Do you want to start an art-related business and are looking for profitable craft-making business ideas? If so, find here in this article a list of money-making craft businesses that you can start with low investment.
If you have any skill related to art and craft and have a creative mind, turning the hobby into an earning opportunity is easier nowadays. ECommerce technology has made the world much smaller and anyone can sell any product online to any part of the world. Find below, a selected list of craft businesses that can fetch good returns.
64 Craft Business Ideas
#1. Art Supplies Store
If you enjoy dealing with art and craft items and have good networking skills, an art supply store is just for you. Find out an appropriate retail space, collect art items, and there you go. Art supplies are the products that have a good retail margin also.
Learn More: How to Start Art Supplies Store Business
#2. Arts & Crafts Instruction
If you enjoy crafts and have expertise in any specific arts or crafts, then you might consider starting an arts and crafts instruction business. Success in this type of business hugely depends on your personal expertise. You can also get clients by having a business relationship with arts and crafts suppliers or retailers.
#3. Baby Room Mural
Crafting a baby room mural is a self-rewarding and lucrative business. Often parents want to have a bright and colorful interior wall painting for their child. The possibilities and opportunities in this business are enormous. With small startup capital, any individual can initiate this business.
#4. Bamboo & Cane Handicrafts
These eco-friendly products are light in weight and have their own style and elegance. These products have a high life with minimum maintenance. You can use bamboo strips and various types of canes to produce different utility and decorative items. The list may include mats, lampshades, trays, baskets, flower vases, wall hangings, ornaments, etc.
#5. Basket Weaving
To start a profitable basket-weaving business, one requires thoughtful planning and a high level of creative mind having a flair for design. Using a wide range of raw materials an entrepreneur can initiate a customized basket-weaving business with moderate capital investment.
Learn More: How to Start A Basket Weaving Business
#6. Bone & Horn Crafts
Bone and horn craft items ensure good revenue. You can use cow horns, buffalo horns, stag antlers, and tusks in horn crafts. You will need to carve the desired object out from the solid part of a horn after soaking it in water. Similar to horn crafts, the making of bone crafts also involves a series of elaborate procedures.
#7. Bonsai Farming
If you love gardening, you can consider starting a bonsai business. Actually, bonsai is a Japanese art form. Basically, bonsai is an ornamental or show plant. However, creating beautiful bonsai demands specific skills and expertise. You can sell bonsai both from offline and online marketplaces.
#8. Book Binding
Starting bookbinding and repairing with an attractive cover page can be a fun way to earn handsome money. The equipment and consumables for this work are also cheap and easily available.
#9. Brassware
Brassware is often known as brass handicrafts. Actually, you can produce beautiful and decorative utility and home decor items from brass. However, you must have specific skills and knowledge for starting this business. Additionally, you will need to procure the raw materials and necessary equipment or hand tools.
#10. Cactus Arrangements
Cactus comes under the segment of the succulent plant. The cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Any individual can start and operate this business with little capital investment.
Learn More: How to Start A Cactus Arrangements Business
#11. Calligraphy
Calligraphy is the visual art of fonts or letters. People also practice this craft to release pressure. In business, calligraphers mostly are in demand for invitation card making for any event. If you enjoy playing with fonts and characters, consider starting a calligraphy business.
#12. Candle Making
Candle-making business can be initiated with a small start budget. People purchase candles not only for religious purposes but also to scent and decorate their homes and business places. The popularity and consumer demand for scented and decorative candles have inspired many individuals, especially women to enter this industry.
Learn More: How to Start a Candle-Making Business
#13. Caricature
If you are a cartoon artist and love to create cartoon figures you may consider starting a caricature business. It is an ever-popular art globally. Now it has become easier to create these figures electronically. A quality caricature artist is always in demand in the print industry.
#14. Charcoal Portraits
Charcoal portraits are ancient art. Still today charcoal is often considered the best medium to give a final touch to portraits. If you are an expert in this art, you can turn this hobby into a profitable business.
#15. Chinese Brush Painting
Chinese brush painting is not quite simple. If you already know the subject line or you will need to learn a lot about this art. You can sell these products from retail gift stores or from online marketplaces.
#16. Ceramic Items
The popularity of ceramic items is increasing. You can create gift items, and domestic products like ceramic plates and sell them to customers.
