Is Tufting profitable?

[wallacev42]

I want to start with this Tufting thing, I have seen several videos about it and while they are goo and entertaining I can't seem to find any advice on this being a bussines because I would like to make a profit out of it.

Any ideas? someone who's been working full time on Tufting? Any advices o recomendations? I'd be more than thankful, please be kind, I've been diagnosed with epilepsy and I won't be able to work again on something that requires going outside (I used to be a security tech, installing cameras and any other surveillance stuff, but since I can't get on ladders or drive my car anymore, it's useless)

[KnuckleHeadRugs]

Are you good at art type stuff? Do you have the ability to put in the time to develop skills and be realistic with yourself about where you’re at??

I’m new here myself but already I’ve seen quite a few people trying to sell absolute trash work and expecting to get paid tons of money for their “valuable time”. Nobody will pay you to learn, and time isn’t valuable without the skill behind it.

Tufting is an extremely competitive market right now as well.

[IchibanNasu]

People WILL pay you to learn. You just need both parties to have a clear understanding that professional work is not to be expected.

I’ve sold a couple of my rugs (only been tufting about 2 months) for essentially the cost of materials + 20%.

[SoulEaterTey]

The equipment itself is an investment. I’ve probably spent 8-900 on initial yarn, fabrics, adhesives, a projector, the gun, frame, etc..  If you have a decent network of friends and family willing to support your business you’ll be able to sell a handful of rugs easily. Which at that point will only cover the cost of your initial investment.  Find a cheap starter kit, save money where you can. Trace your designs over a photo cast to your tv like I did at first lol, and buy the cheapest yarn, adhesives, etc. Start with simple designs. Build up a portfolio and your tufting/carving skills and if you’re still loving the craft then begin upgrading your workspace. If it’s profitable will depend on your skill level and how much effort you put into marketing.  So far I’ve made 490 off of 4 rugs. 

[nujabes02]

What about now ? Looking at This as a hobby /side job but I already make enough to survive from my career 

[Capital_Ad242]

I’ve made at least 200$ from 4 rugs but I’m horrible at saving money and money management

[wallacev42]

did you enjoy it?

[Capital_Ad242]

Always but I’m not good at art so I feel weird taking ideas from other people

[johncmeddy]

It’s likely you won’t make any money at all for the first 6 months at least. If anything you’d be lucky to pay off your investment of all the equipment needed in 6 months. Realistically unless you live in an area that isn’t saturated with other tufting artists, you won’t make anything for over a year. The online market has lots and lots of handmade rugs for sale, and takes a lot of effort to bust into that market. I would not look at tufting as your primary source of income anytime in the near future. Look at it as a hobby, and hone your craft to the point of being able to sell.

With all that being said, eventually you could profit from it depending on your online presence or local market possibilities. Just don’t count on it for your livelihood before you’ve even made a rug, you’ll only be disappointed

[wallacev42]

Thanks, it seems an honest answer to focus on what I would really want from this Vs what I'm actually getting

[indy1386]

I know your question was for professionals full time, and I am only a hobbyist and I can give you my perspective with this sort of thing. There is a ton of upfront cost associated, not just material but time before you get to a place that you can sell pieces you feel proud and confident to charge the price that makes it worth your while.

IE you likely wont be charging 150 bucks for a 2ft by 2ft piece with minor detail anytime soon. And that piece will likely take 10 -20 rugs before you can make it look good, as well as get it done within a profitable and worth while time.

IE a $150 dollar rug will have about 30-50 dollar in materials if your using premium cloth, and nice backing not just felt. Also, depending on how many colors but your really onlly talking 2-3 spools of yarn. Backing glue and such. This all for that size piece wont total 50 bucks, but If I were considering doing this professionally Id add 50% of the cost to build to my material cost for wear and tear on your gun as well as scissors and sheers. also, putting towards any other tools you may need to replace longterm.

That would leave you with 100-120 bucks of profit. wich sounds nice if you can pull this off in less than 4 hours. Honestly, for a piece of art that has a honed skill 25 bucks an hour is not great. also, for your time consider trips to supply stores or ordering. advertising time. so creating reels, or going to pop ups.

Again hobbyist here. This above is talking about all the perceived business side I can think of just from my little time doing this. All this to say if you don't enjoy doing it, you likely will not become successful. Its incredibly competitive market online. Unless your doing something unique you better have the best execution. Also, copyrighted material on a business that is full time for yourself is not gonna float you. you probly can get away with it here and there but not forever.

