How to make money on products made of polymer clay. Making money on polymer clay products Polymer clay business

10.10.2020

Hello dear friends! I don’t know about you, but I really like to look at products from polymer clay. These are figurines, and various jewelry, and magnets with a three-dimensional image of various attractions. Therefore, today we will talk about making money at home, which is based on the idea of using this material in needlework. If we turn to history, then polymer clay was invented about a hundred years ago. Then it was used only in the manufacture of heads for dolls. Since the beginning of the production of polymer clay in an industrial way, the range of its use has expanded significantly. Now it is easier to list what is not made of it.

What is polymer clay

What is polymer clay? It is a plastic mass similar to plasticine with a characteristic herbal smell. To give it plasticity, various plasticizers are used, which are absorbed into the material when heated to 100 - 130 ° C. After heating, the clay loses its plasticity and remains in a given shape. The hardened product is easily painted and glued to other materials.

Polymer clay is available both colorless and pre-colored. There are also clays with special effects: gloss, metallic, translucency, stone color and glow in the dark.

Liquid polymer clay is also produced, which has the form of a transparent gel that hardens when heated. It is used in place of glazing agent, glue, enamel and masking compound. With the help of liquid clay, drawings printed on paper are copied.

What can be done

I understand that you already have a question, what can be done from this interesting material. That's just the point, that very, very much! First of all, these are a wide variety of souvenirs and decorations, various household items. And, of course, very beautiful and original flowers. True, the manufacture of flowers requires skill, diligence and inspiration. Simply put, this business needs to be learned and have certain abilities. I want to say right away that special training courses are organized in large cities. However, there are plenty of materials on the Internet, among which you can always find good master classes.

Working with polymer clay is quite painstaking and requires perseverance, so it is more suitable for women. Although some men do a good job with this type of needlework. In fact, there is nothing complicated in this matter. This or that product is molded and dried in the oven. If necessary, it is painted and varnished. The parts can be easily glued to each other and other materials.

Where to buy and how to sell

The material itself is relatively inexpensive and the polymer clay business is promising and does not require large investments. Much more expensive are various forms and accessories for working with it. It is most convenient to buy everything you need to engage in such a business via the Internet, it is also better to exhibit your products there. I will talk about ways to advertise your business online later.

Each of us has repeatedly come across unique designer key chains, bracelets, pendants, small sculptures, dolls and other crafts presented in offline and online stores. But few people thought about what could be built on it. Own business. The demand for such products is only increasing every day, and if you have at least some ability for “needlework”, by implementing such a business idea, you can make good money.

For the manufacture of crafts, polymer (plastic) clay is used - a material for modeling based on polyvinyl chloride. If you don’t delve too deeply into chemistry, then plastic clay is a mass that looks and feels like plasticine in appearance and tactile sensations. It is divided into self-hardening and baked. The first type is equivalent in strength to wood and gypsum, and baked clay is more like plastic in hardness. This material is often referred to as plastic or thermoplastic.

Baked thermoplastic is produced in a rich color palette. These are standard colors, and matte, and translucent, and with the addition of sparkles, and even fluorescent. But the self-hardening material is presented only in three colors (white, gray and terracotta), so it is rarely used for business.

The highest quality polymer plastic is produced under the German trademark "FIMO". And it is this material that is advised to be used by beginners who are interested in clay jewelry. More complex materials are produced under the European brands Sculpey and Cernit. In Russia today there is only one manufacturer of thermoplastics, which produces its products under the brands "Sonnet" and "Artifact". The quality of domestic clay is, of course, inferior foreign analogues, but the price of the material is significantly lower. And those who do not have savings to buy expensive German clay can start their own new business from domestic thermoplastic.

Polymer clay is sold in all specialized stores for creativity, so it’s quite simple to start making author’s items for sale from it. And what to mold from it depends solely on your imagination. In addition, there are a lot of sites on the Internet where they share their recipes, lay out step-by-step instructions for making a variety of crafts.