#17. Craft Shows
Arranging and organizing arts and crafts shows is a profitable business. In developing countries, you will also get help from Government departments. Networking and media promotion is a crucial factors in getting success in this business.
#18. Craft Supply Store
This is one of the most profitable retail businesses in the art and craft industry. Craft persons often look for craft supply stores that sell a variety of items. Simply, where a craftsperson can find every item that he or she needs. The business demands moderate capital investment.
#19. Crochet Knitting
A crochet knitting business opportunity is ideal for passionate crochet knitters who want to turn their hobby into a profitable venture. Also, one can consider starting this business when he or she has any other knitting business already.
Learn More: How to Start A Crochet Business
#20. Cross Stitching
Cross stitching is considered as counted thread embroidery. There is a good demand for handmade cross-stitching products. Any type of pattern and design can be made through cross-stitching.
#21. Custom Buttons
Custom buttons can be made with various different items such as wood, metals, clothes, glasses, etc. According to the product, you will need to select the equipment and raw materials.
#22. Customized Glass Etching
The glass etching business is an artistic and profit-making craft-related business. An aspiring entrepreneur who has a creative mind, passionate about glass etching, can start this business with little money. Customized glass etching business includes products like gifts, awards, and décor items for both domestic and corporate business clients.
#23. Customized Mug
Customized mugs are the most popular gifts in the personalized gift industry. You can start the business in two ways. Either you can start this from home or from a retail storefront.
#24. Customized T-shirt Making
People buy customized t-shirts that give special messages. Globally, the customized t-shirt market is increasing very fast. You will need to procure a digital print machine and bare t-shirts for starting this business.
Learn More: How to Start A T-Shirt Printing Business
#25. Custom Mobile Cover Printing
The business is all about printing images on smartphone covers as per your client’s specifications. And you can operate the business entirely online from an eCommerce store. Additionally, you can operate the business from a retail location too. In that case, the startup cost will be much higher.
Learn More: How To Start Custom Mobile Cover Printing Business
#26. Designer Bindi Making
Designer bindi is an essential beauty product for the women population. And there are various types of bindis available in the market. The women population has replaced traditional kumkum with the decorative designer bindi.
#27. Designer Blouse Making
A blouse is an essential readymade garment for women. Generally, this apparel was popular in the Asia Pacific region in ancient times. And women used to wear blouses as daily wear. Nowadays, with the changing fashion style, designer blouse is increasingly popular globally. And women can drape designer blouses with sarees, lehenga, and even with some western outfits.
#28. Designer Pillows
This is another great craft business you can start with little money. Actually, you can produce different types of designer pillows in several ways. You can use embroidery, applique, mirror work and beads work. Additionally, different types of gorgeous printed pillows are also very popular these days.
#29. Dokra
Dokra is a special type of craft business that produces decor items, utility items, and jewelry. This is brass art. And definitely, you must have specific skills and expertise for starting this business. Basically, Dokra has huge popularity in the Asia Pacific region. However, these days it has a worldwide presence.
#30. Embroidery
Embroidery is ancient needle art. And it is one of the most popular needlework for designer garment making. Additionally, embroidery is very popular in any type of decorative bag, home decor, and home furnishing industry.
Learn More: How to Start Embroidery Business
#31. Florist or Flower Arrangements
This is another craft business you can start with little capital investment. There are numerous ways you can promote this business. However, business demands skill. And you must be careful as you will handle perishable items.
#32. Gift Basket
An individual having a creative mind can initiate this business with small start-up capital. Other than domestic purposes there is also a big market for corporate gifts. The industry is ever-increasing. People always love to present a customized gift basket with a personal touch.
Learn More: How to Start a Gift Basket Business
#33. Greeting Card Making
Greeting card-making business idea is perfect for those who enjoy creativity and want to turn their creative minds into successful ventures.
A greeting card is an illustrated piece of card or high-quality paper featuring an expression of friendship or another sentiment. Greeting cards are a billion-dollar industry now. People need it for plenty of reasons like birthdays, anniversaries and as well as for business reasons.
#34. Hand Painted T-shirts
This is another great craft business that you can start with a small investment. If you are an artist, you can consider this business. For creating beautiful hand-printed t-shirts you can use different types of fabric colors and brushes.
