Salted fish and tobacco are traded for fur and feed grains. A block of raw wood is whittled into a toy horse and sold at a local artisan market. Watermelon seeds, sowed and tended, become full-fledged fruit before exchanging hands at a roadside stall.
Making things from scratch, cultivating them by hand, and carving out a living by selling and trading them—these are the inceptive transactions of commerce. Commerce has evolved in the past few hundred years, with the biggest changes coinciding with rail transport, the manufacturing boom, and the internet. As far as we’ve come, the roots of commerce remain firmly planted.
Today, thousands of Shopify merchants produce made-by-hand goods, selling them at craft shows, pop-up shops, and through their online stores worldwide. Ecommerce gives makers more reach, and apps help keep their businesses running more efficiently, letting them focus on what they do best: their craft. The best part is that many of these business ideas can be started from home with minimal upfront investment.
Over the years, we’ve shared deep dives into DIY businesses, producing case studies and guides to help you turn your handmade passion into a living.
But maybe you’re not quite sure what things to make. Maybe you’re looking for a new hobby to busy your idle hands (and earn additional money on the side). Or maybe you’re not crafty at all.
We’ve compiled a list of 14 things to make and sell online from home, things to appeal to everyone, from the beginner to the advanced craftsperson, from skilled trades to relatively hands-off ventures. Each idea includes a link to a comprehensive guide, as well as a Shopify store to inspire your own.
14 Things to Make and Sell
- Bath bombs and soaps
- T-shirts and printed merchandise
- Jewelry
- Curated gift and subscription boxes
- Candles
- Sweets
- Art and print
- Digital products
- Enamel pins
- Traditional handcrafted products
- Lip balm and cosmetics
- Pottery and clay object
- Pet supplies
- Music
1.Bath bombs and soaps
A simple Google search returns pages of tutorials to teach you to make your own soaps, bath bombs, and other beauty products at home. They range from simple recipes for bath salts to more complicated formulations requiring emulsions and preservatives. This business idea has low creativity requirements—soaps and bath bombs can be made using commercial molds—but packaging and branding are important in beauty, so consider hiring design help.
2.T-shirts and printed merchandise
This is a maker business for the non-maker. Your original idea can be designed (this is where the “maker” comes in) and printed onto various goods—including t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and dog bandanas—and shipped directly to your customers. It’s a hands-off business that has a very low barrier to entry and an easy thing to make and sell. If you want to increase the handmade factor, consider learning the art of screen printing and purchasing equipment to print your designs at home.
3.Jewelry
Jewelry is another business idea that can range from simple and low-tech (say, beaded necklaces and woven bracelets) to skilled trades with special equipment (such as silversmithing). It’s a saturated market, so doing your homework up front is important—how can your designs stand out? Is there a niche market to sell to?
4.Curated gift and subscription boxes
A gift or subscription box business is a great idea for those who are less crafty but have an eye for curation. Contrary to print-on-demand t-shirts, curated box businesses can be very hands on. Assembly can be a tedious task, but the business has its advantages: subscription boxes are usually packed all at once at the same time each month and in the same size box, making the shipping process simple.
5.Candles
The candle business in the US is a $2.3-billion industry, and within that there are several niches to explore: religious, birthday, eco and natural, scented, beeswax, novelty, and more. Like with soap, there’s no shortage of DIY tutorials for novice candle makers, and basic melt and pour methods require little to no previous craft skills. That’s why it’s one of the easiest crafts to make and sell.
6. Sweets
Candy, cookies, baked goods, chocolates, and jams. Sugar can be spun and dissolved and baked into endless things to make and sell. This is a category with unique complications—legalities, labelling, and shelf life—but also with lots of room to get creative. Niche markets include: holidays and occasions, custom, novelty, catering, pet treats, and gift baskets. Be sure to investigate the viability of selling your product online. Are fragility and refrigeration barriers to shipping?
7.Art and prints
Forget the story of the starving artist. It’s never been a better time to create the art you want to create and sell it (without selling out). Whether you’re dealing in fine art, reproduction prints, or just want to sell photos online, you can access far-reaching audiences and sell worldwide.
8.Digital products
The digitization of goods shows no signs of stopping. Making and selling digital products like font licenses, wedding invitation templates, webinars, or Photoshop actions requires a little up-front work but is relatively hands off once you get started. The overhead costs are very low, can generate passive income, and some typical pain points that come with physical goods (inventory, shipping) are non-existent.
9.Enamel pins
Enamel Pins remain incredibly popular and are still on a strong upward trend. You’ll usually work with a manufacturer to make enamel pins, but the design component can be as involved as you make it. Design your own, or work with a designer to illustrate your vision.
10.Traditional handcrafted goods
Leather tooling, wood carving, furniture making, and embroidery are all traditional mediums with thriving markets. And they’re just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ideas for DIY crafts to sell. The backlash against mass production is driving trends back to slow food, one-of-a-kind and bespoke goods, and artist craftsmanship. Many of these disciplines require skills honed over time, but you can access your inner maker and learn these skills via online tutorials, local workshops, and trial and error.
11.Lip balm and cosmetics
Like bath bombs and soaps, lip balm is an easy thing to make with the tools you already have in your home. Simple formulations using beeswax and natural oils require little more than a heat source to assemble. You don’t need fancy equipment, but you should ensure that your setup still meets the standards of the industry and follows local regulations for home production. When you’re ready to scale, lip balms are a gateway to more complicated cosmetic formulations.
12.Pottery and clay objects
One of the more technical items on our list, pottery requires skill and equipment. If you’re new to the craft, check out local college and community programs to give you the know-how and shared studio space to use the kiln and tools (versus investing in your own at the start). There are, however, other materials that have a lower barrier to entry and can be used to make traditionally potted items, like planters and ornaments. Try air clay, polymer clay, or poured concrete.
13.Pet supplies
Making products for pets is a business idea with huge potential. In fact, the global market is estimated to top $269 billion by 2025. What can we say? Fur babies deserve to be spoiled. Dog treats, catnip toys, and pet collars are all items that can easily be made from home if you already have a fairly creative side.
14.Music
Music is a challenging industry, but if you have the talent, the world should know! While it can be tough to break in, there are many advantages to starting a music business in the age of ecommerce and TikTok. Selling stock music, giving music lessons, licensing your songs to brands, selling merch, and maybe, just maybe, becoming the next big internet thing are all possible business avenues for budding musicians. And if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that fame can be achieved right from your own bedroom.
The ideas don’t stop here—there are many creative ways to make money through crafting your own goods. You can make and sell everything from dog biscuits and coffee tables to handbags and terrariums. Browse our case studies for more maker inspiration.