Growing a craft business: A guide for makers and designers

For craft businesses, a brand is more than a logo or visual identity. It is the combination of values, creative choices, and intent that shape:

• what you make
• how you make it
• why you make it
• how customers experience it

As your business grows, you may feel pressure to expand your range or adapt your work. This is where clarity around brand becomes vitally important.

How to define a strong craft brand

Defining your craft brand starts with understanding what sits at the heart of your practice and identifying what makes your craft unique. This might be:

• the materials you use
• the stories that inspire you
• the techniques or qualities you value
• the experiences you want customers to have

Being clear about these foundations will help you assess whether new products, partnerships or opportunities are right for your business, or if they risk diluting what makes your work distinctive. See also our tips on choosing the right collaborations.

As well as knowing what your brand is, it may also be helpful to define what your brand is not. For example:

• styles of products you don't want to create
• price points you don't want to compete at
• types of work you don't want to take on

Being clear about these boundaries can make it easier to say no to opportunities that do not support your long-term business goals. 

Use simple tests to check brand fit

When considering a new product or opportunity, it can help to ask:

• Would this make sense to an existing customer?
• Does this reflect how you want the business to be seen?
• Would you still be happy to be associated with this work in five years?

If the answer to any of these is no, it may not be the right fit for your brand. 

Allow your brand to evolve over time

A strong craft brand does not mean it must stay static. For many craft businesses, success comes from instinct and experimentation. Over time, it can help to reflect on what customers respond to and why, and use this information to refine your brand into something more intentional. This does not mean you should necessarily chase trends. Strong craft brands often grow by staying consistent and avoiding trends that don't align with their identity. 

Early customers play an important role in shaping a craft business. They provide income, but just as importantly, they offer feedback and validation that can help build confidence.

Many craft businesses begin by selling through:

• markets, fairs and pop-ups
• small independent shops
• direct sales to customers
• online platforms or websites

These settings allow you to test products and pricing with relatively low risk. Selling in person also gives you the chance to see how customers respond and to hear what they value.

It's important to remember that it is common for sales to be inconsistent at this early stage. What sells well at one market or location may sell poorly at another. Factors such as footfall, audience, weather, time of year and price sensitivity can all influence results. Where possible, try selling in a small number of different settings before making significant changes to your products or prices.

Use early sales to test and learn

Selling early does not require everything to be perfect. Businesses often learn more by doing and adjusting than by waiting. Many refine their products, pricing and presentation only after seeing how customers respond in real settings. Allow time for patterns to emerge.

Working with early stockists can be particularly useful. Independent retailers often understand their customers well and can offer insight into:

• which products sell best
• price points
• presentation and packaging

These relationships can help you better understand not only what sells, but why it sells - something that becomes increasingly important as you consider new sales channels. See how to work with retailers as a craft business.

Price your craft product appropriately

Uncertainty around pricing is common in early sales of craft products. If customers hesitate, ask questions about price, or compare products, this can be useful insight. Small adjustments to price, size or format can help test what customers are willing to pay, without changing the core product. Find more tips to help you develop your pricing strategy.

Consider testing new product lines

Early sales can also help you test if there is demand for related or complementary products. This might include variations on existing items, small additions to your range, or seasonal or limited-edition pieces. Introducing these in small quantities allows you to manage risk and observe customer response without committing significant time or materials. 

Avoid overproducing too early

Early positive feedback can create pressure to increase production quickly. A good market day or a well-matched audience in one location can give a misleading signal, or limited data at the very least. Be aware that producing too much stock too early can tie up time and money, and limit your flexibility. To help manage risk, increase production gradually, choose sales channels carefully and review demand over different settings and time periods.

Most craft businesses use more than one sales channel. A mix of routes to market can help spread risk and reach different types of customers.

Understanding different sales channels for craft products

Common sales channels include:

• direct sales through markets, studios, workshops
• online sales
• wholesale and retail partnerships

Each sales channel has a different role and requires a different type of effort.

Direct sales of craft products

Direct sales - such as markets, studios or workshops - allow for higher margins and closer relationships with customers. They provide a strong platform for telling your brand story in full. However, they often involve preparation, travel and promotion, and can be time-intensive.

Selling through wholesale and retail as a craft business

Wholesale and retail partnerships can provide increased visibility and access to new customers. Being stocked in reputable stores can build trust and introduce your work to people who may not have discovered it otherwise. Retail, however, brings different pressures, including lower margins, lead times, production planning, and additional administration and coordination with retailers.

Online sales for craft businesses

Online sales often sit alongside other sales channels, offering a way to showcase a full range and support customers who first encounter the brand elsewhere. Many craft businesses find that customers move between channels - for example, someone may first see your work in a shop and later buy directly from you online. Online sales require regular updates, order fulfilment and customer communication. See detailed guidance on selling online.

Choosing the right sales channel for your craft product

When choosing sales channels, consider:

• your capacity to produce stock
• how each channel affects pricing and margins
• the time required to manage orders and relationships

Some sales channels may require changes to how you work or may be easier to manage at certain stages of a business. For example, wholesale may require producing in large batches, committing to fixed delivery scheduled, and managing cashflow in ways that can be challenging in the early stages.

