Category: Supplier Spotlight

According to the American Pet Products Association, in 2023 Americans spent a combined $147 billion dollars on their pets. (Source.)

With so much money being spend, crafters should take advantage of the trends and offer customized or personalized pet goods.

I was looking at some pet products the other day and asked Mirage Pet Products for a short list of their best selling blank pet products. They got me over a list and sponsored this post so that I could give you some pet product ideas.

5 Blank Pet Products to Cash in on with Your Craft Business

Looking to add throw pillow covers to your product line up in your Silhouette or Cricut small business? If you are wondering where you can buy blank throw pillow covers, I’m sharing my favorite sources below. Remember, if you can’t find what you are looking for, you can always pull out your sewing machine and make your own throw pillow covers.

Where to Buy Blank Throw Pillow Covers

IKEA – IKEA is my go to for blank throw pillow covers.

• Specifically, I like the GURLI line. These throw pillow covers are 20″ by 20″ and are available in white, black, gray, light pink, red, pink, blue, and green. Cost: $4.00 each.
• Don’t live near IKEA? Select GURLI throw pillow covers can be shipped.
• Psst, some IKEA products are now available on Amazon.
• IKEA also sells a variety of pillow inserts. They are perfect to sell separately, because they are rolled tightly and already bagged. View them here.
• Honorable mention: the VIGDIS line. While slightly more expensive ($7.00) than the GURLI line, VIGDIS offers additional colors.
• Good to know: IKEA calls throw pillow covers ‘cushion covers’. Use this search term to find them online faster.

Hobby Lobby – If I don’t have time to run to IKEA, I head to Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby sells a variety of throw pillow covers, but you can’t always find solid colors.

• Here’s the current throw pillow covers on Hobby Lobby.
• My favorite place for fancier, non solid colored throw pillow covers.
• Pricing will vary.

AliExpress – If you don’t need your throw pillow covers immediately, look into AliExpress.

• First, if you’ve never ordered from AliExpress before, head to this post.
• Average price for throw pillow covers on AliExpress is $2 to $5 each. Click here to browse current blank, solid colored throw pillow covers.
• AliExpress has several sellers with great pricing on sequined throw pillow covers.

Canvas Corp Brands – Great for burlap and canvas throw pillow covers.

• Click here to see the current product lines.
• Pricing varies, but several sizes and shapes available.
• Large selection of other burlap and canvas products, don’t forget to browse while you are there!

Amazon – If you need them fast, head to Amazon.

• • I noticed that several sellers that sell through AliExpress also have Fulfilled by Amazon listings for the same products on Amazon.
  • Here’s a few that caught my eye: Blank Throw Pillow Covers by Queenie, Blank Throw Pillow Covers by TangDepot, Blank Throw Pillow Covers by Coliang 

Sell Throw Pillow Covers or Throw Pillows?

If you plan to sell pillows, you’ll need to decide whether to sell throw pillow covers or throw pillows. In most cases, I think it is more productive to sell throw pillow covers.

Put simply, customers don’t have a need to constantly buy throw pillows. However, a customer may want to buy a set of throw pillows and regularly change out the cover to give their room a new look. The best of both worlds is to sell throw pillow covers and sell pillow inserts separately.

Also, selling throw pillow covers saves on shipping costs and the covers are easier to store.

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I recently had to order a few clear, blank umbrellas to personalize for a friend. I scoured the internet high and low looking for the best price on the umbrellas. I’m happy to report that I had a wonderful experience with Sara Glove.

I ordered the 46″ manual open clear umbrella from Sara Glove. I paid $34.95 for a case of 6 umbrellas, or $5.83 each plus shipping. When I ordered, there was a free shipping promotion going on that orders of $150 ship for free. Unfortunately, I did not meet the minimum. My ordered shipped 24 hours later.

Links and Pricing on Umbrellas from Sara Glove

• 46″ Manual open clear umbrella (adult size). $34.95 for a case of 6, $5.83 each. Click here to view.
• 46″ Auto open clear umbrella (adult size). $48.95 for a case of 6, $8.16 each. Click here to view.
• 34″ Manual open clear umbrella (kid size). $15.95 for a case of 3, $5.32 each. Click here to view.

Try Before You Buy a Case

It’s expensive to order a single umbrella from Sara Glove, however, they also sell on Amazon with Prime shipping. Click here to view on Amazon.

Wondering what other crafters are doing with clear umbrellas? You can add monograms or designs to the umbrellas using adhesive vinyl. Click the photo below to see examples on Etsy: 

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Absolutely one of my favorite holiday products to make with my Silhouette or Cricut is matching pajamas for Christmas Eve night. And, they sell great around the holiday season! If you’d like to make and sell your own, grab your machine, some heat transfer vinyl, and your heat press. Today, I’m sharing a handful of places to purchase blank Christmas pajama sets.

