Fursuit Prices.

[Kobuk]

From time to time on Furtopia and/or on other sites, I often see people asking the following:
* How much does a fursuit cost?
* Are there any cheap fursuits?
* Why does ****** cost so much?
........and so many other variations of the above questions. Therefor, I think it's about time I tried to write some sort of guide about fursuit pricing and why fursuits cost so much. Granted, not all of my information within will be accurate or precise. What I have written is mostly guesses or estimates based on what I've read and seen throughout the fandom. If any fursuit maker or other person wishes to add in more advice, then please do so.

Let me start off by saying the following: Fursuits are NOT cheap.   If you think they are, then you are wrong. Why are fursuits and/or fursuit parts so expensive? Well, some reasons can be given/explained in my "How to Commission a Fursuit" tutorial which is here:
LINK: http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php/topic,24176.0.html
.
But the 5 most important factors which can be, but is not limited to, are:

Prices for suits and/or parts are determined on the following:
1. The design of the suit that a customer wants.
2. Cost of materials and supplies to make the suit.
3. How much time and effort the maker spent on making the suit.
4. How much skills and experience the maker has, and how long they've been making suits/parts for others.
5. What maker you have selected to make your suit and/or fursuit parts.

And out of those five, Item #1 about design is probably the most important. The more intricate and complex the design of your suit is, then the higher the price will be. The more features and accessories you want, then the more time, effort, materials to buy, etc. it takes to build your suit, and all of that will raise the cost.

But you're probably wondering: What is an "average" cost for fursuits? Every maker will have different prices for the suits and parts they make. If for example we're just talking about a full fursuit (Head, Hands, Feet, Bodysuit, Tail), then the following is a guess on what the price range might be.

* $1000-1200/1500 or under if the maker is new and just starting out and does not have a lot of experience and skills yet.
* $1200-2000/2200 for a maker who has a few years experience but may not quite be at the high end professional level yet.
* $2000-2500/3000+ for a high end professional quality full fursuit.

IMPORTANT EDIT: I've gotten some advice (and also some negative comments) that the price ranges listed above (and/or anywhere else) are unfair and/or that fursuit makers should not be put into different "price catagories/levels" so to speak. I sincerely apologise to any fursuit maker or fursuiter who feels that they were "catagorised" and offended by this. Is there such a thing as an "average" price or price range for a full fursuit? It's really hard to say. Fursuit makers, whether they be novices, professionals, etc. will charge different prices for different suits. It's possible a new maker who has lots of exceptional sewing and craft skills but has only made 2 suits to start with can sell suits for $2000. Or there can be a maker who has been making dozens of suits for several years and be $1200 for one suit, then $1800 for another, then $2200 for another, then drop down to $1700 for another, etc. because of style differences or something else. Every fursuit maker is different and every fursuit is different. But is there still any "average" price range to a full fursuit at all? Best guess might be $1500-2200+ range. But as the months and years go by, that could change. New fursuit construction techniques, New materials, and new fursuit makers can all drive up or down the cost of a full fursuit. But do you really want to know what my best advice is for someone who wants a fursuit or fursuit part, and wants to know how much it's going to cost? Here it is:
Follow the steps in my "How to Commission a Fursuit" tutorial which is linked further above and contact the fursuit maker and send your sketches and concepts to them so they can better give you a price quote on how much your fursuit might cost.

And what about partial suits (Head, Hands, Feet, & Tail)? Well, best guess might be roughly $500-1200.

But what if you're not buying a full suit or a partial suit, but want to buy an individual part instead like just a head or a tail, etc.? Best guesses might be:
* Heads: Anywhere from $300 to as much as $1000.
* Bodysuits: $300-750+
* Hands/Feet/Tails: Anywhere from as low as $50, to as much as $200 depending on colors, construction, shape, etc., etc.

Now some people might say my price guesses/estimates are wrong and that I don't know jack. Ok, maybe they are. I never claimed to be a fursuit maker nor am I strongly educated in economics.   But as I've continuously said, Costs will go up (or down) depending on the design and complexity of what you want.

So what are some of the factors/items that can determine the price of a fursuit? Well, the following list can include, but is not limited to:
* Animatronics/fans in the head such as blinking eyes, Glowing/LED eyes or animatronics/electronics in other parts of a fursuit.
* Horns, Antlers, Hooved feet/hands.
* Airbrushed markings.
* Realistic type heads that use taxidermy jawsets, eyes, etc.
* Wings and wing systems.
* Fur: Fur fabric can cost anywhere from $10-30+ a yard, or it may cost per square foot if buying from a high quality professional supplier.
* How much materials the maker has to buy and where they are buying them from.
* Animatronic tails.
* Parade soles on feet or paw pads.
* Extra padding in certain places of the fursuit.
* Realism. The more realistic you want your suit/character to look as close to an actual animal, then the higher the price will go up.
* New construction materials and techniques that are used in the making of the fursuit.
.........And the list can go on and on. It all adds up in the long run.