Such a business idea can bring a stable and decent income, unless, of course, you are not lazy and constantly improve your skills. For example, an author's keychain in a single copy costs about 10-15 dollars on average (at a cost of 2-4 dollars). For a month, working 3 hours a day, you can mold from 40 to 100 key chains, pendants, bracelets, earrings, etc. And this means that your new business will allow you to earn from 300 to 1000 dollars a month. If, however, to involve relatives and friends in the creative process, and give work 8-12 hours a day, then earnings can increase to 10 thousand dollars.

Needlework from a hobby is increasingly turning into a job that brings stable income. Along with the traditional types of creativity - knitting, sewing, woodcarving - other participants appear on the handmade products market. Polymer clay is a relatively new material in Russia, so not all niches for those who want to make money are occupied. Creating polymer clay products with your own hands for business sales is a unique opportunity to receive both money and the pleasure of creativity.

Polymer clay is a sculpting mass that resembles hard plasticine. After heat treatment or under the influence of air, it hardens and takes its final shape. Craftsmen create from this material exact copies of natural flowers, figurines of people and animals, and unique decorations. With the help of clay, you can imitate stone, bone, metal, fabric.

Like any kind of needlework, polymer clay modeling can be learned. On the Internet you can find a huge number of master classes for every taste, including in Russian. Experienced polymer workers (or rather, polymer workers - as in any needlework that requires developed fine motor skills, women predominate here) give lessons for everyone.

Benefits of Starting a Polymer Clay Making Business

Minimum costs for the purchase of materials and equipment. You can start by buying several colors of clay, and then get additional tools.
This is the perfect activity for a woman with young children to plan her time. Almost all entrepreneurs who have succeeded in this area are mothers who have started working in maternity leave, and then left the main job for a more profitable occupation.
Modeling does not require a special equipped workplace - any table will do. Materials can be stored in any cabinet. Finished products are also not very voluminous, so it is easy to organize a finished product warehouse at home.
All consumables can be purchased online, so you don't become a hostage to where you live.
Business in the future can be expanded through trade consumables and conducting master classes.

Cons that no business can do without

Don't expect immediate returns from your work. A lot of effort will have to be spent on the proper organization of advertising.
Creative work means at least you need to be able to create: you will have to spend some time on training. Accelerate his sculptural skills and developed spatial imagination. On the other hand, already the first more or less decent products can be given to friends for advertising purposes.
As a lone businessman, you will not only have to sculpt polymer clay products with your own hands, but photograph finished works, write descriptions for them, write blog articles, communicate on handicraft forums, package goods beautifully, negotiate with buyers, even act as accountant. Although, maybe this is not a minus?
Polymer clay is safe when used correctly, but should not be given to small children.
Much in this business depends on the unpredictable work of the Russian post office - sending goods to customers, purchasing materials via the Internet. This is perhaps the main disadvantage, because nothing depends on you here.

Consumables for working with self-hardening clay

To create naturalistic flowers and decorations from them, self-hardening clay is suitable. Among the craftsmen, mainly varieties of Asian production are popular - Japanese decoclay clay, Thai modern clay and others. Usually they buy white clay and a small amount of primary color clay: shades are obtained by mixing them. It is also possible to use oil paint.

Clay is purchased both in Russia and abroad. A pack of white clay, which is enough to make 10-15 roses without leaves, costs 400-500 rubles.

At first, start with flowers that do not require the transfer of veins using special forms - molds, which are very expensive. They can be made independently from fresh flowers, but this process is quite laborious. Stamens, floral wire, teip tape - these accessories can be found in specialized stores or in flower shops.

When creating an imitation of a living flower, it is difficult to develop a special creative style, so it is especially important to work with the composition here, including when assembling jewelry. Flowers made of self-hardening plastic are usually used as brooches or hairpins. It must be remembered that these products are relatively fragile and are afraid of water.

Consumables for working with baked clay

Baked clay is ideal for creating unique jewelry. An exact copy of real flowers will not come out of it, but a huge scope for creative experiments opens up before the master. As the name implies, this plastic after molding requires heat treatment - from 110 to 130 degrees, depending on the brand. When overheated, toxic smoke is released: the room must be ventilated immediately.

You can bake in a conventional oven with a temperature sensor, after the procedure it must be thoroughly washed. Ideally, it is advisable to purchase a separate mini-stove only for clay (from 3,000 rubles). Some prefer to boil the blanks, but since the boiling point is lower than recommended, the products are more fragile and not suitable for sale.

