Popular Crafts

My Guesses about the Most Popular Crafts

I would like to know what kind of craft is the most salable product in the United States.

Or better yet, the top 5.

Thanks so much and hoping for your fast reply.

Eric

This is a hard question to answer. Every crafter has different talents and different markets. Which are the most popular crafts depends a lot on where you are in the country.

It also depends on where you are going to sell. Despite the incursions of eBay and online craft vendors, the craft market is still a very local one. Most crafters make items specifically for their local market.

For example, I live in an area with a warm climate that tourists frequent during their cold winter months. They're on vacation and ready to spend money.

Popular crafts are mementos for themselves as well as gifts to take back to friends and family. During the other half of the year, I must rely on the year round residents as customers.

With the tourists, I do well with oil cloth beach bags as well as tote bags and rain ponchos that fold up into little zippered pouches.

The pouches feature designs that reflect the area. One has fish to symbolize our lake. Another has the logo of our local garden club since the area's beautiful gardens are another tourist draw.

Locals as well as tourists buy my more generic gift items like wine gift bags, jewelry and beaded watches, fabric bread baskets and double eyeglass cases.

When I try to figure out what to do for the slow season once all the snowbirds have flown home, I try to think of practical items that the locals can use.

I have made cotton tubes with elastic tops and bottoms designed to hang up on a hook and store plastic bags.

Place cards for dinner parties, wine glass charms, wine glass collars and decorative candles also sell well.

You need to decide on your market and then analyze it. Try to figure out what would sell there and most importantly, things that are not already in good supply.

If forced to offer a top 5, my guess would be:

• 1. Unique jewelry
• 2. Practical items like tote bags, and the bread baskets and bag tubes mentioned above
• 3. Items for entertaining like place cards and wine gift bags
• 4. Decorative items like candles, plaques, coasters, table lamps, garden decor
• 5. Personal care or security items like travel security pouches or body lotion bars