How To Start A Greeting Card Business From Home In The UK

You're in the right place for how to start a greeting card business from home. There are 20 ready-to-copy lines on this page, grouped into step one: design a small range, step two: printing and costs and step three: pricing and postage, plus more below - pick one, change a detail so it sounds like you, and you're done.

We started this shop from a kitchen table, so this is written from the inside rather than from a template. Cards are one of the cheapest creative businesses to start and one of the easiest to price badly.

The order that works: a small tight range, a print method that suits your volume, honest costs, then somewhere to sell. Here is each step.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Laptops, software and printing services are recommendations from elsewhere.

Step one: design a small range

• Start with six to twelve designs in one clear voice, not fifty in four styles.
• Pick a lane - funny, rude, sentimental, milestone birthdays - and be the best at it.
• Set up artwork at A6 or A5 folded, CMYK, 300dpi, with 3mm bleed.
• A laptop that runs Illustrator, Photoshop or Affinity without stalling is the one tool you genuinely need. A MacBook Air handles design files silently and colour-accurately, which matters when you are proofing shades of pink at midnight.
• Print a test set at home before you order hundreds.

Step two: printing and costs

• Digital printing is right below about 250 per design; litho only pays off in bigger runs.
• A UK trade printer typically lands cards at 30p to 70p each including an envelope, depending on run size.
• Budget separately for cello bags or compostable sleeves, backing boards and postal wallets.
• Get a physical proof before signing off a full run. Screens lie about colour.
• Keep a spreadsheet of unit cost per design, or you will guess your margins.

Step three: pricing and postage

• Most UK independent cards retail between GBP 3.50 and GBP 5. Wholesale is roughly half of retail.
• Work out retail from cost, not from what feels polite to charge.
• Large letter postage is the sneaky cost - check thickness with the envelope and packaging together.
• Offer free postage over a threshold rather than pretending postage is free.
• Factor in your own time, even if you ignore it in the first year.

Step four: where to sell

• Your own shop on Shopify or Etsy, or both - Etsy for discovery, your own site for margin.
• Local markets and craft fairs, which are the fastest honest feedback you will ever get.
• Wholesale to independent shops once you have a range and a line sheet.
• Register as a sole trader with HMRC once you are trading, and keep receipts from day one.
• See what we make - Shop the range

Shop greetings cards

How to write it so it lands

• Six good designs beat fifty scattered ones.
• Always order a physical proof.
• Check large letter postage before pricing.

Where to shop next

• Greetings cards
• Wedding cards
• Wall art and prints
• Pin badges
• Party decorations
• DIY wedding invitations
• Best laptop for graphic design students
• Digital scrapbooking
• Small home office ideas
• How to self publish a book
• Gifts for graphic designers
• Gifts for university students
• Gifts for video editors
• Gifts for tech lovers
• Gifts for musicians
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

Is a greeting card business profitable in the UK?

It can be. Cards typically cost 30p to 70p each to print and retail at GBP 3.50 to GBP 5, but postage, packaging, fees and marketing eat the gap, so volume and a clear niche matter more than margin per card.

How much does it cost to start a card business?

A first run of six designs, packaging and a basic shop can be done for GBP 300 to GBP 800 in the UK, assuming you already own a computer.

Do you need to register a card business with HMRC?

Yes, once you are trading. Registering as a sole trader is free and you file a self assessment each year.

What software do you need to design greetings cards?

Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, Affinity Designer, or Procreate on an iPad. Files need to be 300dpi, CMYK, with 3mm bleed.

How do you sell greeting cards wholesale?

Build a line sheet with trade prices and minimum order, then approach independent gift shops directly or exhibit at a trade fair.

Do you sell laptops?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Laptops and software are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.