If you love making things and want to make a little extra cash, these are some of the most profitable crafts to make and sell. Turn your hobby into a side hustle!
Selling things you make yourself is a great way to make money that’s fun — you can take the time to make or create something and still profit from it — and it doesn’t feel like work.
Before you start your small craft business, think about how you can maximize your profits. Some projects may be too expensive to create or may not be very popular, making it difficult to make a profit from them.
That’s where this guide comes in! Here you’ll find the smartest crafts that will earn you the most money.
Ways to reduce costs
The people who make the most money from arts and crafts are the ones who keep their costs low. If you want to make a high profit, start by cutting your expenses. Expenses include wasted time and expensive materials.
Choose a craft that is low-cost to make. Consider all the materials and tools you will use to create your project. With that in mind, this guide focuses on crafts that cost less.
To cut costs even further, keep track of exactly how much you spend on supplies and tools. You can also look for other places to buy that will save you money.
Another thing to keep in mind is how long each project will take to create – the more items you can create, the more money you’ll make, so the list below features crafts that can be made in a relatively short amount of time.
You can also track the time spent on a project and find ways to save time, whether that’s buying pre-made materials or finding workarounds to speed up the process.
Crafts to sell at a profit
Now that you know how to keep costs low, let’s look at the crafts that will bring in the most profit. The ideas on this list have a relatively low cost of goods and are very easy to make.
Notes: This list is not exhaustive; just browse Etsy and you’ll find tons of ideas that aren’t listed here. Take something you love to make and find a way to sell it. You’ll be so proud!
1. Digital products
Arts and crafts don’t have to be physical products. If you love graphic design, turn this passion into a profitable side hustle. The costs are pretty low, and all you need is a computer and a design program or two.
Many people order print materials online, ranging from printable invitations to graphics for website owners.
Below are some different types of digital products that you can sell and make a big profit:
2. Jewelry
There are plenty of inexpensive materials you can use to make jewelry and sell it online. Thread, beads, fabric, etc. are all affordable and can give you a good profit margin. You can also buy a laser cutter and make jewelry using wood and acrylic.
The best thing about selling handmade jewelry is creating unique designs. Make your creations stand out from the rest.
The following types of jewelry are some of our best sellers:
- Earrings
- necklace
- key ring
- Bracelets (+Friendship Bracelets)
3. DIY Tray
We love decorating our homes with breakfast trays. This home decor trend doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. You can buy unfinished wooden trays or upcycled trays that you can find at thrift stores. These beautiful trays are affordable to purchase.
4. Decorative office supplies
More and more people are working from home, which means more people wanting their home offices to be attractive and beautiful. If you want to create something that’s in high demand, create something that someone could have in their office.
The possibilities are endless. We’ve listed a few ideas here, but don’t limit yourself to them and think of other things people want.
- Clipboard
- Mouse Pads
- Bulletin Board
- Wall Clock
5. Hair accessories
Hair accessories also use relatively inexpensive materials. You can narrow your niche and make only things for babies, women, children, and teens, or you can make hair accessories for all ages.
Hair accessory ideas include:
- Decorated hairpins
- Hair Ribbon
- Headband
- hat
- scarf
- Hair Clip
- Satin scrunchie
6. Reusable bags
If you love sewing, consider making a reusable bag. Bags are on this list because the materials are affordable and they are one of the easiest sewing projects. You can make many different types of bags, including:
- Makeup Bag
- Travel Toiletry Bag
- Reusable Sandwich Bags
- Wet Bags for Cloth Diapers
- Grocery Bag
- Fabric Tote Bag
7. DIY Planters
As people spend more time at home, more and more people are becoming interested in growing houseplants. There are lots of ideas for making planters that you can sell. Buying planters in bulk or on sale can help you save even more money and increase your profits.
Here are some ways to make planters for succulents and ornamental plants.
- Painted pots
- Macrame Planter
- Painted ceramic pots
- Making a clay pot
8. Soap
Making soap requires relatively few materials and supplies. You might have to purchase a few things at first, such as soap molds, but you’ll eventually be able to sell your handmade soaps at a high profit margin.
If you want to make and sell soap, use natural ingredients and create combinations that people will enjoy. Here’s a great guide on how to make and sell soap.
9. Bath bombs
Looking for higher profit margins?
Bath bombs are one of those easy crafts that cost very little. All you need is baking soda, cornstarch, and citric acid, so you can make bath bombs for very little money.
Enjoy the scent with essential oils!
10. Candles
Making and selling candles is another high-income craft. The materials are fairly affordable, but you’ll need to consider the cost of shipping the candles to keep them from breaking.
Clean-burning soy candles are a popular choice for small businesses.
11. Knitting and crocheting
If you’re good at knitting or crocheting, consider selling your creations – demand is constant and the materials are relatively affordable (unless you buy expensive wool yarn).
With knitting and crocheting you can make endless things, here are some of the most popular ideas.
- Toys
- Coffee Cup Cover
- scarf
- blanket
- hat
- Hairbands
- Knitting Pattern
- stuffed toy
12. Vinyl Crafts
Investing in a Cricut machine or other vinyl cutting machine can be a great way to make money. Once you have a machine, you have a lot of things to sell. Personalized items made with Cricut sell for a higher price than non-personalized items.