Different sales channels can also result in very different margins for the same product. Wholesale prices are typically lower than direct sales prices, while online sales may include additional costs such as packaging, delivery and platform fees. Understanding these differences is important when deciding how much time and stock to allocate to each channel.

It is also worth noting that customers may encounter your work through more than one channel, so consistency in pricing, quality and presentation will help build trust and avoid confusion. Find more tips on choosing sales channels to reach customers.

Balancing sales channels to support sustainable growth

You do not need to use all sales channels at the same time. Many craft businesses introduce new channels gradually as capacity and confidence increase. To support sustainable growth, you should choose sales channels that match your current capacity and aim for a balanced mix to avoid overreliance on a single route to market. This will help spread the risk and provide greater stability over time.

Retail partnerships can be a significant step for a growing craft business. They can increase your reach and credibility, but they also require preparation and clear communication.

Before approaching retailers, make sure that your products are ready for a retail environment. Consider if you can:

• produce consistent products at scale
• meet orders and delivery times reliably
• price products to allow for wholesale margins
• present your work clearly in-store

Not all retailers will be a natural fit for your business and brand. You should look for retailers whose values, customer base and presentation align well with your work. Good communication is vital, as is an understanding that a collaborative partnership should be financially viable and mutually beneficial. 

Operational demands of retail partnerships

Retail introduces many operational considerations for craft producers, including:

• lead times
• order quantities
• payment terms
• returns arrangements
• seasonal or peak periods pressures
• loss of control over the presentation of your product

Retailers may also request changes that affect your practice - for example, changes to size, price, packaging or format of your product. While some adjustments may be practical, others may affect how your work is made or perceived. You should consider if requested changes are compatible with your way of working before agreeing to them.

Administrative demands of retail partnerships

You should not underestimate the administrative load of retail partnerships - including ongoing administration, invoicing, stock tracking and communication. These demands can increase significantly as the number of retailers grows, and can be a significant factor when scaling your craft business realistically. Factor this time into decisions about how many retail relationships you can manage.

Avoid overcommitting and accidental scaling

Retail success can escalate quickly. A successful retail partnership can lead to additional orders or interest from other retailers and businesses. While positive, this can quickly increase demand. Clear communication helps avoid misunderstandings and overtrading. Be honest about your capacity and constraints to ensure your retail partnership supports your business rather than stretches it beyond what is manageable.

Collaboration is a common feature of the craft sector and can take many forms, including:

• peer collaborations with other makers
• shared stalls, spaces or resources
• custom or exclusive product ranges
• joint events or exhibitions
• commissions, such as for corporate gifting
• tourism-related projects

Not all collaborations are primarily about sales. Some may support learning, visibility, company image and confidence, rather than immediate income. For example, sharing space, skills or experience with other makers, or working with other businesses on custom projects and combined product offers, can help longer-term development. 

Read about the different types of business collaboration and their potential benefits.

Knowing if collaboration is right for your business

Craft businesses can benefit from being selective. Who you collaborate with can influence how your brand is perceived. Partnerships can signal quality, price point or values to customers, so it's important to think beyond the immediate opportunity.

Before agreeing to a collaboration, consider:

• if it fits your core brand and values
• if it adds to the business rather than distract from it
• how it affects your workload and making time
• if it requires exclusivity, and for how long
• if it limits other sales or opportunities
• what the long-term value is

For many craft businesses, collaborations happen alongside their main work, placing significant pressure on capacity. To make sure collaborations remain manageable, factor in time and resources for planning, communication and administration of the project.

Clear expectations are vital, even when collaboration is informal. At the very least, you should seek agreement and clarity around:

• roles and responsibilities
• pricing and payment
• timescales and deadlines
• credit, branding and promotion

Simple written agreements can help avoid misunderstandings and support effective working relationships. See how to set up a business collaboration.

It's important not to lose sight of your own creative direction when collaborating with others. The most effective partnerships are usually those where both sides share aligned values and understand each other's strengths and limitations.

Ending collaborations

Collaborations may not always be long-term. Some are one-off projects or pilots that cannot be repeated or scaled. It is good practice to review collaborations periodically to decide if they still offer value. If a collaboration is difficult to manage or no longer fits your business, it may be appropriate to bring it to an end. Doing this clearly and professionally can help you protect relationships and the sustainability of your business.

Growing a craft business looks different for everyone. For some, growth means increasing income or reaching new customers. For others, it means building stability, protecting creative identity, or creating a business that can support a livelihood over time.

Craft businesses are often built around personal skill, taste and values and, because of this, decisions about growth are rarely just commercial. They influence how you work, what you make and how sustainable the business feels day to day. Sustainable growth is about balancing these factors over time.

Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of growing your business to help guide your choices.

Is running a craft business different from running other businesses?

In many ways, the fundamentals of business are the same. Craft businesses still need to:

• follow relevant business laws and regulations
• price products so they cover costs and generate profit
• manage cashflow
• find and keep customers
• promote your business and products across marketing platforms
• meet legal and tax obligations

Ignoring these fundamentals can create problems, regardless of sector. However, craft businesses often operate under a set of entirely different constraints.

