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Why buying a fursuit costs a lot
by Beastcub
Fursuit Maker
10 years ago
That is 2 yards of a very basic fur fabric used on many many fursuits out there.
Some furs are easily $50 a yard with some supreme furs being more like $100 a yard.
4+ yards of fabric is needed to make a full costume.
And this is just the fur, it also costs money for foam, and resin, thread, and glues, and so much more.
Fursuit makers also have to pay sales tax and shipping for their supplies.
There are also start up costs, like a quality sewing machine and a business license.
There are also the costs of electricity/utilities and the cost of where they work/live.
Also as a self employed business owner a fursuit maker has to pay the government taxes on all their profits.
A vast majority of a purchased fursuit's cost is the time and skill of the builder, but the material and business owning costs are also nothing to sneeze at.
So the next time you see anyone posting anything a long the lines of "Looking for a fursuit maker to make a fullsuit of my character for $300" keep in mind that $300 does not even cover the cost to make the suit and that none of that $300 pays for the maker's time, that they are basically asking for someone to work for free.
PS interesting read on high end fursuit costs http://dogpatch.press/2014/12/31/17000-fursuit/
Some furs are easily $50 a yard with some supreme furs being more like $100 a yard.
4+ yards of fabric is needed to make a full costume.
And this is just the fur, it also costs money for foam, and resin, thread, and glues, and so much more.
Fursuit makers also have to pay sales tax and shipping for their supplies.
There are also start up costs, like a quality sewing machine and a business license.
There are also the costs of electricity/utilities and the cost of where they work/live.
Also as a self employed business owner a fursuit maker has to pay the government taxes on all their profits.
A vast majority of a purchased fursuit's cost is the time and skill of the builder, but the material and business owning costs are also nothing to sneeze at.
So the next time you see anyone posting anything a long the lines of "Looking for a fursuit maker to make a fullsuit of my character for $300" keep in mind that $300 does not even cover the cost to make the suit and that none of that $300 pays for the maker's time, that they are basically asking for someone to work for free.
PS interesting read on high end fursuit costs http://dogpatch.press/2014/12/31/17000-fursuit/
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I usually pay ~$13-15 for the typical shag fur on many suits.
But I'll be moving eventually because that don't make california worth it at all. : )
Love the post BTW. I don't sell my works because I'm not confident in how I make them enough for how much time and money is at stake,
but I know how much work can be put into them, and even with being able to get really cheap fur, there is no way you can sell just your effort put into it for under $300. That's ridiculous. :I
If its one thing I hate the most is folks saying 'you should be doing this for xxx price'! I remember being told that I should start fullsuits at $250 >.> I couldn't even make a cardboard suit for that cost! I wouldn't even be able to cover the hours spend making the cardboard even look decent lol
I feel super lucky to live here. The foam costs me under £5 to make a head base, the fur £6 . Felt is £1.75 a half yard x meter.
That's why I can offer head commissions starting at £80. I'm a self run (rookie) business too, it costs more to go get the materials than buy them.
( £1=$1.57 at the moment, where I live)
If it is under £25 ($37) a metre without shipping/customs then usually I won't touch it as it is too good to be true and definitely not luxury/fashion quality. I also use resin as well which is considerably more expensive than foam (£6 vs £33 for a 'trail size' bottle) You also have to factor in the adverage time spend making the parts because a business for profit can't be run for free. Builders have to eat, pay bills, do paperwork (more time).
Would you mind linking your fur supplier so I can check them out?
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17623871/ baby pink, blue and purple, as well as dark purple.
From what I've seen, fun fur is short and shiny, like plastic. And the backing is visible when you shave it. The fur I use has a denser fur, so the backing isn't Visible.
The only plus sides I can see is that it is cheaper for beginners so money is not wasted as much
The 25 pound rule I go by, I apply to shops too! If your shop has any realistic or 'bridal' furs then that is the quality you should be looking at. You can also import DF cheaper than you can buy it in the UK (you can also get it from mohair bear in the UK if you don't want to import)
From the images in your gallery the only one that does not look like funfur to me is the grey fox. Any bright coloured fur in a stores tend to always be funfur. There also tends to be a stretch to the backing too.
I'm speaking from experience of literally years trolling through fabric stores both physical and internet based.
So I can't even fathom a fullsuit for three hundred. That would be.... cardboard and fabric-land fun fur???
Likely all hot glued together.
Point being you just cannot get anything worth wile for 300 for a fullsuit. You're looking at 1000 for the bare bones of a basic fullsuit.
I know some people consider this a right of passage in the fursuit community, and quite honestly the local furs here are always more popular when they have a suit. So I don't condemn people for wanting one. But you have to educate yourself on how much one is worth, and not to offend makers by lowballing their prices!
I might have more insight to this having a suit maker as a friend, but I see people giving him a hard time over prices. I've payed close to 1000 with him for arms and a head alone.
Also for some reason the minky here is like 16$ a yard? Still cheaper online X_X
I don't make fursuits but when I make plushies the cost is so high for all the stuff I need and then it doesn't help that most of me friends and ppl complain about paying 40$ for a plush, basically working for free. I feel your paaaaain...
Not even giving it away- Its asking a stranger to subsidize it for you out of their own pocket, out of the goodness of their heart.
I wonder sometimes what some folks are thinking....
-Badger-
I mean quality fur costs... everything costs!
Thank you again for putting this out here!
Best I've done suit wise was making a head for 100. I didn't have a glue gun, elastic, foam, or even a base to make the head off. While it is understandable costs for suits can be so expensive, I don't like it. lol But still buy anyway because hell, I love suits!
If I had the expertise I would totally make a suit. But I don't. Nor do I live by anyone willing to be a mentor/tutor
definitely something helpful that i will be referring back to in the future~
and additional thanks for linking the article attachment, as well.
I just ordered 2 1/2 yards of fur from CR Crafts.. After shipping, the bill was close to $80.
Fortunately, I have a reasonably local (1/2 hr drive) fabric store that carries MM and Shannon Fabrics faux furs at better than internet prices. Every time I happen to be going that way, I stop in and go browsing. And pay sales tax.
I wish there was someplace like the LA fabric district on this side of the country..
All good quality faux fur fabrics have to be imported.
if someone pays very little they are likely gonna get lower quality, as they put only little investment into the fursuit.