Here we continue with our series on the trials and tribulations of starting a craft business. Shall we learn together?

No matter what you make, your materials need to come from somewhere. Sourcing them can be a time intensive and expensive process. A lot of decisions need to be made regarding the type of material and where you purchase the items you need to create your products.

To do this, I have made the internet my friend. You can find a lot of information regarding online stores that sell materials from said internet.

It’s important to be able to see and touch and sometimes even smell the material before you purchase and start to produce your items from it. In fact, I have been known to molest a skein or two of yarn in my day to make sure that it is perfect for the project I want to make.

I like to see if stores have samples that you can get from their collections before buying. Or I will write down the yarn I want to look at and see if my local yarn store carries it so I can test it out. I usually don’t purchase from these stores, because I can find deals online (some with free shipping) so I can keep my cost down.

Here are some other things to consider when sourcing your materials:

Budget:
Have a price range in mind. It doesn’t make sense to start looking at uber expensive silk that needs to be imported if you’re going to be making utilitarian tote bags. Your materials also are one factor in setting your price points for your products. So the more expensive your materials, the more expensive your product.

Make:
Consider exactly what your material is made from. If you want to use an animal fiber like wool in your knitting, know that you won’t be able to sell to vegans and people that are allergic to this type of fiber. You might consider looking for hypoallergenic animal fiber.

Read the labels carefully. Does it carry too many warnings? It might imply that it’s toxic and might not be safe for kids. Stay away from vinyl. Period.

What about environmental impacts? If you want to use environmentally friendly materials look for its recycled content, if it was certified USDA Organic, or by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Process:
Look into how that paper is actually made. If it is an intensive process this will up the price and effect your budget. If your material is made in a factory, pay attention to where the factory is located. Can you afford importing from out of the country and/or your State?. If workers rights is important to you, try and find out about factory conditions. Are the workers are paid fairly, or are they unionized?

Size matters:
Buying your materials from another small business can be beneficial. Yes, the materials might be more expensive, but you can easily find the answers to all of the above questions. Smaller companies might be more flexible in their policies, especially if you become a repeat customer. Larger companies can have faster turn around and can be less expensive. If sourcing from out of the country and want to support small companies look for the Fair Trade label.

Even though you might be starting off small, you can still use your dollars wisely. Your materials add to your overall brand and you say a lot with the quality and ingredients that make up your final product. So think over the above carefully and take the time to source materials that will fit in with your brand. A little research goes a long way to being able to offer quality products.

Image by Warm ‘n Fuzzy