Polymers choose both imported brands (Fimo, Premo, Pardo) and Russian ones - Sonnet, Yozki. A Fimo package costs about 100 rubles, enough for a bracelet or small beads. Russian clays are almost 2 times cheaper. They are more difficult to work with due to some brittleness prior to heat treatment, but many craftsmen have adapted.

Additional materials may require varnishes, shapes, textures, stamps, molds. All kinds of paints, inks, inks are purchased as needed.

Manufacturers of jewelry need to take care of high-quality fittings. It’s definitely not worth saving on this: baked clay products are durable, but poor fittings can fail.

Two not very cheap devices will come in handy when creating a unique polymer clay product with your own hands. An extruder (like a large syringe with different nozzles) can hardly be replaced by a garlic press, and it is also unlikely to roll out equally perfectly smooth layers of clay by hand, as a pasta machine does. The cost of these devices reaches 2000 rubles.

Sales of finished products

You can choose one or several methods at once.

Beginners prefer to distribute their work among acquaintances.
The next step is to hand it over to the store for sale. In this case, you are unlikely to be offered a good price.
Trade at handmade fairs that take place regularly in all major cities. Profitability largely depends on the organizational qualities of the founders of these events.
Use all these options, but focus your main activity on the Internet.

Networking

All your actions on the Internet should be aimed at advertising yourself as a master and presenting your products. This requires not so much financial as time costs.

To get started, create a free blog, for example, on LiveJournal, join all the communities of polymer workers so that professionals notice you.
Create DIY polymer clay products to participate in all kinds of online competitions.
Open own shop on a promoted Internet resource (at the "Fair-Masters", for example). It costs from 60 rubles per month.
Finally, after achieving some fame, create your own website with an online store.
Go out with sales to foreign sites.
Give master classes in different cities.

With great effort, you can reach level 5-6 in 2-3 years from scratch.

What is "polymer clay"

Plastic is like plasticine. It is also easy to work, elastic and resilient. The main difference is that under the influence of high temperatures or air, it becomes very durable. If you take care of the resulting product, it can retain a presentable appearance for many years.

Set: bracelet and earrings

There are two main types of plastic used in modeling - self-hardening and baked.

Self-hardening clay	baked clay
It has short term storage	Has a long shelf life
It dries out over time, you need to take a responsible approach to storage	Does not lose its properties over time
The product must be formed in the time that the plastic remains pliable	Product design does not require compliance with specific time frames
Very elastic, stretchy	Elastic, not brittle
Does not stick to fingers and surfaces	Easy to work, well shaped
Softer, lighter, suitable for most jewelry work	It rolls well, which is useful when working with small and thin parts.
When dried, it becomes firm, but more flexible than baked	After baking in the oven, it becomes very strong and hard, does not bend

Plastic is presented in all conceivable shades. There are even transparent types, as well as clay interspersed with sparkles.

DIY polymer clay

There is not always free money to buy professional plastic from foreign or domestic brands. The problem is solved simply - make polymer clay with your own hands.

To do this, you need to combine several ingredients:

PVA glue, cornstarch and mineral oil (for example, baby);
corn starch, PVA glue and petroleum jelly;
PVA glue, potato starch and hand cream
glycerin and PVA glue.

Each of the methods requires the study of proportions, as well as the observance of elementary safety precautions. The mass is cooked in non-stick dishes over low heat. Then you should wait for the complete cooling of home-made plastic. If you touch the hot mixture, you can earn a serious burn.

Reasons for the demand for polymer clay products

Crafts and jewelry made of plastic look not only original, but also expensive. Masters of polymer clay are able to create real works of art from it.

Why are clay products popular?

It is human nature to desire to possess something special. The advantage of plastic products lies in the realization of the most daring ideas. People buy from masters not only cute animal figurines, but also abstract compositions, unusual-shaped decorations, fancy vases. It is not necessary that the vessel be completely made of plastic. It is enough that it is decorated with polymer clay decor.

Another plus of manual labor is attention to the wishes of the client. A person can independently develop a sketch, and turn to a professional to complete the work. His idea is slightly adapted to the possibilities of the material, they point out the shortcomings and create a unique creation.

