Hand-Blown drinking glasses studio

Restaurants, bars, boutique hotels, homeware shops and wholesalers, plus direct customers through studio sales and online.

Wholesale orders for sets of glasses, custom venue orders, and retail sales of premium pieces. Selling workshops or studio visits can add some income.

• Glassblowing at a production-ready level
• Consistency across batches
• Costing energy, materials and labour
• Building relationships with venues and retailers

• Check zoning and planning rules with your local council before leasing a workshop
• Furnace running costs are high, and gas and electrical work needs licensed tradespeople
• Fire, heat and safety risks: check requirements for ventilation, fire safety and protective gear
• Public liability, product liability and property insurance, and workers compensation if you hire
• Regular output of consistent product takes years of skill, so expect a learning period
• Startup costs depend heavily on whether you buy new or second-hand equipment and how much fit-out the unit needs

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $80,000 to $250,000, depending heavily on whether you buy new or second-hand equipment and how much fit-out your unit needs. Get quotes for the furnace, annealer and installation.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on your output, range and how many venues and retailers you supply. Revenue is not profit, and furnace running costs are high.

Check zoning and planning rules with your council before leasing. Use licensed tradespeople for gas and electrical work, and check ventilation, fire safety and protective gear requirements. Look at public liability, product liability and property insurance, plus workers compensation if you hire.