for handmade soap can only be issued for entity... To obtain a certificate of conformity, you must complete the following steps:

submit an application and constituent documents to the certifying organization;
submit product samples and wait for the results of laboratory tests;
receive a completed declaration of conformity.

For declaration, several types of products can be declared simultaneously, all of them will be named in the declaration of conformity. To obtain a declaration of conformity, production facilities must also be tested.

Certification of handmade soap is quite an expensive procedure, so many craftsmen continue to work without certification documents at their own peril and risk. It is worth noting that the requirement for a declaration of conformity applies only to soap made using alkali, while soap created using ready-made bases is considered a souvenir product and does not require certification.

Video: how to get a GOST R certificate

Finding a room or making soap at home

Soap making usually does not require a lot of space. For small production using ready-made soap bases, it is enough to allocate one small room in the apartment. If you are making soap from scratch (using alkali), and your soap factory has already acquired an industrial scale, you can rent a space of about 35-40 square meters. m. To save the budget, it is recommended to select a room on the outskirts of the city or in a suburban area. In this room, you can equip a full-fledged workshop and a small warehouse for products and raw materials used in the work. It is also important to provide a place where the newly made products can settle (3 hours for freshly brewed soap to cool down at room temperature and 3 days for its complete hardening).

Some soap makers organize a small shop or a pick-up point at the soap factory.

Another option for the useful use of the area is conducting master classes and production excursions, from which visitors can learn about the features of non-industrial production of natural soap, as well as about the history of this useful cosmetic product.

Also make sure that all the required communications (electricity, water supply, heating, sewerage, telephone and Internet) function properly in the selected room. If you plan to set up a finished goods store at the factory, agree with the owner of the premises about the possibility of attaching a large and noticeable sign above the entrance. For the success of the store, it is important that customers do not experience problems with its pedestrian accessibility and parking.

Video: home business making handmade soap

What equipment is needed

To organize the work of a small soap factory, you will need furniture, some production tools, as well as consumables from which the soap will be made. If you plan to conduct master classes, you need to take care of the availability of suitable furniture. To organize a shop during production, display racks are needed. Office work requires a computer and a multifunctional printer.

Table: office and commercial equipment for the work of a soap workshop

Equipment	Cost, rub.	Quantity, pcs.	price, rub.
Table	1 500	4	6 000
Chair	900	8	3 600
Trade rack	2 000	1	2 000
A computer	30 000	1	30 000
MFP (printer, scanner, copier)	10 000	1	10 000
Total:			51 600

As in any production, correctly selected tools greatly facilitate and speed up the work of the master.

Table: production equipment for the operation of a soap workshop

Type of	Equipment	Safety engineering	Approximate cost, rub.
Dishes and accessories	glass mixing bowl; stainless pots of different sizes; plastic bowls; soap molds (silicone, wooden, plastic); heat-resistant container for alkaline solution (with markings and stainless steel spout); skimmer; measuring spoons (plastic or stainless); mortar and pestle; graters; kitchen spatula; corollas; sieve; heat resistant glass beaker with thick walls; laboratory plastic beaker or disposable plastic cups; glass or porcelain spoons for brewing alkali; laboratory spatulas or glass rods for stirring the solution.	Separate dishes must be used for the production of soap. It is forbidden to cook with the same utensils and soap and food. Dishes and accessories for soap making must be made only of glass, plastic or stainless steel. All containers must have an increased volume. As molds for casting soap, you can use baking molds, packaging from yoghurts and juices, children's sandbox molds, and so on. The form must be lubricated with vaseline oil or put cling film into it.	20 000
Technical equipment and accessories	gas or electric stove; jewelry or laboratory scales, with an accuracy of 0.01 or 0.1 g; electronic / laboratory thermometer for food; double boiler; blender; coffee grinder.	The weighing pan must hold at least 0.5 liters of liquid. The division of the scales for weighing oils should be 1 g. The division of the scales for weighing alkali should be 0.01 g. These requirements are relevant for the production of a bar of soap weighing no more than 0.5 kg. The steamer, blender, and coffee grinder used to make soap cannot be used for cooking.	25 000
Protective equipment	oilcloth; respirator, glasses, gloves, hat or headscarf, dressing gown; vinegar or hydrochloric acid solution.	All surfaces being worked on must be covered with oilcloth. The respirator cannot be replaced with a gauze bandage. If hazardous chemicals get on your clothing, take it off immediately. If an alkaline solution gets on the skin, the burn site must be immediately treated with vinegar or hydrochloric acid solution.	3 000
Other inventory	pipette; oil sprayer; clamps; funnel watering can; towels; Vaseline oil; paper towels.	It is recommended to dry the finished product on paper towels.	1 000
Expendable materials	soap base; essential oils; dyes; flavors; vitamins; vegetable fats; herbal preparations.	Consumables must be purchased in the quantities in which you can use them and sell them before the expiration date.	10 000
Total:			59 000