Why masters choose polymer clay modeling

People who call plastic modeling their favorite pastime note the following positive aspects:

Free flight of fantasy.
The ability to make people happy with their work.
The development of fine motor skills, memory, attentiveness and perseverance.
A stable income for a pleasant business.
Lack of a regulated schedule, development of self-discipline.
Confidence in one's own abilities, reliance on one's own desires and goals.

The work does not require large investments at the first stage. The average cost of polymer clay is about 200 rubles for a set consisting of several colors. Ordering plastic via the Internet is always cheaper than buying in open points sales like "Leonardo" or "Children's World".

What can be made from polymer clay

Polymer clay has hundreds of uses. Every year people come up with new areas for its use. Let's talk about the most popular products made from clay.

Interior and household decor items

Initially, they began to sculpt cute figurines from plastic. Over time, this fashion has only grown in scale.

The most popular are figurines of animals, houses and flowers. Entire flower arrangements are created from plastic.

Any item can be decorated with plastic. On top of the standard drawing of an ordinary box, you can apply a mosaic from small pieces of multi-colored clay. After the efforts of the master, the storage for trinkets will look more expensive and more interesting.

A polymer clay mug is the first thing that will improve your mood every morning. The cost of the original cup is about 1,000 rubles.

Even the clock, which is often hung in the house in the most honorable place, can be made of plastic. This will be the most unexpected and memorable birthday present for a friend. The price of wall clocks starts from 3,000 rubles.

The window is the main element of any room. The masters of polymer clay know a secret that will further emphasize the main light source in the house. The best decoration for curtains is magnetic puffs, decorated with plastic elements. Clips for curtains made of polymer clay cost around 2 thousand rubles per set.

Collectible dolls made of polymer clay sell well in our time. Unlike "porcelain sisters", they are stronger and more durable.

Accessories and decorations

Every fashionista is constantly in the race for the most stylish look. Connoisseurs of fashion trends are sure that The best way stay in trend - use handmade.

no one will have exactly the same thing;
you can embody any stylistic ideas;
A palette of colors and a variety of shapes make it possible to create a unique design to your own taste.

What do polymer clay masters offer their customers? The list is endless, so let's highlight the top positions:

A polymer clay brooch will decorate both a sophisticated blouse and a strict office jacket. Now brooches are on the most demanded stage in the fashion world. They are made from absolutely different materials: beads, leather, fabric, crystals, stones. Particularly stand out among the mass of various brooches are those made of thin twisted pieces of multi-colored plastic. average price for the product - 850 - 1000 rubles.
A polymer clay pendant is the best gift for yourself or a friend. Due to the fact that plastic can be given an abstract shape, this accessory can become a feature of any wardrobe. Pendants with crystals are in special demand. Fans of esotericism believe that such jewelry helps to achieve success in business. The simplest pendants are sold for 1,000 rubles. If stones or crystals are present, the cost rises to 7,000 per item.

A plastic ring is a way to please any girl. Craftsmen often use polymer clay flowers in ring designs. At the same time, volumetric quadratic figures also remain relevant and in demand. For a small elegant ring with flowers, customers are willing to pay about 500 rubles. More original and massive jewelry is more expensive - from 1500 and more.
Polymer clay earrings amaze with their variety: from elegant studs to voluminous pendants. The price of the product starts from a minimum of 300 rubles. At the same time, there are no boundaries in working on earrings. For example, the use of transparent material interspersed with sparkles increases the price by at least 4 times.
Making bags with plastic is a modern trend in the fashion world. Not so long ago, professional needlewomen began to practice embroidery using polymer clay. That is, any plain leather bag can be decorated to your liking with unusual ornaments, drawings of animals and birds. Even a human portrait on a clutch bag will be realized by a polymer clay sculptor in a couple of days.
Wristwatches have been decorated with polymer clay for a long time. Mostly small flowers or plastic leaves adorn the straps. The dial can be decorated with clay beads.

The art of creating fine polymer clay items requires patience and a willingness to work.

For success, the master needs the very presence of a predisposition to manual labor and artistic talent. To sell products, a person needs to have a creative vision, be able to think outside the box, come up with unusual designs, combine textures and colors.

