Craft Distributors and Wholesalers Basics

Use craft distributors and wholesalers to build your crafts business
By Sherril Steele-Carlin, Freelance Writer Thinking about adding some handcrafted items to your business, or starting your own arts and craft business is a great way to increase your business profits. To begin, you may buy your craft supplies from retail shops or online auctions, but there's a better, more economical way to buy your supplies, and that's through craft distributors and wholesalers.

There are some things to think about when you begin making and selling crafts out of your home or business. First, choose a craft you love and are familiar with, so you know what supplies you'll need to get your business going. Here are a few ideas:

1. Look for craft distributors in your community.

2. Research wholesale craft supply stores in your area or online.

3. Think about selling wholesale art and craft supplies as part of your crafts business.

Find supplies for your craft wholesale

If you're used to buying your crafting supplies retail, even on sale, you may be surprised at the amount you can save buying wholesale. Many manufacturers will sell their products to you wholesale, often you just have to place a minimum dollar order to begin ordering wholesale. If you have a favorite craft manufacturer, check their website for wholesaling information.
Try:  If you're looking for wholesale craft supply in several different crafts, check out Dick Blick Art Materials. They are a huge online dealer in wholesale art supplies, wholesale art prints and craft supplies. Halcraft USA offers jewelry findings and beads, but also paper and paper crafts kits. Lion Brand Yarn offers retail yarns all over the world, but you can open a wholesale account with them, too.

Buy ready-made arts and crafts wholesale

If you're not that crafty, but would still like to add arts and crafts to your business, you can buy ready-made arts and crafts and sell them retail. You can also buy wholesale silk flowers, wholesale framed art, and other items and make a tidy profit when you sell them to your customers.
Try:  CWI Gifts and Crafts only sells to members and they offer a wide variety of craft supplies like silk garlands and wreaths, ready-made crafts, and crafting ideas. You can register for free as well as sign up for a free newsletter to learn about specials and sales before the public learns about them. Register at Classy Art Wholesale for good prices on art prints in a variety of sizes, styles and price ranges for resale.

Become a craft distributor

There's another avenue to explore if you're interested in craft distributors and wholesalers basics. You can become a craft distributor in your area or online. You can market handmade local crafts from other craftspeople, along with your own crafts, or you can simply sell a variety of handcrafted items you find at other craft wholesale sites.
Try:  Check out Quilt Craft Distributors, a company offering quilts and patterns from a variety of vendors, for an idea of how a craft distributor works. Open your own craft store online at Etsy, where you can sell handmade crafts, along with supplies and vintage items.

• If you want to order from most craft wholesalers, you're going to need a tax ID number or vendor license to order wholesale craft supplies. You can get a tax ID number from the IRS, or a vendor license from your local city or county government.