Are you a creative crafter looking to turn your passion into profits? Selling crafts is one of the best ways to make money as an artist or hobbyist. But with hundreds of options available, knowing what craft makes the most money can be challenging. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide on crafting for profits and trending craft ideas — so you can find out which crafts are proven to bring in the highest returns and get started making money the smart way without any guesswork.
Discover our top recommended and most profitable crafts that savvy crafters should consider selling so they can start cashing in now. Let’s get started…
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking on an affiliate link, Nevue Fine Art Marketing may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to, Bluehost, Tailwind, Skimlinks, SareASale and StudioPress. To learn more visit Affiliate Link Disclosure Policy
Why Is It Important To Know How Much Profit You Make Selling Your Crafts
When selling crafts, knowing your profits is essential to understanding whether or not your craft business is booming. This financial information will give you insight into how much you need to charge for your items to make a profit and ensure the sustainability of your craft business.
Additionally, tracking how much money you bring in from each item sale can help you understand which projects are more profitable than others.
Knowing your profits also informs decisions about pricing and budgeting for materials and supplies. It allows you to anticipate future growth and determine any problems with your operations.
Crafting requires considerable effort; determining profitability helps solidify that effort by showing results. It’s essential to know how much profit you make when selling crafts so that you can make well-informed decisions on how best to continue running your business.
Information To Track For Your DIY Projects
Gross sales are the total amount of money made before deducting any business expenses.
Net income is how much profit you make from the sales.
Sales – Expenses = Net Income
For example, you sold 25 items at a craft show for $ 20 each.
Your gross sales would be $500.
The cost of the craft show, travel, marketing, and creation of the products comes up to $350.
$500 (sales) – $350 (expenses) = $150 (net income)
Best Selling Hand Made Crafts
Below are some of the most popular handmade crafts that do well at craft shows.
When reviewing the list below, remember how long it will take to create a piece and how much it will cost to make the product. You will also want to research how much people charge for similar items.
- Customizable items
- Paper crafts
- Paper flowers
- Decorative mason jars
- Resin art
- Terrazo coasters
- Hand Painted signs
- Farmhouse signs
- Accessory bags
- Anything for dogs (collar scarfs, handkerchiefs, sweaters)
- Customizable crafts (ornaments)
- Animal motifs
- Painted wine glasses
- Mixed media
- Leather
- Personalized baby blankets
- Bird Houses
- Birdseed ornaments
- Mixed media
- Notecards
- Fine art prints
- Etched drinking glasses
- Burned wood art
- Christmas wreaths
- Mason Jar crafts (soap pumps, Christmas scenes with lights)
Related Post – 22 Creative Things To Sell On Etsy
How to price your handmade products
When selling craft products, you must ensure that you are pricing your products correctly. If you price your products too low, you will not make a profit. If you price your products too high, you cannot sell them. There are a few things that you should take into account when pricing your handmade products.
The cost of materials
The first thing you need to consider when pricing your handmade products is the cost of the materials. You must ensure you are charging enough to cover the cost of the materials you used to make the product.
Track all of the costs associated with making crafts to sell. For example, if you sell handmade clothing, you will want to track the cost of the sewing machine, fabric, needles, thread, and any needed accessories.
The time it took to make the product
Another thing you need to consider when pricing your handmade product is the time it takes to make the product. If it took you a long time to make the product, you would need to charge more for it than if it only took a short time. You can use an hourly rate to calculate how much to charge for your product.
The overhead costs
In addition to the cost of materials and the time it took to make the product, you also need to consider any overhead costs associated with your own business. Overhead costs include things like rent, utilities, and insurance. You will need to add these costs to the price of your product to make a profit.
The shipping costs
You must also factor in shipping costs if you sell your products online. Shipping costs can vary depending on the size and weight of your product and the distance it needs to be shipped. It would be best to research shipping costs to determine an accurate price for your product.
The competition
When selling handmade products, knowing what other crafters charge for similar products is essential. If there is a lot of competition, you may need to lower your prices to compete. However, if there is not a lot of competition, you may be able to charge more for your product.
Selling 1,000 dollars at a craft show might seem like a dream, but if your net income is only $100, you wasted much of your time.
Your time is valuable, and you want to make as much money as possible from your crafts.
Selling crafts for a business is all about making money.
Just focusing on the most valuable item is not always the best solution.
Having a variety of products is what has shown me the best results over time.