So if you're going to get a fursuit or a fursuit part, then think carefully about what you want and plan accordingly. Make a budget and save.

[LordFenrir]

Something that also should be taken into account is that the fursuit maker spends a good deal of time on making the fursuit, usually about 2-3 months working on the suit.  They have to charge for their time, otherwise they wouldn't make any money at all, wouldn't have a place to live, and therefore wouldn't be able to make the suit in the first place.  Let's assume they spend all that time on your suit...even making little above minimum wage, I still manage to make $1500 a month, so that price is a nice discount I think

Also, many supplies are not cheap.  I recently purchased a "mask blank", which is a plastic resin mask and cost me $140.  This mask contains a working hinged jaw, custom resin eyes with a cool "follow-me" effect, fully textured nose and eyelids, and a taxidermy jaw and tongue set.  I managed get this price and the mask before the artist raised her prices because it wasn't cost-effective to be selling them for that cheap...the plastic resin alone was half the cost

So, for any new furs who want a suit now, please think about how much time, effort, and money these suit makers put into their costumes.  For many of them, this is how they make their living.

Cheers,
Lord Fenrir

[SPark]

I think another thing that's overlooked, when it comes to time/money, is all the tangental expenses and time drains.  I mean... I spend several hours every week *talking* to customers about possible designs. That's not something I'm doing for fun, it's work, and I wish I could be paid for it, but the only way to do so is to figure it into the cost of a suit. And what about the cost of my sewing machine?  The regular repairs to same?  The google ad I bought to promote my business? The time I spend doing paperwork and tax stuff?  They're all small expenses, but they all add up fast.

So when I price a suit, it's materials + incidental costs + time spent sewing + time spent discussing etc.

[Kobuk]

Adding in the following.......


Now that people have read some of the reasons why fursuits cost so much, you may now be thinking: "They're so expensive. I'll never have the money for that."   Saving money to get a fursuit or fursuit part is not impossible. It might be a tad difficult, but it's by no means impossible.
The main key is determining how much you want to spend to get a fursuit, then making some sort of budget or saving plan and sticking to it (If possible).

Here's a few tips to try and get/save money:

* Do household chores like doing dishes, laundry, cleaning, mowing the lawn, etc. to get a monetary allowance from your parents.

* Mow lawns, trim hedges, shovel snow, wash cars, or other odd jobs in your neighborhood to help your friends and neighbors.

* Have a bake sale. Cookies are always good.

* If you're old enough and can manage it, then maybe seek a part time job.
 
* You don't need to save a lot out of your job paychecks for a fursuit. A little bit here and there every payday will add up in the long run. For example, let's say your first paycheck is $324.89. You could choose to use either the $4.89 or the $24.89 to start saving for your fursuit. And if your next paycheck was $515.65, you could choose whether to save $5.65 or the $15.65 portion. A word of caution: Always make sure to take care of your basic necessities first like food, paying rent, car payments, gas, etc. A fursuit is considered a "luxury item". It is NOT necessary for your well being. But food, shelter, car, etc. IS.

* Every time you have spare change like pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, then save it and put it in a jar. It all adds up in the long run.

* This is something I've tried to do in the past, but without much success.      After you pay for something at a store and you get your change back, try saving the $1 single bills.

* And last but not least: Get a Savings or Checking account at a bank to put all your hard earned money in it.

There's probably more tips I could give on saving money for a fursuit, but those are just some sample suggestions I have offered for now.

[Jacoby Quinn]

i have a question, i have set up a commision with cosfurs, but i decided to do a quick google search of koisnake, i found an artists beware article, dated 2010

http://artists-beware.dreamwidth.org/445053.html#cutid1

i know sometimes these are posted based on bad blood or drama, but koi posted and confirmed that he did indeed never get started on the project, he claimed to be having financial troubles and lack of time, that was three years ago

my deal with koi was that i would provide materials and he would build the suit at a discount

$650

here is the thing, i have not sent money or materials yet, and i was wondering, should i continue with this after finding the information? i always keep extremely meticulous records on this sort of thing, but i am wondering if i should do it or not?

[Kobuk]

Seeing as how the AB entry is a bit old, you may wish to do further "recent" research about the maker and company and see if there have been any recent incidents that might make you re-consider using them. If possible, try contacting past or present other clients this maker has had to ask about the work that they've gotten from the maker.

[Jacoby Quinn]

ok....how do i find the clients?

[Rocket T. Coyote]

I sell stuff on Ebay to cover such things as con registration and hobby items, but also made enough one year to pay for a fursuit and a partial fursuit in a prior year. However, Ebay could prove to be a big gamble for a newbie. So taking advantage of any seminars offered in your locale is advisable.

[Jacoby Quinn]

what kinda stuff do you sell?

[Rocket T. Coyote]

what kinda stuff do you sell?

Vintage clothing, costume items and collectables.