Shrink wrap systems

[Sponiebr]

I've HAD it... DONE... OVER IT, NOT gonna PLAY anymore.... 

What the hell are you on about NOW Sponie? 

Cigar banding soap! And then having to put the lables on and then having to put tape or PVC shrink bands AROUND the labels to keep them from "flagging" at the ends. THAT'S WHAT I'm on about! 

So is there anyone else out there using polyolefin shrink wrap systems? If so, what gauge and system are you using? 

Does anyone have one of these systems used that they want to sell? I'm talking about the polyolefin systems which are the ones that have the plastic wrap feel plastic to them but will shrink down around the bar when a heat gun is put on them. I've got a TON of soaps I'm going to have to be wrapping here VERY soon and I need to figure out a decent system for getting these banged out. My idea being to shrinkwrap the bars and then put my labels right onto the plastic wrapped soap and then, if needed, shrink wrap another layer over that one. 


Annnnnnd.... 

GO!

Sponiebr
The Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services. 

 

[TallTayl]

I have a national shrink wrap system. It works well enough I guess. It’s not foolproof. In the end I still prefer glassine bags with a pretty sticker. Stuff fold stick done. I save the shrinky dink system for taper candles now. Went to premade shrink bags for pillar candles displayed at outdoor venues. 

 

People can’t smell enough through the polyolefin shrink wrap even though it’s perforated. My in-person sales dropped significantly when shrinking soap. I mean drastically - like by half. 

 

Soap does continue to shrink as it cures leaving saggy bags that need to be touched up periodically. Any pinholes will leave marks as the soap cures. That’s where dust collects and oxidation is strongest. 

[Sponiebr]

38 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

I have a national shrink wrap system. It works well enough I guess. It’s not foolproof. In the end I still prefer glassine bags with a pretty sticker. Stuff fold stick done. I save the shrinky dink system for taper candles now. Went to premade shrink bags for pillar candles displayed at outdoor venues. 

 

People can’t smell enough through the polyolefin shrink wrap even though it’s perforated. My in-person sales dropped significantly when shrinking soap. I mean drastically - like by half. 

 

Soap does continue to shrink as it cures leaving saggy bags that need to be touched up periodically. Any pinholes will leave marks as the soap cures. That’s where dust collects and oxidation is strongest. 

I just bought some perforated 18" polyolefin from National. I was really looking HARD at their system. It LOOKS good. 

I do absolutely NO in person sales so people can't sniff my soap right on the spot. I can't seem to find a glassine or even a paper bag that will fit my soap bars well. I would prefer your system of wrapping the bars frankly but I can't seem to find any damned bags. 

I think what I will try is to take a 20" L bar sealer and make a wooden deck for it where the roll of film is at one end and the sealer fits down in a little nook so that the heating element is flush with the deck.

Seal the end of the plastic.
Stuff with a line of bars. 

Slide bars to snug up against the sealed edge.
Place over impulse sealer. 
Close bar and seal. 
Cut sock'o suds loose. 

Then seal the individual bars and cut them loose. 

How does that sound to you? 

 

[TallTayl]

Like a lot of work. Lol

[TallTayl]

Do you still make the size you sent to me? I’ll look around 

[Sponiebr]

Actually no... They're wider and taller now. I mean most of them are wider and taller. I'll get you some dimensions. 

 

[Sponiebr]

Ok, my bars are now 3.5"x 3"x 1" and 3.75"x2.5"x1"

The vast majority of my bars are the latter sizing group. That's my mainline mold. The first size group is for the custom/seasonal/special request/test batches. 

 

[TallTayl]

11 hours ago, Sponiebr said:

Ok, my bars are now 3.5"x 3"x 1" and 3.75"x2.5"x1"

The vast majority of my bars are the latter sizing group. That's my mainline mold. The first size group is for the custom/seasonal/special request/test batches. 

 

The latter size is what I make (using tall skinny molds).

the 1/4 lb glassine (gusseted) from webstaurant store fit them perfectly with a little extra wiggle room so you don’t need to smush them in. 

Paper mart and line have more sizes.

[TallTayl]

The 1/2 lb size from webstairant fits serendipity’s chance ok. A little big. 

 

The 1/4 lb is to small on the short side to fit it. Would need to be poured a little shallower, cut a little thicker to fill it out. 

 

Have  you tried to affix a sticker directly to the soap? Acsoapy froend does just that and never messes wick packaging at all. 

 

[Sponiebr]

On 3/17/2019 at 6:19 PM, TallTayl said:

The 1/2 lb size from webstairant fits serendipity’s chance ok. A little big. 

 

The 1/4 lb is to small on the short side to fit it. Would need to be poured a little shallower, cut a little thicker to fill it out. 

 

Have  you tried to affix a sticker directly to the soap? Acsoapy froend does just that and never messes wick packaging at all. 

 

I was told by the sudsy masses over on the OTHER place that the adhesive would discolor or possibly oxidize the soap. But even if I did they're not sticking to kraft paper bands now I don't think they'll stick to soap. The film was delivered today. And the sealer will be here soon. I shall SOON see... But yeah... I'd RATHER do the bags like you. 

QUESTION: 

Mine aren't tall and skinny they're short wide bars do you think it matters a flip if they're oriented correctly in the bags? Because I have LOTS of kraft paper bags that would hold my soaps "SIDEWAYS" just not oriented the way I make them. 

[TallTayl]

Sideways sells just as well in those. Kraft bags will work well. 