With a limited budget, you can use used equipment, but in no case should you try to save on quality. Supplies.

Video: silicone molds for soap

What skills will be needed

The soap maker needs creative skills, because any craft carries an element of art. Running a soap business will also require the talents of a merchant, for example, the ability to analyze information, calculate risks and make informed decisions. And also knowledge of internet marketing and a certain understanding of what good design is will come in handy. An understanding of chemical reactions and processes can be of great benefit. An entrepreneurial spirit is also important, the ability not to give up in difficult situations and use any scenario to your advantage.

Video: how to cook Honey and Milk soap

Staff recruitment

At the initial stage of work, you can work on your own. However, the further you develop, the more urgent the need to hire assistants will become. It does not make sense to hire all employees on a full-time basis. Begin with reasonable business needs when deciding to hire.

After you have officially formalized your company, you will need an accountant to maintain the necessary documentation and submit reports to government agencies. A private entrepreneur has various ways to organize accounting in his company:

You can hire a visiting accountant who will come to the office 1-2 times a week and perform all the necessary work.
Some businessmen prefer to work with remote employees so as not to spend money on arranging another workplace in the office. Then all communications with the accountant will be carried out via the Internet and telephone.
Private entrepreneurs also have access to a variety of online services for self-management of accounting.
Another option is to conclude an agreement on accounting services with a specialized company. The cost of services in each case will be determined by the volume and complexity of the work.

An outsourced accountant is a great option for a small company that is firmly on its feet

Sooner or later, you will realize that new creative ideas and a fresh perspective are needed to be successful. A designer can be hired to develop creative ideas for the design and packaging of the soap. Most designers prefer to work remotely. This mode of operation brings certain inconveniences to customers, since it does not allow monitoring the conscientiousness of the employee and leads to frequent violation of the deadlines. Therefore, you should invite several designers whose quality of work suits you, and work with them one by one. Always leave yourself some time in case something goes wrong. Having an additional two weeks, you can always calmly and without unnecessary worries bring the work to mind with minimal losses.

At the initial stage of work, the master takes a special pleasure in doing everything himself. Each order is carefully packed and delivered to the client almost on the same day with additional compliments from the company. But when there is more work, you will understand that by giving the execution of routine operations to other hands, you will not lose anything, but you will gain precious time that can be spent on activities that no one else can cope with except you.

This will lead you to the idea of hiring a packer. Until a certain moment, his work can be paid piece-rate. When your turnover reaches a large size, it will be possible to take the packer into the state. Smaller companies hire additional staff to pack products during the high season, for example, before new year holidays, and pay them for the packaging of each individual product.

In the process of soap making, you have to work with various chemical components, many of which should not intersect with each other. If you work at home, cleaning the premises will fall on your shoulders, but when you have a specially equipped room, the work of a cleaning lady will become not a luxury, but a necessity. The cleaning lady can also come in 1-2 times a week, depending on your needs.

A large-format soap factory will not do without a soap maker. If all new recipes are developed and tested by the business owner himself, then the execution of routine soap preparation procedures according to ready-made and proven recipes can be entrusted to a hired employee.

