WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE ME A DIRECT ANSWER TO MY QUESTIONS

[KDR]

On 5/9/2020 at 10:34 PM, bryan4christ said:

I won't name any names but I've asked some of the "best" here on this site some simple questions and all I've gotten is crap in response

Can somebody please tell me....

.....what leatherwork will bring in the highest rate of return?   I Live in Northern California.....

.....does handmade leatherwork sell for more or does it just take too much time?

.....what outlets do you use to sell your leather goods?

....I just need some honest straight forward answers

First off, where you live is irrelevant.  The internet Kind of put a stop to postcode marketing.  If you want to make money through leatherworking, you need to increase your market range.  One of the things that doesn't often occur to people getting into leatherwork is that if you do your job well, the gear you make will last a lifetime.  Also, leather's a durable material that lends itself to repair.  Compare that to Walmart, where products are broken *before* you buy them, and people are just resigned to having to go out and buy the same thing again, because it's not worth fixing anything!  In a restricted market, you can hit saturation fairly quickly, plus people will often look to get leather stuff fixed, instead of scrapping it and starting again. A good leather belt will last decades.  There's a limit to how many you can sell to your immediate neighbours.

Sorry to be a bit facetious, but the leatherwork that brings in the highest rate of return will be the gear you can produce quickly at low cost and sell immediately into a vast, inflated market.  I've seen beautiful leather buckets, but that's probably not what you need to hear!  There is no single answer to this question, it comes down to what you know, what you can make, and how well you can sell.  Buy low, sell high. If you can.

The word handmade gives your work some cachet, for what it's worth.  Lots of people do care about that and will pay more for it, but I'd say most don't.  That's fine, most people won't be your customers anyway.  You set your price and you make your case for your price.  This costs this much because of this this and this.  You can leave it to your kids, even grand kids, because it will still do its job in fifty, sixty years.  This is the price because it's not just Some Product.  It's a product of your creativity and expertise. Because it has been tailored to your customer's exact requirements.  Handmade can be strong.  It does cost more, and it does take more time, but it can work if you hit your niche.  A globalised niche is a massive market. Be online, be visible.  We make our customers wait for custom pieces.  First, we have to, because there are only two of us working, and second because the stuff takes time.  We find people are happy to wait for something they know will be good, will be just what they want.  Anticipation is the best sauce.

If you want to go handmade and make money, stay away from wholesale.  Go to the end user and you will be able to charge double what a store will pay you.  The store isn't trying to rob you, they just have costs they need to build into their price, just like you do.  Work the internet. The internet is made for fake news, social aggression and niche craft leatherworkers.  

Hope this helps, and good luck

[Retswerb]

@KristinaDRawlings thanks for this response, these are good words for many of us who periodically consider trying to turn our hobby into more of a money maker.

@bryan4christ, you’ve gotten a lot of good feedback here. The one thing I haven’t seen asked in response is... are you any good at leather working? I’m not trying to be confrontational, but it seems to me the answer to each of your questions depends fairly heavily on your skill level and what you’re able to produce. I don’t think you’ve shown any of your work here, although I may have missed it. If you’re still listening here, show this community your products and you’ll get much more helpful answers.

[Hardrada]

11 hours ago, Retswerb said:

The one thing I haven’t seen asked in response is... are you any good at leather working? I’m not trying to be confrontational, but it seems to me the answer to each of your questions depends fairly heavily on your skill level and what you’re able to produce.

Not being confrontational either, but Retswerb statement brought to mind something I'd like to offer as humble advice: it's easier to craft good looking goods by starting in a niche you're familiar with. Case in point: I'm into tobacco pipes; thus, some of my early projects were pipe-related leather goods: pouches. I bought Nigel Armitage pouch pattern pack and modified one of the designs. Made a prototype; shewed it around to other pipe smokers; it garnered some interest; I got commissions. The last bloke who bought one surprised me in days past by showcasing it around on a pipe forum, and saying I have mad skills. I really don't, but to the end customer you'll have mad skills if the product looks relatively well-crafted, detailed, and finished: stitches as straight and consistent as possible (quite doable nowadays in the era of stitching chisels—I couldn't do that with pricking irons and awl), and well burnished edges are paramount. Then there's the design.

Because I'm a pipe smoker, I know what's most needed in a pouch and where it should be placed, and what are the optimal dimensions that would allow it to accommodate pipes of different shapes and lengths. The design of that pouch was praised too: "everything at the top, within easy reach" was one comment.

Now, I'm not trying to praise myself: point in fact, I've posted that pouch here and other leatherworkers, more experienced and knowledgeable, immediately caught imperfections and suggested improvements. Notes taken. My next stop was the local tobacconist: pouches aren't that popular there, but he's been ordering pipe rests like hot cakes. These rests are easy to make from scrap leather (English bridle bellies) which would be wasted otherwise. Again: I go through 'the trouble' of finishing the edges on these (Edge Kote and Tokonole) and burnishing the flesh side if it's too flakey: it takes time, but it guarantees a good looking item that will encourage further sales.

