What I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Polymer Clay Earring Business
When I rolled out my very first slab of polymer clay, I had no idea how much this hobby would change my life. What started as a creative outlet quickly turned into a full-blown business filled with excitement, lessons, and more than a few “I wish I had known that sooner” moments.
If you’re just getting started or thinking about turning your polymer clay passion into profit, this post is for you. Here are the real things I wish someone had told me before I launched my clay earring business.
1. Not Every Earring Has to Be a Work of Art
In the beginning, I spent hours on every pair of earrings. I obsessed over every detail, color blend, and technique. And while the passion is beautiful, it’s not always sustainable when you're trying to build a product-based business.
What I learned: Simple designs sell. Not every pair needs to showcase your entire skillset. Clean, cohesive, and on-trend collections connect with customers and they’re easier to reproduce.
2. You Don’t Need Every Tool or Cutter to Start
Raise your hand if you’ve ever fallen into the “Etsy spiral” of buying every cutter, roller, pigment, and texture mat known to man. Same. The truth is, I only consistently use about 10% of what I bought when I started.
What I learned: You don’t need every cutter shape or tool (even though you think you do!). In fact, having too many can slow down your workflow and make it harder to create cohesive collections. Start with a few basic shapes and build from there.
3. Not All Clay Is Created Equal (Don’t Use Sculpey III for Earrings)
I made this mistake early on: I used whatever clay I could find, including Sculpey III. It’s soft, easy to work with, and super tempting for beginners. But it’s also not strong enough for earrings and can be brittle or break after baking.
If you want to learn the secrets of baking times, check out my blog post all about it: The Ultimate Guide to Polymer Clay Baking Times: Master the Art of Perfect Curing
What I learned: Brands like Sculpey Premo, Cernit, or Soufflé offer better strength and durability for wearable pieces. Sculpey III is great for decorative items, but not ideal for jewelry.
4. Perfection Is the Enemy of Progress
I waited way too long to launch my first collection because I didn’t think it was “good enough.” I was comparing my day-one earrings to makers who had been doing this for years.
What I learned: Start messy. Your skills will evolve, your style will shift, and your confidence will grow. But none of that happens if you don’t start.
5. Photography Matters More Than You Think
I thought beautiful earrings would sell themselves, but blurry photos taken on my kitchen counter at 9pm said otherwise. Product photography can make or break your sales, even if your earrings are incredible in real life.
What I learned: You don’t need a DSLR camera or pro studio. A phone, good lighting, and clean background go a long way. Learn some basic photo editing and styling tricks. It’s worth it.
6. You Don’t Need to Be on Every Platform
I burned out fast trying to juggle Instagram, Etsy, Facebook, TikTok, email, markets, and a website all at once. I thought that’s what I had to do to be successful.
What I learned: Pick 1–2 platforms and get really good at them. Focus your energy where your ideal customers are, and build from there.
7. Batching is Your Best Friend
Making one pair at a time? Exhausting. Batching your slab prep, cutting, baking, sanding, assembling, and packaging? Game-changer.
What I learned: Systems = sanity. Batching helps you stay productive without burning out.
8. Your Story Sells More Than Your Products
When I finally started sharing why I started making earrings, what inspired my collections, and how I juggle life and business — that’s when I noticed a shift. My customers didn’t just want earrings. They wanted a connection.
What I learned: Don’t hide behind your brand. Be a human. Tell your story.
9. Community Is Everything
I wish I had found other clay makers sooner. The polymer clay community is full of kind, generous, wildly talented people. Sharing tips, cheering each other on, and collaborating makes the journey 100x more enjoyable.
What I learned: There’s room for everyone. Find your people whether it’s a Facebook group, online summit, or local makers’ market.
You can join our Facebook group full of community, tutorials and fun, joy-filled clay conversations here.
My Final Thoughts
Starting a polymer clay business has been one of the most creatively fulfilling and empowering things I’ve ever done and it’s opened up many other opportunities for me. It’s not always easy but it is worth it.
If you’re just starting out, I hope this post gives you the head start I wish I had. And if you’ve been in the game for a while… what’s your biggest “I wish I knew” moment?
Let me know in the comments — or better yet, come join my free Facebook community for clay earring makers where we talk shop, swap stories, and share wins.
Happy claying! :)