For the operation of a soap company, it is also necessary to periodically purchase equipment and consumables, but the owner himself can do this. Some enterprises also have a sales manager whose tasks are to receive and process orders from the online store, as well as search for wholesale customers.

You can search for employees on specialized sites on the Internet (hh.ru, avito.ru). Posting vacancies on message boards in your area in the immediate vicinity of the place of work will also help in the search. Post vacancies in your communities and on the website, it is quite possible that one of your fans has long dreamed of working with you, and you will find not only a professional, but also a loyal employee.

Video: how to interview and find "your" person

Choice of production technology

Various soap production technologies are available to soap makers today. The easiest way to make soap is to use ready-made soap. industrial production as the main component.

The soap you like, for example, baby soap, must be crumbled with a knife or rubbed on a grater, diluted with water or another liquid (for example, herbal decoction) and melted in a water bath until a homogeneous consistency. Then the finished substance is removed from the fire and supplemented with essential oils and other ingredients.

The advantages of this method include its unconditional economy, so it is well suited for experiments for novice soap makers. The main difficulty lies in the fact that the starting material is rather refractory, and the process of digestion of the finished soap can be very long. For additional savings, you can remelt not whole bars of soap, but remnants that have accumulated at home.

Video: how to make soap from baby soap

The second most popular and difficult method of making homemade soap is to use a specialized ready-made soap base, which can be bought in stores. This base is also melted in a steam bath or in microwave oven and then supplemented with the required ingredients. This method is called injection molding or hot.

Video: what is a soap base and how to work with it

The most time consuming method of making soap from scratch is making soap from fats and lye by hand. This method is also called cold, it gives the soap-maker maximum control over the composition and quality of the product and allows you to select the proportions of ingredients individually for the needs of each client.

Video: making homemade soap from scratch

It is important to remember that any homemade soap consists of more gentle components than industrial soap, which causes the following main differences from store soap:

homemade soap lathers worse;
homemade soap is consumed faster at the same weight.

How to find distribution channels

Distribution channels can be determined by the characteristics of your product: often you have to make a specific type of soap at the request of a specific customer. In other cases, sales opportunities will dictate your assortment. Both directions of activity should be combined. By satisfying the needs of a specific wholesale client, you guarantee a certain stability of the business, while having the freedom to choose distribution channels depending on the products you produce, you ensure the realization of your creativity.

Handmade soap can be sold in many different ways. Of course, your first clients will be friends and acquaintances, but for successful development business needs to expand its distribution channels. Let's list some of them:

eco-food stores;
natural cosmetics stores;
souvenir shops and shops;
specialized Internet sites (Fair of Masters, etsy);
gift shops;
thematic fairs and exhibitions;
own trading platform;
own website and social media accounts;
hostels and mini-hotels;
soap making master classes on-site or away.

This list is far from complete, and if you approach your search for distribution channels with the proper amount of imagination and imagination, you can find other ways to sell your products. Experts advise launching up to 20 types of soap into production at the same time in order to satisfy the maximum possible number of consumers, but a novice soap maker may well limit himself to several of the most popular types of home soap.

Video: Where to Sell Handicrafts

Marketing and advertising

Handmade products need competent promotion no less than industrial products. It often takes more effort to advertise and market handcrafted items than manufactured items. Goods mass production are available to customers in any store; whole marketing departments or special agencies work to promote them. The master craftsman, who often does not have any marketing experience, is actually left alone with the products he produces and must independently worry that these products are sold at an adequate price.

Video: advertising handmade soap

On thematic forums on the Internet, battles are regularly held among craftsmen and buyers about the cost of products made by artisans. Craftsmen consider their work to be underestimated, and buyers complain that manual work is too expensive. The job of the professional marketer is to prevent even the very possibility of such discussions from arising.

By definition, a mass product and a piece-production product cannot have the same value, since they fundamentally differ in the technologies used, materials and other characteristics. Marketing of a craft enterprise should aim to convey to the consumer an understanding of this difference and build loyalty to the product and to the master manufacturer. The price of the product must be reasonable, but it cannot be the final argument in favor of making a purchase decision or not making a purchase.