Most Profitable Handmade Crafts To Make And Sell
Here is a list of some of the most profitable crafts that sell well at craft fairs.
Beaded Bracelets – Beaded bracelets are easy to make and sell very well. There are many colors and shapes, and you can always find great deals on beads.
Wooden Crafts & Toys – I had a table next to a crafter who made wooden toys for all ages. He had fire engines, cars, trucks, and even wind chimes. His supplies’ cost was low, but he said it took a great deal of time to make them.
Birdhouses – You can always find birdhouses at craft fairs, and that is because they sell well and are inexpensive to make.
Crafts For dogs are easy to make and do not cost much for the materials.
- Dog bandanas
- Dog Clothes
- Dog leash
- Dog scarfs
- Dog bed
Christmas Crafts – sell very well during the holiday season and can produce a substantial profit.
- Candles
- Wreaths
- Cards
- Gift tags
- Wooden signs
- Christmas ornaments
- Picture frames
Handmade Soap is a valuable handmade item to sell online and at craft fairs.
Here are some articles to help get you started making soap.
You can also find a ton of inspiration on Pinterest.
Ribbon Toys for Babies
Making baby ribbon toys are profitable and easy to make. Most ribbon toys can be made without sewing.
Here are some DIY ribbon toy tutorials:
- Sunshine for Baby toy
- Baby Taggie
- Ribbon Mobile
- Ribbon Flowers
Downloadable Printables
Use your creative mind to create beautiful downloadable printables.
Creating printables is easy on Canva and Photoshop, and you can sell digital files on Etsy and Gumroad.
Photo To Wood Transfer
This is a fun craft and can make you a lot of money if you customize them with family and pet photos.
To learn how to create visit, Wood Photo Transfers visit DIY WOOD Photo Transfer Keepsake.
Knit Scarves
Scarves do very well at winter craft fairs. They are great for gift-giving, and if you create stylish and trendy scarves, you might find yourself knitting all year for the holiday craft fair.
This Animal Scarves, Mitts, and Socks Pattern Book will spark your creative mind.
Metal Art
Metal art is a form of art created by manipulating metals. This includes working with both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The art can be functional, as in the case of metalwork, or purely decorative, as in the case of sculpture. Metal artists may use various techniques to create their art, including hammering, welding, casting, and engraving. Metal art has a long history, with examples dating back to ancient civilizations. Today, metal artists continue to push the boundaries of their medium, creating stunning works of art that are visually appealing and structurally sound. Whether forged from iron or carved from aluminum, metal art can add beauty and interest to any space.
Increase Your Profit Line
The last thing I would like to discuss when it comes to selling the most profitable crafts is increasing your profit line.
The profit margin is how much money you make after costs. It is the same as net income, but you are looking at one item instead of the net income for the entire day.
Always strive to lower the costs of creating the crafts you sell.
For example, I use a POD site to print my fine art prints.
An 8 x 10 print would cost me $11.00 per print.
I decided to print my prints at home to lower each print’s costs.
The printer cost me a little over $300 to purchase.
Related Post:
Best Printers For Art Prints – Selling Art Online
Now it only costs me $3.00 for an 8 x 10 print, including packaging costs.
I am selling 8 x 10 prints for $25. My profit per sale is $22.
My yield was $14 when I used a POD site to print my work.
I increased my profit margin by $8 per print.
Related Post – How To Sell Art At Crafts Fairs
So when creating your crafts, always look for a way to increase your profit margin.
Another way to increase your profits is to find the best prices for art supplies online.
Visit Arteza® Art Supplies or Blick Art Materials for the cheapest supplies.
Always look for coupons, sales, and the cheapest-priced supplies.
Here are some craft supplies sites that offer a wide variety of craft supplies at great prices.
These are the sites where I buy art and craft supplies, but other options are available.
What please take away from this post is to make the most money you can from each product you sell.
Where do you buy your craft supplies?
Let me know in the comment section below.
Top Selling Handmade Items 2020
2020 was a unique year for the handmade market, with increased online sales and a shift towards practical and comfort-focused products.
According to Etsy, face masks were the top-selling item, followed by personalized jewelry, hand-painted signs, and handwoven blankets or scarves. The pandemic also sparked a surge in demand for vision boards, planners, loungewear, and loungewear accessories like headbands and slippers.
Home organization products such as custom storage bins also saw high sales, likely due to people organizing their living spaces at home more. 2020 saw strong demand for items that promote comfort and personalization in uncertain times.