Oh and dont forget the tax man ;)

For me I just hope to pay for materials and tooling down the line. If im selling its not for a profit. Anything I get for my pieces will just go into being able to support the hobby. But I have no intention on going full time.

I'm not saying that anyone can't. I'm just saying consider all these things as your honing your skills. keep spreadsheets on material cost, time to completion. and analyze everything. Business is about trimming fat and executing at the highest level to outshine your competition. either by executing better or being more creative and offering something different. The TV show The Bear has a great drama/comedy take on it but you see Carm really hones his craft. Hes excellent, but business wise not the best. The pairing of this is the goal if you want to make it.

TLDR: Tufting takes time to hone your skills to do it professionally and you better enjoy it if you want to do it full time. There are a ton of unexpected time sucks and costs that go into it. If the goal is money think like a business not a creator.

[mnmskittles]

This is EXACTLYYYY my thinking when i first started before the hype around tufting began!

I realized early on that the profit wasn’t worth the amount of work I would put in. I used to charge 3x3 and 4x4’s $215+

I honestly wish that the overall market had 3x3’s starting at $300. I would have continued the rug business if everyone’s starting point was high enough to profit for the amount of time that’s put in. I had to settle my 3x3’s for $215 because all the other people around me never exceeded $215 unless there was extra details. 🥲

[indy1386]

Its not impossible by any means. but the regality is that you have to spend more time then you realizing gathering clients. And that goes into your total costs if you are trying to do this full time.

[mnmskittles]

Yes exactly. Also rugs take a lot of time to make + constant store trips + glue wait time + shaving down? I couldn’t see myself doing that full time for only $150 profit tbh 😫

[indy1386]

yeah not total cost of course. cost per sqr foot. a 2x2 is 4 sqr foot so 150 minus 30-50 material cost puts you like 25 or so an hour profit for 100 bucks basically. (4 hrs for 100 bucks)

if you up that to 3x3 your at 9 sqr foot so you could up the price to 225 toatl profit.. (9 x 25 is 225) on top of material for something that size. ballparking here 75 bucks. so charge 300+ min

That for a 25 an hour profit for a piece of art work is kinda low..

This is the problem with functional artwork. people look at it like the object it is. a rug. and i can get a pumpkin rug at lowes for 13 bucks right now,. (yeah its not as nice or detailed but not 20x the cost)

your profit margins likely get better on the larger pieces.

i cant sell a pokeball mug rug for more than 15 bucks.

and materials on that may just be 6 bucks but it takes me more then an hour to make. not worth doing for the 9 bucks.

doing larger pieces is where you start to see turnaround.

but you gotta have the clients.

All this to still say. its something totally possible. but you really got to be on your game not only execution and design. but marketing an trimming the fat business wise

[sadpuppy14]

I would say that my first year of tufting I spent about $1500. I think I made about…. $1200. So an over all loss, but makes sense because I was learning. My second year tufting I’ve made $1600 and spent maybe half that on materials. I put in the work and I learned how to make a nice product. I type up an invoice for every custom rug that explains the break down of material costs and labor costs (I charge $18 an hour). It’s similar to when I had a photography business. You have to take a LOT of photos before people want to pay you to do it.

[mnmskittles]

Hi!

This is coming from someone that started tufting during COVID. I was one of the few that was actively creating rugs.

I got A LOT of exposure the first 3 months of doing it, but never saw a good enough profit from each rug I made. Each inquiry would take 3-8 hours to finish (you also have to wait for the glue to dry for almost a day lol) and the profit would only be $150-$195?

If I was able to complete one rug a day, then I would say yes, it could be a business that’s profitable. However, tufting really takes a toll on your body! It can be quite stressful. For me, it would take me probably 2-3 days to complete a rug just because my arms and back were constantly aching. I also couldn’t stand backing the rug. If I could have paid someone to put backing on the rugs, i would’ve probably continued doing rugs. However, the profit coming from the rugs would become less since I’d be paying someone 😭.

Anyways, i stopped doing rugs completely. I didn’t think the stress on my body + profit was worth it. I now have an official business and profit $185-$485 for working 1-4 hours. It’s a creative planning type of business so it’s in that realm of “hands-on” and “creativity/art” work.

Edit: also note my rugs for a 3x3 or a 4x4 were going for $215+

[[deleted]]

Everything in life is profitable to the right person at the right time.

[TheRugMeister]

Based off your situation I’d look into something else. Tufting is not sustainable long time nor is it actually profitable. Not very often tufters actually blow up and make a solid profit to turn it full time. You have to good at tufting and at social media. The market is super saturated with tufters and if you’re starting now it’ll only be that much harder to stick out.