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Are you a crafter looking for a cheaper way to buy adhesive vinyl, printable vinyl, or heat transfer vinyl? You probably landed on this page because you are wondering can crafters buy vinyl wholesale.
No. Crafters can usually not buy vinyl wholesale. Let’s look at why.
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Flow of Vinyl to Crafters
To understand why crafters cannot buy vinyl wholesale, we have to look at the flow of the vinyl before it gets in your hands.
First, a manufacturer makes the vinyl. This takes place in large factories with large equipment. Some well known manufacturers of vinyl are Siser, Chemica, 3M, Orafol, Avery, and more.
Next, the manufacturer sells vinyl to distributors. These distributors buy large rolls of vinyl and cut them down to size. Distributors also often have large warehouses. (Note: Some manufacturers also have their own distribution centers.)
Now, the vinyl is sold to retailers who sell the vinyl to crafters either online or in a brick and mortar store.
How to Buy Vinyl Wholesale
- Make sure that you are a registered business in your state or county. Vinyl manufacturers will not sell to hobbyists.
- Be sure that you do not have any conflicts of interest. This means that you will only sell vinyl, not sell products made with vinyl. Unfortunately, this is a deal breaker for most crafters. Most vinyl distributors will not allow you to buy wholesale vinyl and sell handmade projects directly to consumers.
- Have a written plan that you can share with the manufacturer detailing how and where you will sell the vinyl.
- Reach out to the manufacturer of the vinyl you would like to buy wholesale. You’ll be expected to purchase several thousands of dollars of vinyl for your first order and, in most cases, meet monthly minimums. Some specifics for popular manufacturers: Orafol – the opening order is around $100,000. Siser – the opening order is around $10,000 with monthly minimums of around $5,000.
You’ll Need to Choose: Vinyl Distributor or Craft Retailer
If you want to continue selling handmade products – you’ll need to continue buying vinyl from your favorite distributor.
If you would like to abandon selling handmade products and become a vinyl retailer – make sure your paperwork is in order and contact your favorite vinyl manufacturer.
Links to Distributors
Since 2015, Christine Schinagl has been helping crafters start and run craft businesses through her blog, Cutting for Business. As a Silhouette and Cricut crafter herself, she has a unique take on what works and what doesn’t work in the craft business world. She also enjoys teaching other crafters how to create digital SVG designs, available through the Design with Me series.