In addition to personal qualities, you will need to pay attention to a number of material points, without which the work will be greatly hampered and will not bring successful results.

Workspace organization

To work, you need to allocate a separate place in the house. A dining table is not the best option, because you will have to regularly rearrange all the necessary attributes from it.

It is important to arrange all the materials in order. This will reduce the time to look for the right package of clay and other useful little things.

Also, do not forget about high-quality lighting. Working with polymer clay is a meticulous task. Here you have to strain your eyes when making miniature elements.

Materials and tools

For beginners, you will need a small set of the most significant items. With the development in the creative industry, it will be necessary to expand its stocks, to update materials that have become unusable.

Polymer clay for beginners - baked. It remains elastic until it enters the oven. There is an opportunity to correct defects as much as necessary.

It is best to start with popular brands: FIMO (Germany) or Artifact (Russia). They are available in all craft stores. The output is durable products. A wide range of colors that can be mixed with each other. To understand how much polymer clay costs, it is better to independently study sites and stores with goods for creativity. The average price is 150 rubles per pack with one color.

Plastic or glass surface. It is better to buy a special table cover, and a large one. Wooden and glass surfaces are not suitable for rolling clay.

Stationery knives of different sizes. The main condition is a sharp blade.

Pieces sandpaper for grinding products.

Polishing cloth - velveteen, denim, suede.

Needles and knitting needles of different thicknesses are the tools necessary for making holes and recesses in the product.

Good glue to connect disparate elements.

Fittings for creating jewelry and accessories.

An extruder is a special tool that resembles a confectionery syringe in functionality. With it, you can create unusual shapes, decorate the product.

Firing equipment

Without an oven, it will not be possible to give polymer clay hardness and strength. After the product is completely ready, it is placed in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes at a temperature of 110 degrees.

A household oven is also suitable, but, of course, kitchen appliances were not originally designed for this purpose. Take, for example, the smell that cannot be completely eliminated.

It is more convenient and more aesthetically pleasing to purchase a separate oven or air grill. Experienced craftsmen advise not to save on basic equipment. For a purchase, you can always borrow money from friends, and even easier and more reliable - take a microloan.

Supra MTS-210 (price about 2,000 rubles).
Miraculous ED-030A (price about 4,000 rubles).
Assistant EDP-030A (price around 3,000 rubles).

Where to learn to sculpt from polymer clay

There are many schools and courses that will tell you in detail how to sculpt from polymer clay.

Free Learning Opportunities

Many masters post their lessons in the public domain. Some of them can be considered full-fledged educational videos, others are designed to encourage aspiring needlewoman to continue her education for money.

Of the free resources, YouTube channels are the most effective: " Elena Kishinskaya », « Rusalina - modeling from polymer clay », « creative and crafts", " " and " Anna Oskina". In each of them you can find a visual study of clay modeling skills from scratch, ideas for creating interesting products, tips on choosing tools, as well as ways to find your first customers and promote your project.

Paid Education Content

There is an opinion that by paying for courses, a person learns more responsibly. If you want to become a sought-after master, there are few free videos on YouTube. Paid workshops on polymer clay, webinars from well-known professionals in the field will help you pump up your skills.

Elena Kishinskaya, who leads own YouTube channel, opened her own polymer clay modeling school in Moscow. A good school with low tuition fees in St. Petersburg is ArtView. Classes are held offline.

You can also learn using online services - "

Arts and crafts is something that many people live or simply enjoy. Creating various products - jewelry, crafts, souvenirs - can serve as both a hobby and a way to make money.

Today, one of the most popular materials for use in arts and crafts is polymer clay. It is also called plastic, as it is a very plastic soft material that tends to harden at a certain temperature (usually from 100 to 130 degrees, depending on the manufacturer that polymer clay was made from).

What is the article about:

The main properties of polymer clay

Polymer clay has a characteristic appearance and a certain smell. It looks very similar to ordinary plasticine. In order for polymer clay to be plastic, special substances are introduced into its composition - plasticizers. Thanks to plasticizers, polymer clay becomes more frost-resistant, better tolerated by light and heat. When polymer clay is heated to a certain temperature, the plasticizers evaporate and the clay hardens.