 

I’m trying my hardest to eliminate single use plastic 

[iansmommaya]

On 3/17/2019 at 5:19 PM, TallTayl said:

The 1/2 lb size from webstairant fits serendipity’s chance ok. A little big. 

 

The 1/4 lb is to small on the short side to fit it. Would need to be poured a little shallower, cut a little thicker to fill it out. 

 

Have  you tried to affix a sticker directly to the soap? Acsoapy froend does just that and never messes wick packaging at all. 

 

 

 

Hmmmm... I really like this. I really really like this.

[Sponiebr]

On 3/23/2019 at 1:35 PM, iansmommaya said:

 

 

Hmmmm... I really like this. I really really like this.

That's 100% TT right there! She's BRILLIANT. It was the most BRILLIANT idea I've seen for wrapping soaps! 

 

[TallTayl]

Here’s the reasoning:

1) cost.  $0.03 per bag

2) eco friendly. People are hot about eliminating single use plastic. I can’t count how many people are requesting, no demanding, plastic free retail orders.  Cellophane, true cellophane, is not easy to find in the right sizes and it smears. And it “looks” like thatvplastic they refuse to accept. 

3) I use those bags for everything. Packaging “thank you” gifts with retail order invoices look sharp and people don’t have as great a tendency to not see the gift in the package. Little items like lip balm look great packaged together. Sample sizes look great in them. Shampoo and conditioner look great in them. And they work for lunch boxes, lol. 

4) Those bags come in hundreds of sizes with or without gussets. 

[iansmommaya]

I use the glassine bags and the tiny cloth bags for samples, and the “biodegradable “ bags for soaps but I like the glassine bags better. I would push up my cost a couple of cents, but my packaging time would go down. 

 

Hmmmmmmmm

 

[TallTayl]

1 hour ago, iansmommaya said:

I use the glassine bags and the tiny cloth bags for samples, and the “biodegradable “ bags for soaps but I like the glassine bags better. I would push up my cost a couple of cents, but my packaging time would go down. 

 

Hmmmmmmmm

 

I had the same financial pause.  In the end the switch to glassine from shrink saved me at least 2/3 of my time.  I can’t get TIME back. And I can package freshly made product along with repackage damaged or dirty product at the event.  That meant I could get sleep at night versus staying up til dawn banding and shrink wrapping. Total win in my book. 

 

ETA: people get a big giant strong whiff of scent from the bag. There’s no way shrink wrapped product smells anywhere near as strong. Even if a hole is left, that surface scent evaporates. My soap sales skyrocketed because of the strong scent retention alone. 

[Sponiebr]

12 hours ago, TallTayl said:

I had the same financial pause.  In the end the switch to glassine from shrink saved me at least 2/3 of my time.  I can’t get TIME back. And I can package freshly made product along with repackage damaged or dirty product at the event.  That meant I could get sleep at night versus staying up til dawn banding and shrink wrapping. Total win in my book. 

 

ETA: people get a big giant strong whiff of scent from the bag. There’s no way shrink wrapped product smells anywhere near as strong. Even if a hole is left, that surface scent evaporates. My soap sales skyrocketed because of the strong scent retention alone. 

I've literally been looking for a kraft paper bag for my soaps now for over a year and I haven't even found ONE that will let me orient the soap the way I want it and not look all sloppy on the outside. On the flip side I was able to get all of my upcoming orders shrink wrapped, labeled, over wrapped, and ready to ship TODAY, and that NORMALLY take a minimum of 2 days. The only think about the bags I worry about is the labels flagging I HAVE to secure the label down with tape or something or they ALWAYS peel up at the outside edges.  

 

[Sponiebr]

On 3/17/2019 at 6:19 PM, TallTayl said:

The 1/2 lb size from webstairant fits serendipity’s chance ok. A little big. 

 

The 1/4 lb is to small on the short side to fit it. Would need to be poured a little shallower, cut a little thicker to fill it out. 

 

Have  you tried to affix a sticker directly to the soap? Acsoapy froend does just that and never messes wick packaging at all. 

 

Ok... I've been, uh... "distracted" lately by a very "distracting" woman... I JUST REALIZED you have Serendipity's Chance in that bag... (Face palm) 


Do you think, AT ALL, that the mastic from the mailing labels that I use for my soaps would discolor or DOS the soap where it touches the soap? I mean a single wrap on these would be far easier and faster. Until I can get the paper bag thing sorted out I'm going to have to shrink wrap. I HATE doing this because it's rather counter to what I want for my brand, but the paper cigar bands and then the labeling and then putting a tape band around them or a PVC shrink band around them is just taking TOO DAMNED long. 

 

[TallTayl]

Not sure if it will DOS, but the glue "may" discolor over time. I've stuck my Primera labels to soap with no ill effects. I found color faded around the label, so the soap under it was not as faded, but that's not a big deal IMO.

 

Have you tried shrink bands? The ends remain open. The Sage has Dans Bands that are/were pretty popular.  https://www.thesage.com/catalog/products/Bar-Soap-Shrink-Bands.html

 

You could cut some shrink bags so they become bands. 

 

For Jumbo:

https://www.thesage.com/catalog/products/Bar-Soap-Shrink-Bands-Jumbo-Bar.html

 

[TallTayl]

Just remembered this old trick: professional plastic wrap. Good value sells one and to can find huge rolls at restaurant supply.

 

the professional stuff is very heavy duty and can handle a good stretch. When cut to the right size and stretched around a soap, candle, etc. it looks a lot like shrink for a fraction of the price. Itnwill shrink somewhat as your soap cures so it will look good for a long while. You can heat gun it too.