The number one thing I hear from potential customers in my yarn shop is, "I really love your yarn, but I can't sell anything made from handspun."
Are you sure?
Here are some fantastic tips for marketing your items made from handspun yarn so you can get to working with the yarns you REALLY want to work with and stop cranking out mind numbing creations. Get your creativity back!
1. Help your customers see what YOU see.
*Make something for yourself or a loved one from handspun and share pics of the item being enjoyed
*Post photos of your beautiful yarns, telling fans what you can make with them. I know from experience that customers enjoy choosing the materials you use to create their custom item.
*Share your favorite yarn shop fanpages on your fanpage - let your customers get to know the spinners
*Briefly describe the process the yarn already went through before you transformed it into a finished item - let customers see how much time and care has gone into this item!
*Let the yarn shop do the work - if you bought your yarn on Etsy, link to the listing you purchased in the listing for your finished item.
*Many spinners love to see what you've created from our yarns - share your listing with us and we might just share it with our fans!
2. Highlight the virtues of handspun yarn.
*Handspun yarn is frequently made from natural fibers - which biodegrade, unlike acrylics, which will sit in a landfill forever when they go out of fashion
*Choosing handspun is choosing handmade and supporting a spinner. You are sometimes indirectly supporting the dyer and a farmer too! For example, I'm working on a yarn right now that includes a batt from a fellow fiber artist on Etsy and locks from a young 4H farmer in TN. If you were to purchase that yarn, you'd not only support me, but Amber who carded the batt and Ashley who raised the sheep!
*Handspun yarn yields a OOAK (one of a kind) product. A friend of mine purchased the same lovely roving as I and look at the difference in the yarns! Each spinner puts her unique twist on yarn.
*Handspun from natural fibers will be warmer than an acrylic item.
*Its just plain soft and pretty, am I right?
3. Dispel the myths!
*MYTH 1: I won't be able to wash my item - Nope, you can wash it quite easily - a little detergent and cool water in the sink, mere seconds of actual washing, roll it in a towel, and then lay it flat on your dryer on wash day. Or, purchase superwash yarn. I usually have at least 3 or 4 skeins of superwash in my shop.
*MYTH 2: Wool is itchy - Try merino, polwarth, ramboulliet . . . . many breeds are softer than commonly used craft store yarns. The coarsest yarn in my shop is softer than Red Heart.
*MYTH 3: It is way too expensive for my customers - First, a chunky handspun will not require many yards or hours to complete your project. Additionally, you may attract new customers who are looking (and willing to pay) for handspun.
Are you ready to shop? Start with just a few items and see how it goes! Remember to educate your customer so they can make informed, happy shopping decisions.
