Belt lengths?

[Mujician]

Hi, I’d like to make up some belts to take along to craft fairs. I’ve only ever made belts for people and made them to their exact size. How long should I be making belts to sell to the general public? Any tips?

[TSes]

We sell hundreds of belts every year, and 34" through 44" seem to be the most popular (in 2" increments). The biggest we've sold was a size 74.

[fredk]

One of the easiest questions to ask and one of the hardest to answer.

For men; range from 32 inch up to 54 inch

For women from 30 inch to 40 inch

Men; you can have belts going 32 to 40 inch in holes on them, and ones going 38 inch to 46 inch, and 44 to 54 inch ~ that sort of range

Women: similar but smaller groupings; 30 - 34, 34 - 38, 36 - 40 

[Mujician]

Thanks guys, noob question:- those lengths you’ve said, what exactly are you measuring? Is it the entire length of the blank before it’s been folded over the buckle, is it the entire made up belt length, is it from the buckle to the centre hole? 

Many thanks for your help.

[fredk]

I'm suggesting waist sizes; basically the strap from the buckle end to last hole.

You'd want more for the strap folding around the buckle bar, a bit more along the back to hold the keeper on if you don't use a buckle with a keeper, and then maybe 4 inches past the last hole. 

Thus a mans belt for waist size 38 inch to 46 inches would be: 2 inches [on back] + 46 [from buckle to last hole] + 4 inches = 52 inches [roughly]

Suggestion; for craft fairs, make long belts but don't punch the holes. Do that on site as a bespoke service. Keep a note book to note down what sizes you had to punch for. Then for future fairs you can make some belts pre-punched in some of the sizes.

Edited May 9, 2019 by fredk

[TSes]

My measurements are from the tip of the buckle, to the middle hole.

[Halitech]

Another option wold be to make them with no holes punched and cut and punch holes to order as people buy them. Makes for a potential large amount of waste but use the cut offs for bracelets to sell the next week

[TxLeather2]

29 minutes ago, TSes said:

My measurements are from the tip of the buckle, to the middle hole.

Same here.

[Handstitched]

I think we all have our own way of doing things when it comes to making belts ( or anything else for that matter ) .  But purely from observation, I have seen waist lines increase over the years. I used to make 34" - 36" belts, but these days, they're too short.While I still make the ' shorties' ,  most of my belts  now range anywhere from 37" upwards . Some are even  50" ++ .

I now put 6 holes on my belts, have done for yonks, because,  with 5 holes, I can bet a dollar that the  customer would ask me to add an extra hole,  so I  now put 6 holes. 6 holes = 6 sizes. my measurements go from the 3rd hole back from the tip.  For example, a 37" belt ( 3rd hole) would extend to 39"  , and going the other way ,down to 34" . 

You can see my template in the pic.

Hope all this info helps  

HS  

 

[GDH]

34"; 36' and 38".  But if you take a few tools along with you could make the belts extra long and use the end tipper and hole punch when people buy - that makes the customer feel they're getting a bit more than 'off the shelf' too.  It makes for longer customer interaction, is a nice service to provide and people will remember you for next time.