I know everyone has to make a living, but the more I poke around, the more I see new soaps around that are private labeled. Now, I private label my soap to a few companies, too, which means that I am part of the whole private label industry. I'm a soapmaker that provides soap to people who can't make it and would like to offer them to their customer base.
What urks me is that people are creating companies to sell soap and bath and body products, but are just ordering from artisans and wholesale outlets, repackaging the products and claiming they made it all. By hand. That is what makes me nuts. Why create a company that carries and sells everything that was made by others and claim it's theirs? Seems like fraud to me. And dishonest. One of the problems I see about that is the more "soap companies" or B+B companies that pop up, the more saturated the market becomes, making it harder for real soap makers to make a living. It's true that some people are better at branding and marketing than others and these people get in there and sell the wares to customers that would have otherwise, perhaps, chosen other indie companies that make them.
I can't compete with certain companies that wholesale their soaps for $1.79. Raw materials have almost doubled since I started soaping and where is the profit? How can one make soap and sell it for that and be able to pay for groceries?! I can't.
I know that safflower and sunflower oil is cheaper than olive oil and shea butter, etc, but people don't care what it's made of as long as it claims it's organic. Here is another problem I have. Organic doesn't mean better. Organic just means that pesticide wasn't used in producing the products. That's not always a good thing. Don't insects and other pests carry disease and can be carried through to the food, fruit, oils, etc? I have had food poisoning on two separate occasions eating organic foods. Both were "pre-washed" and packaged.
I have been tempted to call people out, but then it really doesn't matter what I think or who sells what. We live in a free society with choices, and I honor and support that. Who am I to say I think it's a double-cross? I believe in rights, but it still makes me mad. It's hard to always be telling prospective customers that my ingredients and formulations are of superior quality and that my scents are carefully chosen and blended, just to purchase from the cheaper supplier. What can I do other than continue making the soap and products that are good and of high quality and stand behind it and hope I get through this recession. Because it's hard out here. This isn't my second job.
This is everything.
What urks me is that people are creating companies to sell soap and bath and body products, but are just ordering from artisans and wholesale outlets, repackaging the products and claiming they made it all. By hand. That is what makes me nuts. Why create a company that carries and sells everything that was made by others and claim it's theirs? Seems like fraud to me. And dishonest. One of the problems I see about that is the more "soap companies" or B+B companies that pop up, the more saturated the market becomes, making it harder for real soap makers to make a living. It's true that some people are better at branding and marketing than others and these people get in there and sell the wares to customers that would have otherwise, perhaps, chosen other indie companies that make them.
I can't compete with certain companies that wholesale their soaps for $1.79. Raw materials have almost doubled since I started soaping and where is the profit? How can one make soap and sell it for that and be able to pay for groceries?! I can't.
I know that safflower and sunflower oil is cheaper than olive oil and shea butter, etc, but people don't care what it's made of as long as it claims it's organic. Here is another problem I have. Organic doesn't mean better. Organic just means that pesticide wasn't used in producing the products. That's not always a good thing. Don't insects and other pests carry disease and can be carried through to the food, fruit, oils, etc? I have had food poisoning on two separate occasions eating organic foods. Both were "pre-washed" and packaged.
I have been tempted to call people out, but then it really doesn't matter what I think or who sells what. We live in a free society with choices, and I honor and support that. Who am I to say I think it's a double-cross? I believe in rights, but it still makes me mad. It's hard to always be telling prospective customers that my ingredients and formulations are of superior quality and that my scents are carefully chosen and blended, just to purchase from the cheaper supplier. What can I do other than continue making the soap and products that are good and of high quality and stand behind it and hope I get through this recession. Because it's hard out here. This isn't my second job.
This is everything.
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