“How Many Bars Can You Make in a Week?”

Hey friends! Stacie here.

Someone at Pumpkinfest last year asked me: “How many bars of soap can you make in a week?”

I thought for a second. “Depends on the week, but maybe… 100-150 bars?”

She looked surprised. “That’s it? There are companies that make MILLIONS of bars!”

“Yep,” I said. “But those aren’t made the way we make ours.”

“What do you mean?”

And that’s when I realized: Most people don’t understand what “small batch” actually means.

They hear “handmade” and “small batch” as marketing buzzwords. And sure, sometimes they ARE just marketing - big companies slapping those words on mass-produced products to sound artisanal.

But for us? Small batch isn’t marketing. It’s how we actually work.

And today I want to pull back the curtain and show you what that REALLY means - the good, the challenging, and why we’ll never change it.

What Does “Small Batch” Actually Mean?

When we say Momma Bears Creations makes soap in small batches, here’s what that means:

Each batch we make contains:

About 3-4 pounds of oils
Enough lye solution to saponify those oils
Natural additives (oatmeal, goat milk, essential oils, etc.)
Produces roughly 10-30 bars of soap (depending on bar size and mold we use)

That’s ONE batch.

To put that in perspective:

Commercial soap factories make batches of thousands of pounds at a time
They produce tens of thousands of bars per batch
They use automated machinery for every step
They can make more soap in one DAY than we make in a YEAR

So when we say “small batch,” we mean ACTUALLY small. Not “small for a factory.” Small as in: I can personally touch, inspect, and know every single bar we make.

The 4-6 Week Cure Time (No Shortcuts)

Here’s something most people don’t know: Cold process soap MUST cure for 4-6 weeks before it’s ready to use.

Why?

During the cure time:

Water evaporates, making the bar harder and longer-lasting
The saponification process fully completes
The pH balances to be gentle on skin
The bar becomes milder and better for your skin

You CANNOT rush this. (Well, you can, but you’ll get inferior soap.)

So here’s what that means for us:

If we need soap for a craft show in October, we start making it in August/September
We can’t take a huge custom order and deliver it next week
We have to plan MONTHS in advance for seasonal events
Our curing area is FULL of soap racks at all times

Commercial manufacturers often use hot process or melt-and-pour methods that don’t require long curing. They can produce soap and ship it the same week.

We actually DO use melt-and-pour too - but only for our novelty soaps where we create detailed embellishments or embed fun surprises in the bars. For those specialty soaps, melt-and-pour is perfect because it lets us get creative with designs.

But for our core soap line, we stick with cold process - and we let it cure the full 4-6 weeks. Because cold process soap - properly cured - is gentler, more moisturizing, and longer-lasting than any quick-production method.

That 4-6 week cure time is a limitation. But it’s also a commitment to quality.

I Personally Inspect Every Single Bar

This is going to sound obsessive, but it’s true: I look at every single bar of soap we sell.

After a batch cures, I:

Examine each bar - Is it the right color? Texture? Does it look good?
Check for imperfections - Soda ash (harmless white powder)? Cracks? Weird discoloration?
Trim if needed - Sometimes the edges need a little cleanup
Sniff each bar - Does the scent smell right? Is it too strong or too faint?
Decide if it’s sellable - If a bar doesn’t meet our standards, it becomes “family soap” (we use it) or gets rebatched

This is only possible because we make small batches.

If I was producing thousands of bars a week, there’s NO WAY I could personally inspect every single one. I’d need quality control staff, automated systems, sampling methods.

But because we make 10-30 bars at a time? Yeah, I can inspect every single one. And I do.

That personal quality control means:

Customers get consistent, high-quality products
If something’s not right, I catch it before it reaches a customer
I can track which batches are performing well and adjust recipes accordingly
I KNOW the soap intimately - I made it, I cured it, I inspected it

You can’t get that level of personal attention in a factory.

We Can Adjust and Experiment (Flexibility in Action)

Big manufacturers have set formulas. They can’t just decide to try a new ingredient or tweak a recipe on a whim. Their systems are built for consistency and scale - which means they’re rigid.

Small batch gives us flexibility.

Real examples from Momma Bears Creations:

The Vapor Bear Balm Story

A customer asked if we could make a vapor rub without petroleum. I researched ingredients safe for kids. Discovered rosemary isn’t safe for children under 12. Found Scots pine as an alternative. Made a test batch. Tested it on my grandson. Adjusted the recipe. Now it’s one of our best sellers.

That entire process - from customer request to finished product - took a few weeks.

A big company? That would be months or YEARS of R&D, testing, legal approval, manufacturing setup.

The Tattoo Luv Development

Mike (our sponsored tattoo artist) needed a glide that didn’t wipe away stencils. Maddi and I worked directly with him, making small test batches, getting his feedback, adjusting ratios, testing different wax blends.

