Soapmaking is a lucrative business to invest in, be it laundry or toilet soap.
Before the modern soaps in the market today, Africans used locally-made black soap for centuries. Made from wood ash, local oils and herbs, black soap is used to cleanse, nourish and protect the skin.
Based on its age-long use and proven benefits, Nigerian entrepreneur decided to package this local product into a commercial success and an international hot-selling brand. Aseyi Bakah, a beauty brand seller from Ghana says “soap plays such basic roles that are hard to ignore in our everyday lives. Everybody uses soap, both rich and poor people. No matter its size, form (solid or liquid), scent, colour or price in the market, all soaps are made to help us do three very important things: bathe, wash clothes and clean up.”
Requirement for Black Soap-making
Bakah says a local welder could help you to do a mould, get a cheap cutting machine for your stamp through which your name can be engraved on your soap.
Capital: With as little as N50,000, you can start your own soapmaking business from home.
Equipment: There are equipment needed in soapmaking, which include mould, cutting machine and then move to the market proper.
Next is Advertising your brand. There are several sales channels for selling soap in the country. If you are just starting out, you can start with your family and friends by giving them for free and soliciting them to pass the word, by word of mouth. Ask them different questions about your products, making inquiries about them, help you tweak them based on feedback before taking them to the market proper. With a quality, presentable product, good marketing skill, you can sell it online because this is another avenue to sell your product. You can equally sell to hotels, schools, and churches.
Branding: your name should reflect your line of products. It should be catchy and you can also make it memorable, as it is something you will live all your life.
Soapmaking is quite an interesting mix of art and science. It is an art because you can play with a huge variety of ingredients oil, fragrances, colours, shapes, sizes and textures. Depending on the effect you want to achieve, you could include interesting stuff like herbs, honey, shea butter, cocoa butter and other substances that are known to soothe, smooth and heal the skin.
In the world of soapmaking, you are only limited by your creativity and imagination. Anyone can develop their own soap recipes just like the successful Dudu Osun and Jatropha soap brands.