My point is: by starting with something I'm familiar with I already have the advantage of some knowledge and a potential market. From there, I can diversify. And so forth: there are other niches I'm into as well, so now I'm crafting items for those too. We'll see how it goes.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Hardrada

[bryan4christ]

On 5/25/2020 at 6:54 PM, KristinaDRawlings said:

First off, where you live is irrelevant.  The internet Kind of put a stop to postcode marketing.  If you want to make money through leatherworking, you need to increase your market range.  One of the things that doesn't often occur to people getting into leatherwork is that if you do your job well, the gear you make will last a lifetime.  Also, leather's a durable material that lends itself to repair.  Compare that to Walmart, where products are broken *before* you buy them, and people are just resigned to having to go out and buy the same thing again, because it's not worth fixing anything!  In a restricted market, you can hit saturation fairly quickly, plus people will often look to get leather stuff fixed, instead of scrapping it and starting again. A good leather belt will last decades.  There's a limit to how many you can sell to your immediate neighbours.

Sorry to be a bit facetious, but the leatherwork that brings in the highest rate of return will be the gear you can produce quickly at low cost and sell immediately into a vast, inflated market.  I've seen beautiful leather buckets, but that's probably not what you need to hear!  There is no single answer to this question, it comes down to what you know, what you can make, and how well you can sell.  Buy low, sell high. If you can.

The word handmade gives your work some cachet, for what it's worth.  Lots of people do care about that and will pay more for it, but I'd say most don't.  That's fine, most people won't be your customers anyway.  You set your price and you make your case for your price.  This costs this much because of this this and this.  You can leave it to your kids, even grand kids, because it will still do its job in fifty, sixty years.  This is the price because it's not just Some Product.  It's a product of your creativity and expertise. Because it has been tailored to your customer's exact requirements.  Handmade can be strong.  It does cost more, and it does take more time, but it can work if you hit your niche.  A globalised niche is a massive market. Be online, be visible.  We make our customers wait for custom pieces.  First, we have to, because there are only two of us working, and second because the stuff takes time.  We find people are happy to wait for something they know will be good, will be just what they want.  Anticipation is the best sauce.

If you want to go handmade and make money, stay away from wholesale.  Go to the end user and you will be able to charge double what a store will pay you.  The store isn't trying to rob you, they just have costs they need to build into their price, just like you do.  Work the internet. The internet is made for fake news, social aggression and niche craft leatherworkers.  

Hope this helps, and good luck

Thank You SO MUCH......

 

[wayner]

There use to be a guy on here that sells tooled belts for over $400.00 so it depends on your skill level, what you make , and your customers. 

[Sturme]

My best advise for you it to practice till you get good, that covers pattern making, carving leather, gluing and stitching. slowly building up your equipment to cover the projects your doing. even practice repairing leather items, 2nd hand stores like goodwill are good placed for products to repair. as for selling items start small at farmers markets, craft shows. eventually get a website and hit it a bit online. the short answer to this is simple, if your building a company its done in baby steps starting with actually knowing your products your making and selling. leather work is not something you just pick up and run with. there is a lot to learn. if you make good quality products they will sell themselves. prime example is the pinwheel coin purses i make, i carry one all the time and have even sold the one i am carrying ( on numerous occasions, the customer wanted it that bad) so focus on quality not quantity. and by the way look into a class on small business cause from the questions your asking you have no idea whats involved (in business and leather) and if your looking for a full time gig? maybe 1 percent and all leatherworkers ever make it a real full time job. its an old trade and a dying art. too many people today will just spend a few bucks at walmart for a plastic belt verses a 30 dollar or more leather belt that is designed to last a lifetime.

 as for a niche product, that is a marketing project you need to do in your area. I will say that quality will sell itself, and get you return customers. it could be as simple as stitching a belt to help prevent stretching ( but without practice in the trade you would never know that. so when a potential customer asks you cant give a realistic answer which in turn looks bad on your company). 

Also when starting any business its done in baby steps and built up from there. remember matchstick houses will fall down in the slightest breeze.

[johnv474]

The most profit?  Things you can make with very few materials, quickly, and that appeal to certain people.

Example: earrings and bracelets. This is why there are a million people making them.   If you are not in those circles, though, you might not know what will appeal to those buyers.

Example: repairs.  All leather goods need repair eventually. Many of those repairs are labor intensive but do not require much in materials.  However they eventually require machinery, and it ain't cheap. 

Example: niche gear, such as harmonica cases, or tool belts for specific trades, or leather fire buckets.  However, if you are not in those circles, you may not know what appeals to the buyer.

Example: personalization. A person with a laser could do a lot, if you have a good one and know how to use it.

These give some specific examples, but is still general enough to maybe give some ideas.