In many craft businesses:

• production capacity depends on the maker's time and expertise
• the maker is personally invested in the product and brand
• increasing output may change how work is carried out

These factors affect how growth happens, why business decisions feel more personal and why some generic business advice may not apply directly.

Risks to sustainable growth in the craft sector

As demand increases, craft businesses often face challenges around:

• managing costs, inventory and sourcing materials at scale
• balancing values and quality with growth
• protecting artistic integrity at scale
• practicalities of moving from one-off making to batch production
• investing in tools or equipment
• bringing in help through hiring or outsourcing to support or change the work

Resolving these challenges can increase capacity, but can also affect how the work is made and managed. Batch production may require simplifying designs or standardising processes. New equipment can involve upfront cost and training time. Hiring or outsourcing can reduce pressure on making time, but it introduces responsibility for quality, consistency and coordination.

Before making any changes, it is important to consider if you can maintain quality at higher volumes and fully understand how growth will change your day-to-day practice, to avoid decisions that are difficult to reverse later.

Read more about business growth implications and common problems during business growth.

Margins and pricing pressures

Craft products often take longer to make, use higher-cost materials and compete with mass-produced alternatives. This can make pricing and margins more sensitive than in other sectors. It's important to ensure your pricing reflects the true value of your work, including materials, overheads, and a fair hourly rate.

As your business grows, there may be pressure to increase output, reduce prices or accept less favourable terms from retailers. Sustainable growth requires a clear understanding of costs and margins, and a willingness to protect them as the business develops.

What sustainable growth looks like in practice

In practice, sustainable growth for craft businesses often involves:

• growing at a pace that production and capacity can support
• choosing opportunities selectively rather than automatically
• building systems gradually as the business evolves
• protecting time for making as well as managing the business

Early success can create pressure to expand quickly, so it's important to recognise when to decline opportunities in order to manage growth and maintain long-term viability. You should consider creating a growth plan to set out clear ambitions for your business' future.

As your craft business develops, systems such as stock tracking, production planning and basic administration become more important. While these may not feel central to craft practice, effective resource allocation will support sustainability and reduce strain on your business over time.

Sustainable growth in the craft sector is rarely linear and learning often comes through experience. Take time to review what is working, make adjustments and stay connected to your core values so your craft businesses can grow in a way that remains manageable and rewarding.

Running a craft business, regardless of its size, involves legal responsibilities. Understanding the basic legal issues that affect craft businesses can help protect your work, manage risk and support sustainable growth.

This factsheet outlines common legal considerations for craft businesses. It is not a substitute for professional advice, but it can help you understand when you may need further support.

Business structure and responsibilities

Choosing or changing a business structure affects tax, liability and administration. Common structures for craft businesses include:

• sole trader
• partnership
• limited company

As your craft business grows, it may be appropriate to review if your current structure still meets your needs. Changes in turnover, staffing or risk exposure can all influence this decision. Professional advice can help you understand the implications of the different legal structures for businesses.

Protecting your designs and creative work

Craft businesses often rely on original designs, techniques or creative output. It is important to understand how your work may be protected and where protection is limited. Depending on the nature of your work, protection may include:

• copyright for original artistic work
• design rights for the appearance of products
• trade marks for business or product names

It may not be possible to formally protect all craft work, and enforcement can be complex. Keep clear records of your work, including dates and development stages, to help demonstrate ownership if needed. When collaborating or working with others, be clear about who owns designs and how they can be used.

Artistic integrity and use of your work

As craft businesses grow, opportunities may arise that involve adapting, reproducing or licensing work. These arrangements can affect how your work is used and perceived. Before agreeing to such arrangements, consider:

• if changes to the work affect its integrity
• how and where the work will be used
• if you are comfortable with reduced control over production or presentation

Clear agreements can help protect both your creative intentions and your business interests.

Contracts, terms and agreements

Craft businesses often enter into agreements with retailers, collaborators or clients. These may include:

• wholesale agreements
• collaboration arrangements
• commission or custom work terms

Written agreements help clarify expectations around pricing, payment, delivery, ownership and use of work. Even simple written terms can reduce misunderstandings and support professional relationships. Professional advice may help you understand the implications of any business-to-business agreements before committing to them.

Insurance for craft businesses

Insurance helps manage risk and protect against unexpected costs. Common types of insurance for craft businesses include:

• public liability insurance
• product liability insurance
• employer's liability insurance (if you employ staff)
• insurance for tools, equipment or workspace

The type and level of insurance needed will depend on how and where you sell, whether you work with the public, and whether others are involved in your business. 

Employment and working with others

If you employ staff or work regularly with freelancers, you will have additional legal responsibilities. These can include employment contracts, health and safety obligations, taxes, and record-keeping requirements. Understanding these responsibilities early can help avoid issues as the business grows.

When to seek further advice

Legal issues can be complex and vary depending on your business model and location. It may be appropriate to seek professional or legal advice when protecting valuable designs, entering licensing or long-term collaborations, changing business structure, or taking on employees. Seeking advice early can help prevent problems later.