For many craftsmen, the main channels for promoting (and at the same time selling) finished products are blogs on specialized sites on the Internet or accounts on social networks. In a good way to increase the attendance of a page or public is the publication of photo and video tutorials on making soap. In master classes, you should not reveal all professional secrets at once, but some kind of zest must be present in them. Another interesting format for promoting an account or blog appears when creative competition several masters of non-competing directions unite at once. The conditions of such a competition can be very diverse. An indispensable is only a mandatory subscription to the accounts of all organizers.

Video blogs: where to start, what to write about, how to design, which platform to choose

Among the most quick ways promoting a public or community on social networks includes targeted advertising. Such advertising is impossible without a budget, but thanks to it you will be able to find new clients in the first hours of operation. You can organize such a campaign either independently or with the assistance of a freelance targeting specialist. Advertising budgets will depend on many parameters, including the region in which you operate.

Video: how to promote copyrighted goods on social networks

Many people buy handmade soap as a gift, so packaging is an important part of soap marketing. Handmade goods do not have to be packed in expensive glossy boxes and cases. Often, a simple string or craft paper can add charm and personality to a bar of soap. Rough materials will highlight the exclusive origins of the soap.

Video: 11 ways to pack soap

Get creative with your packaging and offer customers a variety of wrapper options.

Photo gallery: examples of handmade soap packaging

There are many ways to beautifully pack soap Soap in a transparent package will be an excellent gift for every day The rough texture of the thread emphasizes the natural origin of the soap You can attach a label to the soap indicating the contacts of the master The most beautiful packages can be made from very simple materials A modest sling will harmoniously complement the soap of an exquisite shape. hands on the packaging of soap will emphasize its unique origin.When making packaging for soap, you can use techniques from other types of handicraft

Think about how you can expand your assortment at the expense of the work of other masters. For example, a hand-knitted jute loofah makes a great addition to a bar of organic soap. You can also make a special set in which a washcloth will be the perfect pocket for a soap bar.

Photo gallery: what can be sold with handmade soap

Get creative with your bathroom set
Homemade soap can be well combined with any bath accessories Scrubber and soap can make up a single whole Soap itself can be multifunctional Agree with a familiar felting master about the joint production of soap scouring pads Knitted from jute will be an excellent addition to natural soap

Financial plan, profitability calculation

Financial planning helps to correlate estimated costs with real financial possibilities.

Table: Estimated Costs of Starting a Handmade Soap Making Business in St. Petersburg

Thus, for the start of a small soap making enterprise homework in St. Petersburg it will take about 300,000 rubles. However, you can get by with a smaller amount, if you do not hire employees, but work independently and do not purchase a lot of expensive equipment at once. In other cities and regions of Russia, the amount for starting an enterprise may be different.

The payback period for a business will depend on the region in which you operate, the cost of consumables, the value of the selling prices of finished products, the time of year when you launch the business, the number of retail and wholesale customers, and other circumstances. Some soap companies pay off in the first months of operation, while others take a little longer to break even. Each situation is individual and needs a separate analysis.

Video: how to make money on the production of natural soaps and cosmetics

Features of the soap making business

Soap production provides its owner with tremendous opportunities for creative self-realization. Engaging in such activities is not only profitable, but also pleasant, since the product produced brings people positive emotions from use. The business of making handmade soap does not require large investments at the start and in the process of work, and with a competent organization, it pays for itself quite quickly. In addition, even a person without special training can master the production of soap, which also makes this business direction quite interesting for novice entrepreneurs. But for success in business, it is important to be attentive to customer requests, to carefully monitor the quality of products, as well as to observe safety measures during work.

Video: safety precautions for making soap from scratch

The handmade soap business in Russia is just gaining momentum. According to experts, the market has not yet fully formed, which means that novice businessmen have a space for activity. When organizing your business, you need to understand how to register a company, get certified, rent suitable premises and hire personnel. A detailed list of the equipment necessary for the operation of the soap maker and the availability of a financial plan will help at the initial stages of work, but it should be remembered that specific situation requires a separate analysis and a rational approach to making management decisions.