Even if I knew of a secret niche product that sells like hotcakes, that could change next month or next year.  Likewise, if I spent 20 years working my way up into finding the best products for ME to make in my region and my customers, in the meantime just barely making a living, I am not sure I would want to give away the result of all of those years of work and point out where to dig to get the most gold just because an excited new prospector doesn't want to waste his time... especially if he asked in a demanding way.  I set myself up for other upstart prospectors to dig all the land around my mines, then rush off to the next adventure, and leave me on barren land, high and dry.  This is why people who have figured it out don't always want to share. Consider those last points.  Imagine demanding that fellow stockbrokers tell you which are the best stocks to invest in, during the first week.

Lastly, I will say that there is ALWAYS room at the very highest end of the market because some people always shop for the best, because cost is not the primary factor.  A person could make handmade baseballs and sell them for $200 each to certain people, but you better make them awesome, and you better know what appeals to those people. There is also always space at the bottom, for the cheapest goods out there, but you better be able to crank them out faster than foreign children can.  You can't compete with $30 leather(ish) dress shoes, for example, but some items like belts and wallets always sell if the price is fair.

I would suggest looking into leatherwork as a hobby that can help pay for itself, and if your things start selling faster than you can make them, even if you raise your prices, then consider making more and more.  However, there are lots of others who enjoy working with leather who will spend hours on something, only to sell it for a few dollars more than the materials.  Hobbyists who price too low are one of the bigger obstacles for people who want to rely on leatherwork as a profession.  (In other words, make something it would be difficult for beginners to replicate, and then you will have a wider audience.)

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Edited July 1, 2020 by johnv474

[BigSiouxSaddlery]

11 hours ago, johnv474 said:

The most profit?  Things you can make with very few materials, quickly, and that appeal to certain people.

Example: earrings and bracelets. This is why there are a million people making them.   If you are not in those circles, though, you might not know what will appeal to those buyers.

Example: repairs.  All leather goods need repair eventually. Many of those repairs are labor intensive but do not require much in materials.  However they eventually require machinery, and it ain't cheap. 

Example: niche gear, such as harmonica cases, or tool belts for specific trades, or leather fire buckets.  However, if you are not in those circles, you may not know what appeals to the buyer.

Example: personalization. A person with a laser could do a lot, if you have a good one and know how to use it.

These give some specific examples, but is still general enough to maybe give some ideas.

Even if I knew of a secret niche product that sells like hotcakes, that could change next month or next year.  Likewise, if I spent 20 years working my way up into finding the best products for ME to make in my region and my customers, in the meantime just barely making a living, I am not sure I would want to give away the result of all of those years of work and point out where to dig to get the most gold just because an excited new prospector doesn't want to waste his time... especially if he asked in a demanding way.  I set myself up for other upstart prospectors to dig all the land around my mines, then rush off to the next adventure, and leave me on barren land, high and dry.  This is why people who have figured it out don't always want to share. Consider those last points.  Imagine demanding that fellow stockbrokers tell you which are the best stocks to invest in, during the first week.

Lastly, I will say that there is ALWAYS room at the very highest end of the market because some people always shop for the best, because cost is not the primary factor.  A person could make handmade baseballs and sell them for $200 each to certain people, but you better make them awesome, and you better know what appeals to those people. There is also always space at the bottom, for the cheapest goods out there, but you better be able to crank them out faster than foreign children can.  You can't compete with $30 leather(ish) dress shoes, for example, but some items like belts and wallets always sell if the price is fair.

I would suggest looking into leatherwork as a hobby that can help pay for itself, and if your things start selling faster than you can make them, even if you raise your prices, then consider making more and more.  However, there are lots of others who enjoy working with leather who will spend hours on something, only to sell it for a few dollars more than the materials.  Hobbyists who price too low are one of the bigger obstacles for people who want to rely on leatherwork as a profession.  (In other words, make something it would be difficult for beginners to replicate, and then you will have a wider audience.)

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Best answer yet!

[stelmackr]

12 hours ago, johnv474 said:

<<<snip>>>Hobbyists who price too low are one of the bigger obstacles for people who want to rely on leatherwork as a profession.  <<<snip>>>

 

Andy Stasiak once told our leather group: "The hobbyist harms three people when the hobbyist prices his leather craft items unrealistically low: (1) You harm the hobbyist seller who make little or no profit to continue his craft; (2) You harm the buyer who thinks he will be able to continue to purchase products, from the hobbyist, at low prices: and (3) You harm the professional leather worker because the unrealistic price has uneducated the buyer into expecting all professional leather workers price match the hobbyist."

[Professor]

Watch Bands would seem to generate the highest return on investment in time and materials.

The stitching is not a big chore but requires more attention to detail than most other larger pieces.

Everything should be as precise as possible.

You can practice on scrap leather and repurposed  leather is growing in popularity. Old baseball gloves are one source, the more used and abused the better,with pieces that bear parts of name brands considered to add character.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Professor