Where to Buy Blank Christmas Pajamas

• ARB Blanks – Click here to view
  • Adult sizes
  • Kid sizes
  • Also available
    • Coordinating baby gowns
    • 18 inch doll pajamas
• Sew for Less – Click here to view
  • Adult sizes
  • Kid sizes
  • Also available
    • 18 inch doll pajamas
• Blossom Blanks – Click here to view
  • Higher end 100% cotton blanks
  • Adult sizes
  • Kid sizes
• PajamaGram – Click here to view
  • Adult sizes
  • Kid sizes
  • Also available
    • Pet pajamas
• Big Box Retailers
  • Kohl’s, Target, and Old Navy usually carry matching family pajamas closer to the holiday season.

If you can arrange a deal with a seller on Alibaba or AliExpress and get them shipped fast, you could order Christmas pajamas from overseas. See more about this in this post.

Look for Solids – Not Prints

When shopping for blank pajamas to embellish with heat transfer vinyl, you’ll want to look for tops that are a solid color. In general, designs show up better on solid colors than prints.

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I get asked a lot where to buy tumblers and mugs. In fact, I’ve written a post on this already – with Save A Cup as my top listed supplier for Silhouette Cameo and Cricut small business owners. A Cutting for Business reader recently asked me, “Why do you recommend Save A Cup?” I don’t like keeping secrets on the blog, so here’s why I love Save A Cup.

5 Things I Love about Save A Cup

1. Website. Their website is fast, user friendly, and modern. It’s a breeze to browse and order from. Have a peek:
2. Fast Shipping. Not only is shipping lightning fast, it’s free. That’s right, no minimum order to trigger free shipping.
3. Helpful. The staff is extremely helpful. I’ve had to reach out with questions a few times over the years via email and I’ve always gotten a response quickly. Not only do they offer fast responses, they offer multiple ways to reach them: phone (888) 268-0021, live website chat, or email.
4. Selection. Save A Cup offers acrylic, glass, ceramic, and metal cups in dozens of colors and styles. I like that I can get everything I need in one place. In addition to the huge selection, touch can mix and match products and receive price breaks for larger orders (price breaks start at 12 cups).
5. Well packaged. I’ve ordered cups from suppliers before and the packaging is well, less than to be desired. Here’s a recent order from Save A Cup that I can share photos of packaging from. I’ve already used a few cups from this order; however you can see that each cup is bagged and bubble wrapped, then placed into a cardboard divider. 

After I let Save A Cup know I was doing this post, they sent me a few of their best sellers:

Skinny Steel Tumblers

Classic Tumbler

Bev Steel

Mason Jar Tumblers

Now, go shop – and tell them I sent you!

While we are talking tumblers, here’s a few more posts for you:

• Tumbler mug instructions to give to your customers for self application of decals
• Design smarter on tumblers

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Both Silhouette Cameo and Cricut small business crafters can use heat transfer vinyl and their machine to easily customize blank pajamas. Every year, I get emails asking where to buy Christmas themed pajamas. Honestly, it is best to buy these as early in the season as you can because they sell out every year. If you are just now looking to purchase or need to replenish your stock, I’ve rounded up who currently has them in stock as of today (November 9th, 2016). Since I understand that most Cutting for Business readers will embellish and resell them, only pajamas under $20 a set are listed below.

• Alibaba, AliExpress, and DHgate – I’ve recently post about using these sites – click here to read the post.
  • Various styles and sellers. Prices range, but are generally between $5 and $10 per piece.
• ARB Blanks
  • Short sleeved and shorts only. Available in red or green striped. Limited amount of sizes in stock.
• Amazon
  • I actually found quite a few reasonably priced pajama sets on Amazon:
    • Red and white or green and white stripes
    • Red and white or green and red stripes
• Sew for Less
  • Sells adult, kids, and doll striped sets
  • $17.99, $12.99, and $7.99
• Monkey Tails Blanks
  • Green and green striped with red cuffs
  • $14.25
• AE Blanks
  • Striped and drop seat options
  • $13.95
• Jasie Blanks
  • Several styles available, including plaid
  • Prices range from $12.00 to $14.50
• SS Crafters
  • Striped
  • $12.75 per set

If you know of a supplier that still has Christmas pajamas in stock and are under $20 a set let me me know in the comments. Remember, as sellers sell out and can’t fulfill orders, raise the price on your sets if you still have them in stock.