We made a few test batches before we landed on the final formula. That’s only possible with small batch production.

Seasonal Scents

Every year we experiment with limited edition fall or winter scents. If it sells well, we keep it. If not, we don’t make it again.

We’re not locked into contracts with suppliers or committed to manufacturing thousands of bars. We can try things, see what our community responds to, and adjust.

That agility - that ability to respond to customer needs and experiment without huge financial risk - is a HUGE advantage of staying small.

The Math of Small Batch (Why We Can’t “Just Make More”)

People sometimes say, “If you sold more soap, you’d make more money! Why not just make bigger batches?”

Here’s why it’s not that simple:

1. Space Limitations

We make soap in our home in Enola. We don’t have room for industrial-sized equipment or massive inventory.

Could we rent a commercial space? Sure. But then we’d have rent, utilities, insurance, and suddenly we’re running a VERY different operation.

2. Time Limitations

Maddi and I both have day jobs. We make soap in evenings and weekends. There are only so many hours in a week.

Could we quit our day jobs and do this full-time? Maybe. But that would require making enough profit to replace TWO incomes, which means scaling up, which means… see the next point.

3. Equipment Limitations

Our mixing equipment, molds, curing racks - they’re all sized for small batches. To make 10x more soap, we’d need entirely new equipment.

Which costs money. Which we’d need to recoup through sales. Which means higher prices or massive volume. Which changes the whole business model.

4. Quality Control Limitations

The more batches I make per week, the less time I have to personally inspect each bar, research new ingredients, test new recipes, interact with customers.

At some point, “making more soap” becomes “running a manufacturing operation.”

And that’s not what we want to do.

The Things We CAN’T Do (And That’s Okay)

Being small batch means we have limitations. I’m not going to pretend we don’t.

Things we CAN’T do because we’re small batch:

1. We can’t fulfill massive orders quickly

If someone wanted 1,000 bars of soap next month, we couldn’t do it. We don’t have the capacity.

2. We can’t be in every store

We’re not in Target or Whole Foods. We’re at Carlisle Creative Vibes, craft shows, and online. That’s it.

3. We can’t compete on price with mass-produced soap

Our soap costs more than Dove or Dial because we use better ingredients and spend more time making it. We’re not trying to be the cheapest option.

4. We can’t guarantee year-round availability of every scent

Some scents are seasonal or limited edition. When we sell out, you might have to wait until we make another batch.

5. We can’t offer same-day or next-day shipping

We’re not Amazon. Orders are packed by hand (by me or Maddi) and shipped when we have time. It might take a few days.

Some customers will choose other brands because of these limitations.

And that’s okay.

Because the customers who VALUE what small batch offers - quality, personal attention, natural ingredients, supporting local families - those customers stick with us.

The Things We CAN Do (That Big Brands Can’t)

But here’s the flip side: Being small batch gives us advantages that big manufacturers can NEVER have.

Things we CAN do because we’re small batch:

1. We know our customers personally

We see the same faces at Pumpkinfest every year. We remember which customers prefer unscented soap. We get messages from people sharing how our products helped their skin.

Big brands have “customer segments.” We have FRIENDS.

2. We can customize and problem-solve

Customer needs soap without coconut oil (allergic)? We can make that. Someone wants a custom scent blend for a wedding favor? We can work with them.

Big brands have set SKUs. We have flexibility.

3. We control every ingredient

We choose suppliers. We read every ingredient label. We test every new additive ourselves. We KNOW what goes into our soap because we’re the ones putting it there.

Big brands have supply chains and ingredient sourcing contracts. We have direct control.

4. We can tell you the story of your soap

That bar of Lavender you bought? I can tell you:

When we made it (probably early September for October Pumpkinfest)
Why we chose those specific ingredients
How long it cured
What the weather was like (humidity affects curing!)
Which plant in our yard the lavender flowers came from

Big brands have batch codes and manufacturing dates. We have STORIES.

5. We can change direction quickly

New research shows an ingredient isn’t great? We can reformulate immediately. Customer feedback says a scent is too strong? Next batch, we adjust it.

Big brands have approval processes and manufacturing pipelines. We have agility.

Why “Limitations” Are Actually Strengths

Our culture worships scale. Bigger is better. More is always the goal. Growth at all costs.

But I’ve come to see our limitations as STRENGTHS.

Because we can’t make thousands of bars a week:

We’re forced to focus on quality over quantity
Every bar matters (we can’t afford waste)
We know our products intimately
We appreciate each customer more

Because we can’t be in big box stores:

We build relationships with local shops like Carlisle Creative Vibes
We connect with our community face-to-face at craft shows
We stay rooted in Central PA instead of chasing national distribution

Because we can’t scale up without losing what makes us special:

We’re incentivized to stay true to our values
We prioritize family time over profit margins
We make decisions based on what feels RIGHT, not what’s most profitable

Our limitations keep us honest. They keep us focused. They keep us SMALL in all the best ways.

