Hi
We make so many things so we use lots of suppliers.
Card and mountboard we get from Pullingers a lovely art shop who are also online and have free delivery over £45 they are the cheapest I have found for Daler Rowney card and mountboard.
For our new screen printing venture we use clever baggers for our cushions and bags and Handprinted to expose our screens and amazon for permaset aqua ink.
We have our own laser cutter and buy all our acrylic mostly from Technology Supplies or Hindleys.
Packaging I get from Tiny box, eco craft and ebay for cello bags.
I personally would really love some kind of deal with mug printers, I desperately want to add UK made bone china mugs printed with my cityscapes to our range but they are so expensive and have to be ordered in large quantities of one design. So any recommendations for this or a discount through Folksy would be awesome.
It’s not craft supplies but the thing that would be absolute amazing for you to organise is insurance. I don’t need insurance of my things (as that is just prohibitively expensive and not value of money) just public liability and employers liability insurance. I can get it for about £165 through National Market Traders Federation but anyone else wants £700 upwards.
My brother in law is an osteopath (he could paralyse someone) and he gets it through the Osteopaths assocation (or something I can find out the details) for about £100 - so it is really frustrating that the market rate for selling T shirts (unlikely to cripple anyone) is £700. I reckon loads of makers would love it - we are a small limited company so would want it to be eligible to us not just sole traders.
For craft supplies l use Ebay and Hobbycraft, Ebay because it’s cheap for certain items especially when buying from China and Hobbycraft because it’s closer and easier.
I buy the bulk of my silver materials and tools from Cookson Gold, they delivery the next day which is perfect. Certain chains that they don’t sell I buy from International Craft, who again delivery next day but have a really low delivery charge. Mandie
hi-i am not sure if this is the correct type of insurance & if applicable to your business, but there are different types available: http://craftinsurance.co.uk/
Like other jewellery makers above, I use Cookson gold for metals and tools. They are always speedy, efficient and the quality is excellent. I also use their large letter sized postal boxes for packaging. For cabs and beads I use a variety of sources, including Manchester minerals, Kernowcraft, Amazon and odd places that I come across on holiday. I am always looking for sources of interesting stones.
I spend hundreds at Cookson each month too, so money off would be fabtastic.
but I agree with people mentioning packaging. Any nice quality boxes especially ones that will fit in large letter format would be great to get a discount on.
Hi,
Art materials all from Jackson Art, they are fantastic for price, speed & service. Moo.com are fabulous for business stationary, fast delivery & good price.
All my packaging from varying companies on Ebay as well as my mounts that are specially cut for me…it’s taken me ages to source many of them (lots of buying samples!) & now i have regulars i use…quality, colours available & price are key factors for me here.
Wood blanks Ebay & a local supplier, again quality is a huge factor for me here! I’ve have some cheaper ones & the finish has been awful taken me more work to get in decent order to work with but now i have a regular list i buy from, again it’s taken me along time & lots buying of samples to source them too.
@snapdragons I’m also looking for new mug printers…use to have one but they retired & all the ones i have tried since have either been too expensive, minimum orders way to large, or don’t do the style of mug i need and a couple have not reliable enough. Even considered buying my own specialist kit to do it! Recommendations or discount through Folksy would be awesome.
Also looking for supplier to print notebooks with my designs…have looked & costed up a few & will be getting some samples but recommendations would be good. Has anyone used Awesome Merchandise, they are kinda top of my list but wonder what their quality was like???
I buy my clay from specialist ceramic supplies shops but generally buy most of my packaging materials and jewellery finding, ribbons, beads, wire from ebay
I also buy lots of bits and bobs from Hobbycraft if I need something in a hurry.