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As your small business grows, it is likely that you will want to buy supplies in bulk to save money. As I’ve written about in a previous post, you have to understand the process of how a product gets to you. The cheapest way to get a product is buying directly from the manufacturer. But how does a home based or small store get in touch with a manufacturer? One way is to use a marketplace to connect. That’s where Alibaba, AliExpress, and DHgate can help you.

What are Alibaba, AliExpress, and DHgate?

These are online marketplaces where buyers and manufacturers can connect. When you are buying through Alibaba, AliExpress, and DHgate you are not buying from the marketplace; instead you are buying from a seller that advertises in the marketplace. (Think of these marketplaces like Etsy. Etsy only connects buyers and sellers, you don’t buy or sell products to Etsy.)

What’s the difference between Alibaba, AliExpress, and DHgate?

Alibaba and DHgate are both marketplaces that connect manufacturers and large wholesale sellers to buyers. In most cases, you’ll need to buy in large quantities. AliExpress (a division of Alibaba) connects manufacturers who sell in smaller quantities to sellers.

Tips for Ordering through Alibaba, AliExpress, and DHgate

• Plan ahead. Many of the manufacturers in these marketplaces are overseas. After you place an order, the manufacturer will likely need to make the product and then ship it overseas to you.
• Watch for scammers. There are many “middlemen” on these sites. These people buy cheap from the manufacturer then sell at a higher price to you. After you ask a few questions, it’s pretty easy to sort through the scammers.
• Ask questions. Be sure to inquire about production time, MOQ (minimum order quantity), delivery method and time, potential customs issues, payment arrangements, quality control, and more. Be mindful of time zone differences and that English may not be the first language of the person answering your inquiries.
• Request samples. Most manufacturers will provide discounted or free samples. Since actual products can vary from the pictures provided online, always ask for samples.
• Negotiate. When dealing with manufacturers, there is usually room for price negotiation.
• Pay through a method that offers protection. If the seller is wanting a wire transfer – run! If they don’t deliver the goods, you’ll have no way to get your money back. Instead, use Paypal or an escrow arrangement.
• Read feedback. The marketplaces provide feedback much like Etsy or Ebay. Read through the feedback before purchasing.
• Use common sense. There’s always manufacturers in these marketplaces that are selling knockoffs. Beware that knockoff products are subject to seizure at the US borders. If it seems to good to be true – it likely is!

Have you ordered from a manufacturer that you’ve connected with through Alibaba, AliExpress, or DHgate? Share your experience in the comments.

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Yikes, Cutting for Business readers! I had to make a few maternity shirts lately, and let me say that blank maternity shirts were not easy to find! Today, I’m sharing a list of sites I found the carry blank maternity shirts – perfect for Silhouette Cameo or Cricut crafting.

Where to Find Maternity Shirts for Crafting

• Monag – As I mentioned in a previous post, Monag carries lots of infant blanks and maternity shirts as well. Short sleeve shirts were around $5 each, while long sleeve were around $4 each (currently on sale). Discounts are available on bulk purchases. Of the sites listed, Monag had the largest style and color selection; colors included black, white, grey, navy, pink, green, brown, and red.
• CTS Maternity – Offers black or white short sleeve and black long sleeve blank shirts. Short sleeve are $8.50, long sleeve are $10. No need for tax ID to order.
• Preggers and Proud Maternity Blanks – Offers black and white tanks, short sleeve, and long sleeve shirts. Tanks and shorts sleeve are $8.75 each, long sleeve are $9.95 each. No need for tax ID to order.
• LAT Apparel – Offers short sleeve maternity shirts in pink, bright pink, black, or white. I didn’t register for LAT Apparel to see prices because I was looking for long sleeve.
• Local retail – I’m guessing that unless you need maternity shirts in bulk, you should be able to find them locally (Old Navy, Target, Walmart) for competitive prices.

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Are you a crafter looking for a cheaper way to buy adhesive vinyl, printable vinyl, or heat transfer vinyl? You probably landed on this page because you are wondering can crafters buy vinyl wholesale.

No. Crafters can usually not buy vinyl wholesale. Let’s look at why.

Looking for a quick and easy product to make and sell with your Silhouette or Cricut? Grab some heat transfer vinyl, your heat press, and some can koozies. Today, I’m sharing the best places to buy blank can koozies.

Sewn vs Unsewn Can Koozies

Before you start shopping, you’ll need to decide whether you want sewn or unsewn can coolers. Unsewn can coolers are shipped flat and require sewing after embellishing them; while sewn can coolers lay flat to embellish but are ready to use.

Are sewn or unsewn can koozies better? Honestly, it’s up to you. Sewn can koozies can be difficult to heat press, but unsewn can koozies require extra hours and labor.