#35. Hand Painted Utilities
Hand-painted products are always very popular in the early days. Hand painting can be done on pottery, clothing, leather, jewelry, or on any metal item.
#36. Iron Sculptures
Iron sculptures or metal sculptures are popular craft items. And you can make beautiful items out of scrap or nothing. Also, this item comes with indoor decoration and a patio too. Generally, craftspersons use casting and assembling for preparing beautiful sculptures.
#37. Jewelry Box Making
Designer jewelry box making is one of the most profitable home-based crafts-making businesses you can start with specific inventory. In starting this manufacturing business, selecting the right product and attractive design is an important factor.
#38. Jewelry Making
Increasing awareness of fashion and style has made jewelry making an immensely potential business opportunity for startup entrepreneurs. A person having a creative mind, knowledge about current fashion trends, and a passion for crafting jewelry can start a jewelry-making business.
Learn More: How to Start Jewelry Making Business
#39. Junkyard Sculpture
Junkyard sculpture is a very popular product among crafts buyers. If you know the subject and love to create a sculpture with useless products, you might consider starting a business. This is one of the most profitable home-based crafts-making businesses and the margin is high.
#40. Jute Bag Making
Basically, jute is an eco-friendly fabric. You can produce different types of jute bags with different sizes, patterns, and designs. Decorate your bags with embroidery, mirror work, or beads. Due to their higher durability, jute bags are popular among a wide range of the population.
#41. Lamp Shades
Creating lampshades is a profitable craft business. Additionally, this business demands moderate capital investment. You will need to procure different items for producing lampshades. Generally, you can use different fabrics, wood, glass, etc for preparing lampshades.
#42. Leather Handicrafts
Basically, stuffed leather toys are the most popular items in this segment. Apart from the toys, the product range includes small furniture, home decor items, and jewelry. Actually, the leathercraft business comes with a lifestyle product.
#43. Mirror Art
Mirror art is always a popular item in the home decor industry from the early days. Other than personal use people buy mirror art for gift purposes also. It can be made by using glass, metals, jute, clothes, and many other items.
#44. Mobile Art Gallery
Starting a mobile art gallery demands a comparatively small capital investment than starting an art gallery in a traditional way. The business demands moderate capital investment and strategic planning. Additionally, you must have some sort of prior experience in the industry.
#45. Nursery Designing
Nursery designing or lawn care business is easy to start. The business demands moderate capital investment and specific knowledge and expertise. In this business, you can address both domestic and corporate clients.
#46. Online Coloring Books
Nowadays, initiating a small online shop is not very complex. Additionally, there are several options you can explore for starting and promoting an online coloring book business. Promoting a niche online business is much easier than an online store that caters to wide categories.
#47. Online Fabric Store
Starting an online fabric shop is an easier option than a retail store. However, the business demands moderate capital investment, hard work, and strategic planning. Different types of fabrics have huge demand. Additionally, you can sell other sewing items including different threads from the same store.
#48. Photo Frame Making
The designer photo frame is itself an industry. This business requires small capital to start. Adequate knowledge of frame-making ideas is required in starting this business. You can also avail of tutorials online or in person from experts.
#49. Portrait Making
Portrait making is a profitable home-based craft-making business you can start with a small budget. If you are an artist and can create awesome portraits of anyone, you might consider starting a portrait-making business. Other than domestic demand there is always a good market for portraits for business use. You can also add portrait photography and advise people about portrait posing.
#50. Pottery
Pottery is fired ceramic wares that contain clay when formed, except for technical, structural, and refractory products. Basically, pottery product is popular all the time. Different regional people have developed this product in many different ways. Other than home decor items pottery is often used as household utility items also.
If you like to create products with ceramics, you might consider starting this business. This product has very good market demand globally.
Learn More: How to Start a Pottery Business
#51. Resin Jewelry Making
The resin jewelry-making business is very profitable. You can learn the process and different designs online or by attending classes in person.
#52. Rubber Stamp Making
A rubber stamp is an essential item for every small and large business. It is also a consumable item for educational organizations and government offices. The required startup capital for this business is comparatively low. The manufacturing process is simple and requires simple equipment and tools.
