During times of economic downturn, more and more people are thinking about how to increase their income. Some of them have neither the desire nor the ability to open a large production, but they have a favorite thing, a hobby, which can also bring money. What areas of small business are relevant now? What can you produce at home and then sell? Where to look for a buyer for your products? It is necessary to answer these questions so that the business you start brings not disappointment, but real benefit.
Soap making has gained wide popularity among needlewomen in the last five to ten years. At the same time, some create it “from scratch” - from alkalis and oils, others use a ready-made base, giving it additional properties: color, smell, shape. Both the first and second options are in good demand.
Soap is something that can be produced at home and sold successfully. Typically, sales are conducted through the Internet, social networks, handicraft exhibitions or chain stores of cosmetics and perfumes, where the manufacturer rents a shelf. Even a beginner can create soap from a base. This does not require any special knowledge. All that is required are forms and additional ingredients that are added to the composition. Of course, their acquisition requires an initial investment. The more beautiful and original the appearance of the soap, the faster and more expensive it will be bought. But the prices for complex high-quality molds are higher than for simple ones. The same goes for fragrances, dyes, and oils. Natural ingredients, as a rule, are more expensive than synthetic ones, but they have a caring effect and are much less likely to cause allergic reactions.
To make soap from scratch, you need to be patient: it has a aging period that lasts up to several months. This entails the need for space to store the product until it can be sold. Soap makers require a separate set of utensils for work and protective equipment (respirators, gloves). As well as a room with good ventilation and an initial set of equipment: pharmacy scales, a blender, which will not be used when preparing food. As for the form, organic “zero” soap is most often poured into one large container and then cut into portions. This better suits the general concept of its natural origin. It is worth noting that the alkalis and oils used in production are quite inexpensive, and the price of the final product per gram is higher than its souvenir analogue from the base.
Souvenir candles are also something that can be produced at home for sale. They are often bought for gifts or interior decoration. Candles can be either wax or gel - both of them look very impressive if they are created by a master who is passionate about his work.
The technological process is simple enough that it can be carried out literally in the kitchen, and does not pose a danger to those living in the house. It is convenient to sell finished products through stores selling hand-made goods, gifts, souvenirs, and wedding salons. If the volume is small, then it helps to just show samples of work among your friends or post them on your page on social networks.
What can be produced at home for someone who loves and knows how to sew? Toys! And not all in a row, but those that have some kind of zest have their own style. Pillow toys, felt modules for cribs, tildes, and Waldorf dolls are very popular. In other words, everything that you won’t find in stores.
You can sew personalized toys or create dolls that will be small copies of their owners.
Many people sew clothes for people; it is much less common to find a craftsman who can create an outfit for our four-legged friends. Jackets, overalls and even dresses for dogs are in high demand among animal owners, and the cost of an animal wardrobe is sometimes higher than the price of a similar human one.
Warm and comfortable clothing for dogs is something that can be produced at home, with at least basic cutting and sewing skills. There are ready-made standard patterns of various models, depending on the breed. The costumes can be sold to pet stores or sold to animal lovers you know.
In our age of plastic and polyethylene, products made from natural materials are highly valued. For those who have wood processing skills, we can offer several options for goods that will be profitable to produce for sale:
And this is not all that can be produced at home. How the business will develop in the future depends only on the efforts invested and the desire of the master. It may eventually turn into a large production or remain just a hobby that brings modest income.