Here are some of the coolest things you can make with a vinyl cutting machine.
- Wall Art
- personalized cups
- Signs
- shirt
- Bags and Totes
Related Content: 50 Cricut Crafts to Make and Sell
13. Wedding Specials
The wedding business is one of the most profitable craft businesses out there, and while these craft ideas may take some time to create, the effort will be worth it.
Customers are willing to pay top dollar to make their wedding special, and most of the time, it’s all down to marketing.
Take a pearl headband, for example, and listing it simply as a wedding accessory rather than as an everyday hair accessory could double or triple the listing price.
Below are some special wedding items you should consider creating.
- Custom Guest Book
- Embellished veils (add ribbons, lace details, crystals, or pearls)
- Dried flower arrangement
- personalized robes
- Handwritten place cards or invitations
- custom wedding gifts
14. Custom Baby Gifts
As with weddings, customizable baby gifts are an obvious draw — there’s something special about one-of-a-kind, handcrafted items.
Here are some DIY craft ideas that are perfect for a baby shower or 1st birthday.
- Custom leaf printed onesie or blanket
- Hand painted wooden blocks
- nursery wall art
- Baby growth record card
- Custom Rattle
15. Resin crafts
Resin is the new mason jar. In other words, resin crafts are everywhere! You can use resin to create high-quality products, from coasters to ashtrays, filled with custom details like pressed flowers and gold leaf to attract customers.
Resin is an expensive material to work with and requires some experience, so the price needs to reflect this.
Here are some resin craft ideas that you can sell online.
- jewelry
- coaster
- Wall Art
- Bookends
- key ring
- Hair Clip
- Paperweight
16. Party decorations
Finally, consider making and selling party decorations. You can make all kinds of party decorations using paper, yarn, tissue paper, etc. They won’t cost you much, but you’ll save people time, so you can make a big profit selling packages of these.
Selling themed packages will generate more sales than selling individual products.
Here are some of the most popular party decorations you can sell.
- wreath
- Signs
- party gift box
- balloon
- streamer
- Pom-pom
- Centerpiece
- Selfie Station Backdrop and Props
A place to sell your crafts
Another way to maximize profits and keep costs low is to find affordable venues to sell your creations. We’ve gone far beyond local craft fairs when it comes to selling our handmade goods.
Here are the top 3 locations most crafters use, choose the one you’re most comfortable with – it’s not worth wasting your time trying to get something to work.
Ötzi
The most popular place to start selling handmade goods is Etsy, which has detailed tutorials on how to set up your first shop.
The fees are reasonable and well explained – you pay a small listing fee, a post-sale transaction fee, and an out-of-site advertising fee if you make a sale through Etsy Ads – so you can make a decent income from your Etsy shop.
Marketing is required to attract people to your store, and this is probably its biggest drawback.
Shopify
If you want an independent online store, Shopify is the best choice. Simply put, by choosing a unique URL and doing enough SEO work, you can rank your shop highly in search engines.
Shopify sites come with a small hosting fee, and there are three price tiers depending on how much you plan to sell and how robust you want your website to be.
It is easy to set up and use. If you are familiar with computer software, you will find it easy to use. If you are not, it is best to ask someone to help you set it up.
Facebook Marketplace
Finally, if you want to sell your work for free but don’t want to spend time maintaining and updating a website, use Facebook Marketplace.
Setting up a Facebook page is free and easy. After that, you can list and sell your products directly on Facebook. There are two options: selling directly or shipping. Choose the one that is most convenient for you.
The downside to selling on Facebook Marketplace is that you won’t be ranked in search engines, so if someone looking to buy handmade cards searches Google, they won’t find your site. This is a big drawback if you want to grow and scale your business in the future.
Related Content: Best Direct Selling Craft Companies to Join
How to improve your reach
Now that you understand which crafts are the most profitable to make and sell, it’s time to hone your selling techniques.
Use these three simple tips to expand your reach, attract more customers, and increase your sales.
1. Choose a niche
One of the best ways to make money in a large market is to focus on a specific niche.
You can specialize in a general category, such as pets, baby products, wedding customizations, etc. Or you can specialize in an art form, such as pressed flowers, resin crafts, or crochet.
Be specific enough to stand out from the crowd while still leaving room for future business.
2. Know your target audience
Knowing your customers makes a big difference in how you market your e-commerce business.
Think about who the ideal customer is for your craft business: a stay-at-home mom, a bride-to-be, or a teenager with disposable income?
Choose the marketing and social media platforms that best suit your potential customers.
For example, younger customers may appreciate the creativity that comes through TikTok marketing, while older audiences tend to prefer Facebook and Instagram.
Impulse buyers often search online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace.
3. Request a review
Increase your reach and credibility through testimonials. Personal stories and photos of your finished products are essential to your business.
This is especially important in online sales where people rely on these reviews to ascertain quality.
Crafts to make and sell: Final thoughts
When choosing which crafts to make and sell, always consider the cost of materials and the time it takes to make them. You should also factor in shipping costs. Then, choose crafts that are cheap, fast, and easy to ship so you can make a decent profit on the items you sell.
You can’t put a price on the pride and happiness you feel when you sell something you’ve made – it’s definitely worth the investment of time and money.
Originally published on September 14, 2020. Content updated September 2024.
