We love our craft activities in the UK. In fact, the craft industry contributes £3.4bn to the economy each year. There are approximately 11,620 craft businesses in the UK, with almost 150,000 people employed in the sector.
Arts and crafts cater to hobbyists and enthusiasts among us - people who prefer to spend their leisure time more wisely than merely staring at the TV screen.
Whether it's knitting and macrame or oil painting and learning a musical instrument, there's an art and craft franchise that can help turn your hobby into a lucrative career.
And post-COVID, the population is spending more time at home, meaning that there’s a need for creative ideas that keep idle hands busy.
There's a growing interest in hobbies as diverse as taxidermy, stained glass, butchery, photography, knitting, upcycling, gardening technology, and woodwork.
With a greater focus on saving the planet, Gen Z hobbyists are taking to mending their clothes to reduce the impact of textile waste; sparking a greater desire to develop traditional skills such as needlecraft, colour-dyeing, fashion design, and darning.
The art and craft franchise sector is enormous and set to grow exponentially throughout the 2020s.
Franchising
Art- and craft-based businesses contribute £3.4bn to the economy in the UK, making it a surprisingly large and lucrative business sector. But finding footage in this busy business category is a challenge.
Investing in Art & Craft franchises gives you instant access to a saturated market, allowing you visibility by adopting familiar branding that your future customers already know of and trust.
Gain the reassurance of an established supply chain, instantly recognisable curb appeal, and the influence of established experts. Art and Craft franchises provide all the training you’ll need to become a specialist in your chosen field, as well as the on-going support to ensure that you stay at the top of your game.
Becoming your own boss is a liberating experience, but can also cause stress if you're heading into the marketplace independently. Benefit from a ready-to-go infrastructure that includes all the complicated HR and employment regulations, getting you compliance-ready with business obligations and tax directives from the get-go.
Taking on an established art & craft franchise is the commonsense approach to going into business for yourself.
Facts About Art & Craft Franchises
Art and craft franchises offer valuable insight into the continuously growing list of trends and - because this is an ever-changing industry - it's wise to align yourself with everything your customer will demand before they even know that they want it.
In 2020, art and craft activities have boomed - mainly due to lockdown. Suddenly the entire population has endless hours of leisure time, and they want something to fill it that feels more creative and productive than just staring at the TV and watching endless hours of Netflix.
Stained glass is one of THE trends on the up in 2020: Etsy has identified a 127% boost in searches for stained glass supplies over lockdown.
Constellation kits are also hot to trot, and ready for stencilling every room in the house; as are quilting patterns for making the entire home a little more homely.
Eco-friendly crafts are the mode of hobby for Gen Z, with a thirst for natural dyes and pigments that help them transform their existing wardrobe. Upcycling activities are particularly popular, making something new and fashionable out of something that would have - once - ended up in landfill.
Franchising Vs Independent
Accessing the popular and lucrative art and craft franchise market relies on an initial investment. And banks and moneylenders tend to favour the franchise model when analysing business risk because they’re built on robust financial foundations. This helps franchisees gain more favourable interest rates for start-up loans.
Independent companies, on the other hand, often struggle to gain start-up collateral because their business is just an idea and not built on a robust financial history.
Moneylenders recognise that independent companies are more likely to struggle to find a foothold in the marketplace and are prone to a broader range of financial risks during their first two years of trading.
If you’re looking for a surer start for your new business, the franchise model is likely to get you up and running with an established client base right from the start.
Art & Craft Franchises
Explore our range of art & craft franchises, and let your creativity be your starting point for a profitable new business.
Find your brand new start with Franchise Direct.