Related Post – How To Optimize Your Craft Fair Sales
Most Profitable Crafts To Sell (2022)
A few popular options consistently bring in high profits when selling profitable crafts.
Handmade jewelry is one of the most profitable crafts, particularly unique and personalized pieces.
Other highly profitable crafts include embroidery, crochet items like blankets and hats, and hand-painted signs or canvases.
Candle-making and soap crafting also tend to bring in a good profit margin for crafters, especially if they offer natural or custom scents and designs.
In general, personalized and customizable items are highly sought after by customers, so offering options for customization can often lead to higher profits for craft sellers. Additionally, integrating popular trends into your crafts can increase demand and profitability.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer for the most profitable craft – much depends on your area’s market and demand.
However, these popular options will likely give craft sellers a solid profit margin in 2022.
How Crafters Can Increase Profits With Art Supplies Wholesale
As a crafter, buying art supplies at retail cost can quickly add up and cut into profits. One way to save money on materials is to buy in bulk from an art supplies wholesale company.
These companies often offer a wide selection of products at significantly lower prices than retail stores. In addition to saving money, buying in bulk can also save time by reducing the need for frequent shopping trips.
Planning carefully and budgeting before making a large bulk purchase is essential, but purchasing them for crafters who regularly use specific materials can lead to increased profits in the long run. Adding art supplies wholesale companies to your shopping list is worth considering.
How To Start A Handmade Business Online
There are several ways you can open up a craft business online.
First, make sure you have a business PayPal account to receive payments. The next step for selling homemade goods online is to decide on a platform to showcase and collect payments for your lucrative crafts.
Here are some options for crafters wishing to start an online craft business.
Build A Website And Blog
One of the most profitable ways to sell crafts online is to build a website and craft a blog.
Before building a website, purchase a domain name and host from a hosting service like BlueHost.
To launch a WordPress website, go to BlueHost, click WordPress Hosting, pick your package, and follow the instructions to activate your WordPress site.
The next step is to install WooCommerce.
WooCommerce is a free e-commerce plugin that allows you to showcase and sell products on a WordPress site.
Here are some articles to help you get started with WooCommerce:
Your new WordPress site will have a blog and an e-commerce gallery after you have installed the WooCommerce plugin.
Many craft businesses you see online are built on WordPress.
You can collect your customer’s email addresses on your site with plugins like OptinMonster to send them newsletters about new handmade crafts and home decor you have for sale.
Another benefit is that you can write blog posts that will help to drive organic traffic (free traffic from search engines) to your listings.
Sell Crafts On A Shopify Site
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that is an e-commerce platform already built for you.
All you have to do is start uploading images of your crafts and the details, and you are ready to sell.
Shopify has a monthly fee that starts at 29/mo.
The Basic Shopify membership includes:
- Online store
- Unlimited products
- 24/7 support
- Sales channels
- Manual order creation
- Discount codes
- Free SSL certificate
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Gift cards
Sell Crafts On Etsy
Another popular choice is to open an Etsy Shop.
Etsy is an eCommerce platform where you can sell hand-made items, crafts, and artwork.
Starting an Etsy shop is free, and the listing costs are very affordable.
To learn how to get started with Etsy, visit:
How To Sell Art Prints On Etsy With Printful
Final Thoughts About Most Profitable Crafts To Sell
There are many options available for selling handmade products. Selling at craft fairs is a great way to earn money during the holidays and summer. Taking the time to research and prepare for upcoming outdoor craft fairs will help you to generate more income from upcoming events.
Selling different handmade products like lip balm, soaps, scented candles, birdhouses, and baby toys is easy to sell online and can generate a large amount of money when you do not do your craft fairs.
It is always essential to consider how much profit a craft will generate before diving in.
More Crafting Posts to help you build a profitable crafting business:
- A Complete Guide To Creating A Good Atmosphere At Your Next Art Show
- Greet visitors At Your Art Booth For Better Sales
- Best Craft Ideas For Business
- Most Profitable Crafts To Sell And Make Money
- Craft Calculator – How To Price Handmade Products
- How To Create A Holiday Marketing Plan For Artists And Crafters
- How To Find Local Craft Shows For Crafters
- 7 Tips For Displaying Your Work Ar Art Fairs And Shows
- 5 Tips For Setting Up Your Craft Fair Display
- Where To Sell Your Handmade Crafts
- How To Be Successful Selling Handmade Products At Craft Fairs