#53. Scrapbook Making
The scrapbook is a popular item. Most people want to have one but don’t have the expertise to create one. If you are an expert in scrap bookmaking, you might consider starting a scrap bookmaking business and earning handsome money by helping others. It is also a wonderful idea for women entrepreneurs.
#54. Seashell Jewelry Making
Jewelry made of seashells is considered now a fashion apparel item. The global market for seashell jewelry is good and the demand is increasing. You can sell the jewelry from your own retail store or from other retail gift or jewelry stores on a wholesale basis. Seashell jewelry also can be sold online.
#55. Specialty Soap Making
Specialty soap-making business enterprise actually evolves from an individual’s craft hobby. The business can easily be set up and run from home and will not require much startup capital investment to get the ball rolling.
#56. Stained Glass Making
Generally, the stained glass comes with added metallic salt colors. Stained glass, as an art and a craft, requires the artistic skill to conceive an appropriate and workable design, and the engineering skills to assemble the piece.
#57. Stencil Art
Stencil graffiti is a form of art that makes use of stencils made out of paper, cardboard, or other media to create an image or text that is easily reproducible. The desired design is cut out of the selected medium and then the image is transferred to a surface through the use of spray paint or roll-on paint.
The process of stenciling involves applying paint across a stencil to form an image on a surface below. Stencil art is often used as a home decor item and gift item.
#58. Tortoise Shell Art
Generally, tortoise shells are used to create beautiful and decorative jewelry boxes. Also, you can produce earrings, bracelets, solid bangles, and necklaces. However, in starting this business, you will need to ensure the easy availability of tortoise shells.
#59. Wall Hanging
Basically, the wall hanging is a popular home decor item. Also, these are great gift items too. You can produce different types of beautiful wall hangings with different types of fabric, jute, cardboard, wood, etc. The business is easy to start.
#60. Wall Murals
Generally, wall murals are popular for both interior and exterior applications. Nowadays, 3D-printed wall murals have maximum demand. You can produce different types of wall murals at home and sell them through online marketplaces. Sometimes people prefer customized and innovative wall murals also.
#61. Wind Chimes Making
There are huge ideas and different styles of wind chimes you can make at home. Wind chimes are popular home decor items and the demand is also increasing. Designer wind chimes can be made with seashells, vintage cups, different beads, stones, metals, etc.
Learn More: How to Start Wind Chimes Making Business
#62. Wine Stand
Beautifully crafted wine stands have huge demand both in developing and developed countries. You can produce different types of wine stands in different sizes, designs, and patterns. Additionally, you can use a variety of raw materials also. You can use wood, aluminum, and other metals for making a wine stand.
#63. Woolens Knitting
Woolen knitting is an ancient craft business. Nowadays, there are several types of knitted garments that are very popular. Basically, people use woolen garments in the winter season. Sell your products online marketplace like on Etsy and eBay.
64. Wooden Craft Making
Wooden craft-making business can be initiated with little investment. Different boxes, spoons, candle stands, bookshelves, sitting arrangements, toys, photo frames, jewelry, cutting boards, and so many other products can be made like a wooden craft.
Is Craft Business Profitable?
Today’s craft industry has significantly shifted in consumer demand, towards value-centered products, services, and experiences that meet emotional – as well as functional – needs.
According to the Association For Creative Industries, the total size of the US creative industry is now $43.9 billion. Additionally, the demand is growing at a higher rate of percentage. Actually, the business of creativity, an age-old industry adapting to new generations around the world, as the business of selling and distributing craft products is reinvented in the digital economy.
With the introduction of Etsy, nowadays craftspersons are widely selling their products digitally. Online handmade goods marketplace Etsy reported a 19.4% year-over-year increase in active sellers. And these statistics are enough inspiring for starting a business in the art and craft industry.
In starting crafts making business it is important to have a clear marketing strategy. Selling products at crafts fairs are common. Other than this you can establish a distribution channel with the retailers. Craft items are also good salable products online. You can register with an existing online marketplace and also you can sell the product from your own website.
Generally, art and craft businesses are ideal for creative-minded people. Nowadays, you can find a lot of online and offline opportunities to promote your craft business globally.
About the Author: 99businessideas.com led by Rupak Chakrabarty is committed to helping beginners, entrepreneurs, and small business owners in starting, managing, and growing their businesses.
