Understanding The Flaws Of Your Business

If you've been making natural and eco-friendly soaps, body scrubs, or other beauty products for years and have finally decided to take your line public, you may be wondering about your next steps. One of the most important parts of selling these products is the packaging -- soaps and scrubs stored in inadequate or inappropriate packaging could lose their consistency or even leak onto other products during shipping. However, spending the time and energy to hand-craft these eco-friendly products and then using plastic or non-recyclable materials for the packaging and shipping process could cause your products to be perceived as inauthentic, and you may find it more difficult to break into the natural market. Read on to learn more about some of the best natural packaging and labeling options available for your line of body and beauty products.  

What are the best labeling options for your line?

Not only does a fresh, eye-catching label help your product stand out among its competition, but it can also provide the customer with a quick snapshot of the ingredients in each product to help prevent a potential allergic reaction. With skin, food, and environmental allergies on the rise, it's important to allow your client base to determine whether they may be sensitive or allergic to any of the oils, scents, or other ingredients in your products.

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also set forth some labeling requirements for natural or homemade cosmetic products that are sold to the public. This label must cover at least 40 percent of the product's packaging surface and should include a list of ingredients (both active and inactive) as well as contact information for your company, such as the name and mailing address. If you'd like to make it easier for customers to pass along your information or get in touch, you may also want to include your business's website or email address.

Finding a natural label that fits each of these requirements can be a challenge. One of your best options may be recycled paper labels. These labels can come in a rainbow of colors and are composed of fully recycled (and recyclable) paper. Many recycled paper labels even use plant-based adhesives to make them an entirely natural product. Because these labels are recycled, they're generally available at the same (or even lower) cost than other types of non-recycled product labels. 

What are the best natural packaging options for these types of products? 

Once you've found a label material and design you love, you'll need to decide exactly how to package your products for use -- and for shipping. Because you may not always have control over the temperature or conditions under which your product ships, it's important to package it in a way that can shield it from light and extreme temperatures until it arrives at its final destination. This generally means strong, opaque packaging for liquids and lotions and sturdy, breathable packaging for soaps.

While glass may seem too fragile for use in shipping, packaging your smaller liquid in glass may actually be one of your safest options. You'll be able to choose from a variety of bottle colors and shapes for each product, and the strong opaque glass should be sufficient to keep your product safe even if it's shipped only in a recycled cardboard box or soy-based foam packaging. For soaps and other more durable items, breathable packaging like recycled cardboard or paper can be a good option. If you'd like to allow your customers to have a sneak peek of the product -- or want to make it stand out on shelves -- you may be able to use a recycled cardboard box with a clear cellulose-based cellophane front panel.

For more information and ideas, talk with a professional labeling company, such as Northwest Label.