Our top 24 craft business ideas
At CraftCover, we see a huge variety of different crafters who need specific cover for their crafting business needs. This means we know what’s popular in the crafting world!
We’ve gathered the top 24 craft business ideas which you could try yourself. After all, you never know what could come from simply learning a new crafting skill.
1. Basketry
Basketry is an ancient craft that many people take up as a craft to make bags, storage trays and home furnishings. The style has become increasingly popular across a variety of different sectors, especially fashion and homeware, and basketry crafters are making profitable businesses by jumping onto current trends.
Many basketry business owners sell their products on their own websites, Etsy, Facebook marketplace and even in-person stalls too. As the style of the products are increasingly trendy, sellers may find it easiest to gain a following from Instagram and Tiktok with the use of the right hashtags.
2. Wax Melt and Candle Making
Wax melt and candle making involves producing a variety of different scented and shaped products to suit every customer’s needs. The perfect part of them is that they are fully customisable from shape, to scent, to size and can be relatively cheap to make if you can get the right supplies.
If you do want to venture into candle making, it’s important to get the right level of protection before you start, just in case something happens that could affect you or your business. Luckily, CraftCover offers bespoke Wax Melt and Candle Making insurance!
It is a saturated market, which means you need to make yourself stand out from the get go and in many cases, this means being transparent about the responsibilities you owe to your customers.
3. Ceramics & Pottery
Ceramics and pottery making isn’t the cheapest of crafting businesses to take up as the equipment can be pricey. You may not need your own studio space however, you could potentially use a space at home which you can comfortably and safely work in.
4. Fashion Accessory Making
You should consider what your niche is and how this could fit in with current fashion trends. You will also need to consider the best places to sell your products and how you will advertise them.
Many shoppers look on social media to find new brands as they have become increasingly bored of fast fashion products. Social media is also a great way to outreach to those who also love the niche you’re targeting.
5. Flower Crafts
Flower crafts have skyrocketed in popularity due to an increased interest in preserving flowers from special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, funerals and much more.
Businesses operate by customers sending the flowers to the crafter who will then dry the flowers properly and produce beautiful pieces of memorabilia for them, such as coasters, framed flowers and paperweights.
6. Food, Drink and Home Baking
As your home will most likely be your place of work, it’s important you have the right level of protection.
CraftCover can provide you with the perfect level of protection best suited to your business needs, including public and product liability insurance which is vital when running food and drink businesses for the public.
7. Glass Crafts
Many people opt for gifting glass on special occasions, so if you have a passion for glass crafts, you could be profiting from your outcomes. However, be sure to explain how your products are different and what makes your business unique.
Glass making isn’t as saturated as other business markets, meaning you can push yourself out there much easier and gain a bigger audience.
8. Health & Beauty and Cosmetics Product Making
However, others have also been successful with one specific product such as false nails, eyelashes, hair oils and perfumes too.
Whatever cosmetic you choose to craft, CraftCover can provide you with specifically tailored levels of insurance for your cosmetic business. Due to the nature of cosmetics, not every ingredient will be suitable for everyone to use, so it’s best to be covered just in case issues, such as skin irritation or allergic reactions, arise.
9. Interiors & Soft Furnishings
Before you start crafting, you should consider:
– Which styles and prints are trending;
– Who you want your target audience to be;
– and what price range you wish to sell at.
This way, you’ll be able to establish your specific audience and create a plan to target them.
10. Jewellery Making
Popular jewellery includes handmade rings, stamped gold and silver jewellery, body accessories and costume jewellery.
Although you may think you’ve produced safe jewellery, accidents can happen, which is why you should always have some form of jewellery making insurance in place. This will not only cover any potential claims from customers, but it will cover your own expensive equipment and materials too.
11. Leatherwork
Products and goods of leatherwork crafters are extremely sought after due to the quality and design that can’t be found at fast fashion outlets, which is why many crafters jump onto creating businesses.
Again, this is another craft which may require finding the right audience, so it’s worth investing your time into marketing and personal branding to stand out.
12. Lighting Crafts
Businesses are also taking a larger interest in lighting as decorations, such as neon signs for their walls inside or signs for outside their place of business. Talented lighting crafters can make hugely successful businesses by providing custom designs for a range of clients.
13. Metalwork & Silversmiths
Crafters of these trades don’t just receive business from their outcomes, but from the fact they are often more ethically sustainable and produce a higher standard of goods than larger retail companies.
14. Mixed Media & other
Craft fairs are run up and down the country, so if you’re ready to do a bit of travelling, you could be selling your mixed media crafts to a range of different people. Find out more about craft fair insurance with CraftCover.
15. Needlework
Needlework isn’t just a skill you can pick up in a day, it may take quite a bit of practice. If you are considering making a needlework business, it may be a good idea to start with smaller pieces first and build up to bigger projects when your skillset develops and you feel more confident.
16. Painting
Whether you choose to produce your own designs or take requests, if you build a large enough following and customer base you could be on your way to making your hobby your main source of income.
17. Paper Crafts
However, if you have practised paper crafts for many years and have a knack for it, your business could become hugely successful. Demand for a variety of paper crafts has increased with customers wanting stationery for occasions, book binding, book making and cardmaking.
Other crafters may actually be interested in your skillset too. If you produce items such as handmade paper, you could become a business to business company, selling your products in bulk to other businesses.
18. Pet Crafts
This could include creating collars and leads, food and drink bowls, clothing and treats too.
However, as with any business which is producing products to wear or eat, it’s important to have the right level of protection. You don’t want your products to injure a pet, leading to an expensive claim heading your way. Talk to our team for specific pet crafts cover today.
19. Photographic Prints & Art
Your store can also contain a variety of images from animals and nature, to cars and so much more. Depending on how big your team is, you could print and frame the images yourself or use a third party to do so.
A photography business itself is also a great business model, though often much harder to get into. You can get specific photography insurance to help support your business.
20. Plastics & Resin Art
The fully customisable nature of plastic and resin art is the reason why so many people love it. Brides can send off their flowers to be preserved in virtually anything, from coasters to earrings to decorative blocks. Other popular items people send to be preserved include pet collars and ashes, photographs, precious items and jewellery too.
This is a craft which requires a small amount of practice in order to get the correct consistency and technique, but once you’ve mastered it, you can start selling.
CraftCover provides specific plastic and resin art insurance, perfect to suit your unique business needs.
21. Printing & Digital Art
This type of craft is quite versatile as you can sell items as both digital and physical prints, potentially allowing you to double your profit.
You can also sell your designs across a variety of sites, such as Society6 and Redbubble. These sites are great as all you need to do is produce the artwork, and the company will print and send it to the customer.
22. Stone Crafts
Those who are good at it can make very successful businesses, especially if they offer unique and custom designs for their customers. The market isn’t saturated as it is with resin craft, meaning there is potential to fill the gap in the market and build a strong customer base.
23. Textiles, Fibre & Yarn Crafts
Businesses who can cater to the needs of the customers are more likely to have a larger following as they will be providing products customers can’t get elsewhere.
The business is also a good idea for those who want to reach a global market, as many of the products can be rolled up and shipped without hassle.
24. Wood & Furniture Making
You may require your own space for this, so it could be worth investing in a studio space which customers could visit.
If this is the case, you should consider purchasing public liability insurance just in case an accident happens at your place of work, such as a customer tripping over equipment or ill-placed products.
Get Craft Insurance for your New Craft Business
No matter what craft business you wish to start, CraftCover is here to provide the right level of protection for you.
Our team will take the time to understand your specific business needs, and ensure your business is always covered just in case something goes wrong.