Online leather supplier from home

Independent leatherworkers, bag, belt and wallet makers, saddlers, bookbinders, upholsterers and craft hobbyists.

You sell at a markup over your bulk price, by the whole hide, the half side, the cut piece or the offcut bundle. Selling more of the cut and sorted pieces usually earns a better margin than whole hides.

• Knowing leather types and grades
• Sales and online shop setup
• Organising stock and orders

• Whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and allows stock storage at your address
• Import rules, duties and customs broker fees if buying from outside Canada, and any permits for exotic skins (check CITES rules with the federal government)
• Collecting and remitting GST/HST or provincial sales tax, and when to register with the CRA
• Insurance for your stock and commercial general liability, as home insurance often excludes business goods
• Storing hides dry and cool to avoid mould and damage, especially in humid or very cold spaces
• Tying up cash in stock that may sell slowly, so start small

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many hides and sides you buy in bulk and what you spend on storage and an online shop. These are estimates, and starting small helps limit cash tied up in stock.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your range, pricing and how quickly stock sells. Slow-selling hides tie up cash, so these figures are revenue estimates rather than profit.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and allows stock storage at your address. If importing, check duties, customs broker fees and CITES permits for exotic skins. Also check when to register with the CRA for GST/HST or provincial sales tax, and insurance for stock.