The Beauty of Knowing Every Bar

There’s something deeply satisfying about being able to say: “I made this. With my own hands. And I know it’s good.”

When I sell a bar of soap at Pumpkinfest, I can tell the customer:

“This batch was made in early August”
“It cured for exactly 6 weeks”
“The goat milk came from a local farm”
“I personally inspected every bar and this one is perfect”

I’m not reading that off a product spec sheet. I KNOW it because I WAS THERE for every step.

That connection - between maker and product - is only possible at small scale.

And honestly? It’s one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.

Not the sales. Not the craft show crowds. But the quiet pride of looking at a batch of soap and thinking: “I made that. And it’s excellent.”

Small Batch Supports Other Small Batch

Here’s something I love about staying small: It keeps us connected to other small makers.

We buy from small suppliers when possible:

Essential oils from small distillers
Packaging materials from small shops
Display supplies from local craftspeople

We collaborate with other small businesses:

Our booth at Carlisle Creative Vibes supports their local artisan shop
Our partnership with Mike (tattoo artist) supports his small studio
We cross-promote with other craft show vendors

If we scaled up and went big box, we’d be forced to use massive suppliers, industrial distributors, corporate retail partners.

Staying small lets us support other small businesses. We’re part of an ecosystem of makers, not competing in a race to the bottom.

That feels RIGHT to me.

We’re Not Anti-Growth (We’re Pro-Intentional)

I don’t want to sound like we’re opposed to all growth or success.

We HAVE grown over the years:

More product varieties
Better equipment
Permanent retail presence at Carlisle Creative Vibes
Online sales through CCV’s website
Sponsored artist program for Tattoo Luv

But that growth has been INTENTIONAL and CONTROLLED.

We didn’t grow because we were chasing profit. We grew because:

Customers wanted more product options
We wanted to improve our processes
Opportunities aligned with our values
It felt right for our family

We’ll keep growing in that same way - slowly, intentionally, only when it makes sense and doesn’t compromise what we care about.

But we’ll never grow so big that:

I can’t personally inspect every bar
We lose the family-business feeling
Profit becomes more important than quality
We stop knowing our customers

That’s our line. And we’re sticking to it.

The Question I Ask Myself

When someone suggests we should scale up, hire employees, automate production, go wholesale - I ask myself one question:

“Would that make the SOAP better, or would it just make more soap?”

If the answer is just “more soap,” I’m not interested.

More soap doesn’t help anyone if it’s lower quality. More soap doesn’t matter if we lose the personal touch. More soap is meaningless if it costs us the family time and creative joy that makes this worthwhile.

I’d rather make LESS soap that I’m genuinely proud of than MORE soap that’s just “fine.”

And I think - I HOPE - our customers appreciate that.

Thank You for Valuing Small Batch

Every time you choose our handmade, small batch soap over a mass-produced alternative, you’re saying something important:

“I value quality over convenience.” “I appreciate the extra time and care.” “I want to support real people making real products.” “I’d rather have something excellent than something cheap and easy.”

That means everything to us.

Because let’s be real: It would be easier to quit. To just buy soap at the store like everyone else. To stop spending evenings and weekends making batches. To free up the garage space.

But then we’d lose:

The satisfaction of creating something beautiful
The mother-daughter time with Maddi
The relationships with our customers
The pride of knowing every bar is excellent
The joy of solving problems through soapmaking

So we keep making small batches. And we’ll keep making small batches as long as people like you value what that means.

Thank you for being part of this. For understanding that small isn’t a limitation - it’s a choice. A choice to prioritize quality, family, community, and craft.

— Stacie, Maddi & Scott (Momma Bears Creations, Enola, PA)

Support Small Batch. Support Quality. Support Real.

Visit Us:

Carlisle Creative Vibes: 152 N Hanover St, Carlisle, PA 17013 (www.carlislecreativevibes.com)
East Pennsboro Pumpkinfest (every fall - follow us on Facebook for dates!)

Shop Online: Momma Bears at Carlisle Creative Vibes

Get in Touch: Contact page

P.S. - If you make things in small batches - whether it’s soap, food, art, music, or anything else - I see you. I know how much work it is. I know the temptation to scale up and automate. And I admire you for choosing to stay small and keep it personal. Keep making excellent things. The world needs more makers like you.

small batch quality handmade artisan soap Enola PA family business soapmaking process

Why We'll Never Make Soap in a Factory (And Why That's a Good Thing)