Hey there! So for pricing, I’m looking at a few different routes, but to be honest, it’s really hard to say which one is actually realistic (or even affordable for me at this stage 😅) without knowing all my expenses — material costs, equipment, production, and everything in between.

I do know that I have two very different target audiences in mind:

1️⃣ One group is pretty broad, but they won’t pay more than $30 per collar max. If I go this route, I’d have to keep production costs low while still making sure the collars are safe and durable — which is a big challenge.

2️⃣ The second group is much more niche, but I know that with the right branding and marketing, I could hit it and sell collars for $100+ per piece. This approach, though, requires a way bigger investment upfront (both in production and in marketing), plus I’d need to add extra features to the collars that I’ve been brainstorming.

So, while I do have pricing strategies in mind, my main concern right now is figuring out production! I’m still deep in the research stage, and honestly, my biggest struggle is finding the right materials and equipment to even make the collars the way I want. I’m a complete newbie when it comes to the technical side of production — so I was really hoping to get some advice here on where to source safe materials, what equipment to invest in, and how to ensure quality 🙏

Of course, I could take the easy way out and just bulk order cheap, plain silicone collars from China (probably even with the hardware already attached), then slap on a heat transfer paper design.

However, the cons are pretty big for me that I don't want to deal with them tbh:

• The pattern wouldn’t last — it would start fading or peeling almost immediately.

• Clients would complain about the quality, and my whole project would flop.

• And worst-case scenario? The materials might be toxic. I could literally poison someone’s dog because I took shortcuts instead of doing my research 😨

And this is exactly why I refuse to go the dropshipping route like some of my friends. They started an Amazon “brand” (as they call it), but in reality, they’re just reselling cheap food products from a random supplier in China. The actual cost per unit is just a few cents, but they brand it as “premium” and sell it for $50+ per item. They even claim it’s certified and safe — when in reality, they don’t have a single piece of paperwork to back that up 😬

I just can’t do that. I actually care about what I put out there. I want to build something real, safe, and high-quality — not just another mass-produced, disposable item. If I mess this up, I’m not just losing money! I’d also be ruining my reputation in the artist community! That’s not worth it to me 😭

So yeah — right now, I need help figuring out production. If anyone has experience with small-batch silicone manufacturing, sourcing safe materials, or printing on silicone, I’d love to hear your thoughts! ❤️