This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
Do you love crafting with your xTool laser cutter and looking into turning your hobby into a small business? With the right approach, you can turn your passion for laser projects into a profitable business venture. Learn what you need to know about starting a business selling your xTool laser crafts.
Can you actually make money with your xTool laser?
Yes, you most definitely can! A laser is an excellent way to help you make a little extra money or a whole extra income.
I love creating things with my xTool S1 and coming up with new and fun designs. So, it’s even better that I can do what I love to do at home while also earning some money on the side.
(Not sure what xTools is? Check out my xTool S1 review here)
xTool has so many different machines available. Some have diode lasers and some have CO2 lasers, plus there’s different watts that range from 10w to 55w. The xTool S1 is user-friendly; you can connect, install and start cutting in just a few hours.
These mama keychains below were some of the first products I made right after setting up machine.
HOW TO START A LASER BUSINESS:
Identifying Your Niche – The first step in turning a laser business into a side hustle is finding your niche. Whether you want to make custom-made jewelry, personalized leather goods, or unique home decor, pick something you’re passionate about. You want to enjoy what you making and you want it to be worth your time.
I recommend starting small and scaling as you see the popularity of the products grow – and get rid of the ones that don’t sell. You can even take a look around on Etsy and Facebook Marketplace to see what is being sold.
Purchase your supplies – Supplies are going to vary depending on what niche you decide to go into. But for every laser business you’ll need to invest in at least the following:
- Laser Cutter & Engraver
- Blanks
- Computer
For small businesses and beginners the xTool S1 is great machine to start using. You can get it on sale right now for $899.99 through the xTools.com website. And they always have sales so if you don’t purchase one right now, make sure to check when you are ready to take the leap into laser crafting. I also love that the S1 has interchangeable laser modules so you can swap out your 10w with a 20w, 40w, or a 2w infrared module.
For blanks you’ll want to invest in some to start creating your products once you figure out your niche. xTool offers different options of material packs that include blanks. You can also purchase your blanks from local craft stores, Amazon, or wherever you can find them!
And you’ll need a computer to connect to the cutting software, xTools Creative Space.
Creating your designs
xTool Creative Space has a Project Center that is always growing with ideas, and they are super fun to browse.
And as long as your paying attention to commercial and products license you can browse through Etsy for available commercial svg files that you can use.
The other option to you can create your own using Adobe and xTools Creative Space.
Where to sell items made from your xTool Laser
Here are a few places you can start selling your products once you get started:
- Craft Fairs
- Personal Facebook Group
- Business Facebook
- Online shop through Shopify
- Etsy
- Amazon
- eBay
Marketing
I recommend creating an online presence using TikTok or Instagram. Being active on social media and sharing post engaging content, behind the scene videos creating projects helps connect with your audience and builds a community around your brand. And will lead to more sales!