To make polymer clay more suitable for use in arts and crafts and needlework, manufacturers immediately release it in a variety of colors.

In addition to "plasticine" polymer clay, there is also a transparent liquid polymer clay. Outwardly, it looks like a gel, which also tends to solidify when heated. Such liquid plastic is used to connect various parts made from ordinary polymer clay, as an adhesive.

Standard composition of polymer clay- this is a polyvinyl chloride base, one or more plasticizers and the necessary pigment (giving the desired color to polymer clay). White porcelain, kaolin, mica can be added as additional components.

DIY polymer clay

If you're looking to start your own polymer clay business but aren't sure if it's worth it, you might want to start by making it at home. Before you start doing serious business - organizing a wide production of polymer clay, taking into account all the necessary chemical processes - first you need to understand whether this material will be in demand as a commodity in your city or region.

Any big business It starts small, so try making polymer clay at home first (it's not hard at all) and sell it in small batches.

How to make polymer clay

Of course for home production slightly different materials are used than for professional. Since all the ingredients are readily available, everyone can try to make their own polymer clay.

To make polymer clay at home, you will need: white PVA glue, cornstarch, petroleum jelly, non-greasy hand cream, lemon juice. You will also need utensils and equipment: a glass bowl (necessarily fireproof), a plastic spatula, a large stirring spoon, plastic wrap.

Step by step instructions for making polymer clay at home:

1. Place white PVA glue (250 g), cornstarch (250 g) and petroleum jelly (1 tablespoon) in a glass bowl. Mix well, then add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and mix again. You should get a homogeneous mass.

2. Place the bowl with the resulting mass in the microwave oven, set the maximum temperature. After 30 seconds, mix the contents of the bowl thoroughly. Then put the bowl back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.

3. When you take the bowl out of the microwave, you will see a crust form on the surface of the bowl. Remove it carefully, you won't need it.

4. Then lay the resulting polymer mass on the surface (for example, a table), having previously lubricated this surface with a non-greasy hand cream. Use a silicone-free cream.

5. Knead the polymer mass as you would knead a regular dough. Be sure to do this on a surface smeared with cream. The mass should be kneaded for about five minutes with vigorous and quick movements. Use a plastic spatula to scrape off bits of the mass that stick to the sides of the bowl. As a result of such kneading, you should get a plastic and elastic material.

6. Form the mass, giving it an oblong shape, and lay it on a cloth that will absorb the remaining moisture.

7. Wait for the polymer clay to cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap.

8. Your polymer clay is ready to use.

Given the indicated amount of ingredients, you will receive approximately 350 grams of finished polymer clay.

In the future, store polymer clay in the refrigerator, placing it in a plastic dish with a tight-fitting lid. To color polymer clay, you can use any oil-based paint or food coloring. To achieve an even distribution of paint over the entire piece of plastic, add paint gradually in small portions, stirring thoroughly.

What to do if, after a while, polymer clay has lost its flexibility and is difficult to work with? You can use one of the methods: either add a little Vaseline or cream to the polymer mass, or mix it with a portion of the softer polymer clay. If your initial polymer clay is too liquid and viscous, then you can make it elastic by mixing it with a portion of drier and stiffer clay. This will make it much easier to work with her.

Also, by mixing two portions of polymer clay of different colors, you can get beautiful color transitions, which are often used in the manufacture of decorative jewelry. To diversify the palette of your products, you can add various additional substances to polymer clay: glitters, sequins, fluorescent substances.

Sales of finished products

In our case, finished products and there will be polymer clay, which is completely ready for use in arts and crafts. You can sell your product to needleworkers who create jewelry, crafts and various other plastic products. To get started, try to sell your product through social networks and city forums. A lot of communities have been created on the Internet in which lovers and professionals of this art communicate, offer your product there as well.

Another option is to try to negotiate on mutually beneficial terms with creative goods stores so that they sell your product.

If you like this business and go well, then in the future you have the opportunity to create a mini-factory for the production of polymer clay, where you will use already professional chemical components. At the moment, the most popular and popular manufacturers of polymer clay are companies such as Cernit, Fimo, Premo Sculpey, Bebik and many others.