The Maker’s Manual on selling internationally
Have you wondered about what it would take to sell your work abroad? Or perhaps you are already operating internationally and looking at the impact of tariffs and regulations. Whatever it is, we’re here to point you in the right direction.
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It’s a seductive idea, that someone thousands of miles away could open a parcel and smile happily as they unwrap something you have made. But selling abroad is more complicated than selling in your home country and, as rules and regulations shift, not getting any easier. That said, it’s not insurmountable and is probably easier than you might first think.
Recent research from DCMS showed that craft exports make up 35% (£3.5bn) of creative industries exports (£10.2bn).
For the first edition of our Maker’s Manual we’ve spoken to experts, people who have already done it and summed up the current state of play on tariffs in the United States (we’ll do our best to stay on top of that one, but circumstances being what they are…).
We’ve also rounded up our exiting resources on the subject and looked for the best advice elsewhere. If you’re ready to navigate international waters, read on. And remember, nothing here is insurmountable. Knowledge, and expert help when needed, are the tools you need to make your craft business work.
Where to start
- Our International Toolkit is a comprehensive document covering all aspects of selling abroad. It’s worth reading thoroughly.
- For a quicker read, if you’re looking for food for thought rather than a nuts-and-bolts guide, try our eight tips for fast tracking your career globally.
- If you want to export your work on a temporary basis, we have another Toolkit here.
- The Government’s advice for small businesses looking to trade overseas is clear and comprehensive.
Our expert voices
- For every edition of The Maker’s Manual, we’ll speak to three experts who can give advice on a topic from different perspectives.
- Andrea Collins is a founder of The Global Trade Department, a business which helps small and micro businesses trade overseas. She gives us a great overview.
- Freya McLeavy is a Senior Director at Sarah Myerscough Gallery, a leading contemporary craft gallery, and has handled international sales for most of her career.
- Louisa Pacifico is the founder of the craft event Future Icons and talks to us about showing at fairs.
On the United States
- The situation in American is still changing rapidly. This is our latest article, produced as part of this Maker’s Manual, where we give a comprehensive overview of the current situation. We’ll do our best to keep it updated. For further context, we also provided an update in April in one of our policy briefings.
- We also spoke to maker Joel Haran of Studio Haran, who make and sell beautiful ceramic light shades and the associated fittings. Read how the Studio Haran business has been directly affected by events in the US and what steps Joel and the team have taken as a consequence.
Selling in Europe
- Products being sold in the EU and Northern Ireland are highly regulated to ensure quality, safety and fairness. To investigate what you will need to do, the European Union has a guide here.
- We also ran an online seminar about understanding the new General Product Safety Regulations, which you can watch again here.
On packaging
- Aside from regulations and tariffs, you want to make sure your work arrives in one piece. Read our packing guide for more information.
- If you are selling in the EU or Northern Ireland, it’s also worth looking into the new rules on packaging waste.
- Look out for the next edition of The Maker’s Manual in January 2026. Our next digital edition of Craft Stories will drop in December.
