Booming Scrapbooking Industry


A while back I posted an article about the knitting craze, and how small business knitting and yarn shops had boomed as a result.

Well, here’s a trend along a similar vein: the boom in scrapbooking.

Scrapbooking — or “memory crafts” as the hobby is also called — has exploded in the past decade. According to the Hobby and Craft Association, the trade association for the craft industry, scrapbooking is now a US$2.5 Billion industry that is showing no signs of slowing growth. There are now over 3,000 scrapbooking stores nationwide in the United States, serving 25 million scrapbookers.

Scrapbookers save family memories, including military memories of loved ones. The hobby is predominantly female, with older women constituting a large portion of the market.

Many scrapbooking shops are run by small businesses.

As with most hobby and enthusiast businesses, scrapbooking stores tend to be run by people who are themselves scrapbookers. They understand the craft, tend to stock more items than general craft store chains, and can be more helpful when answering questions.

7 Comments ▼

Anita Campbell Anita Campbell is the Founder, CEO and Publisher of Small Business Trends and has been following trends in small businesses since 2003. She is the owner of BizSugar, a social media site for small businesses.

7 Reactions
  1. Nice information. I am surpised that the internet hasn’t eaten into the scrapbooking business. I wonder if there is any research that shows the effect or utilization of technology within the industry as a whole. Great link also to the Hobby and Craft Association. Thanks for the information.

  2. I am responding to an old comment on an even older post, but this item just came to my attention (by way of a google search) and I felt it necessary to contribute.

    As with most any other industry, the connectivity of the internet and the utilization of technolgy solutions has had, and continues to have, an enourmous impact on the scrapbooking industry and those the industry serves. It is safe to say that, from every perspective, wether hobby or career, those in and around the world of scrapbooking can enhance their interest and the outcomes of their efforts toward preserving memories through photos and words, through the use of applied technology. It is only through these vehicles that I have been able to research paper crafting materials, learn about specific techniques (such as taking an online creative writing course, specifically geared toward personal journaling) or read about the approach that others take to the craft. Many people have begun documenting their stories only as a result of digital “scrapbooking” opportunties as a result of photoshop and other software solutions.

    No doubt about it, the internet offers every opportunity for expansion of this industry. Now, people in more rural areas can access products, services and ideas in a much more cost-effective way. The technological aspects open the field to a broader, and younger, audience in ways previously unexplored. The field is blossoming.

    In support of my position, I suggest visits to industry leaders such as http://www.donnadowney.com. http://www.aliedwardsdesign.com, or http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com. I have only touched on the topic. A compreshensive article would be interesting. Hope this clarifies things.

    Molly Irwin

  3. Ms. Irwin so aptly acknowledged the scrapbooking industry and how computer technology and the internet have put products at everyone’s fingertips.
    I would like to take that a step further and explain that digital scrapbooking or using your computer to make scrapbook layouts and albums is having a huge effect on the real paper scrapbooking industry. There are thousands of digital scrapbooking stores on the net that sell nothing but digital scrapbook products that are downloadable only or can be purchased and burned to a cd and mailed to the purchaser. This is a wonderful feature because you buy the product once at a very reasonable price and you have it forever! You create your layout designs, add your digital or scanned photos and print.
    With paper products the average page costs about 10.00 but with a digital scrapbook kit you never use it all up and items can be easily recolored to fit any color scheme for your books. Even with printing costs of the layouts you are saving one heck of a lot of money over the cost of the real paper and elements at the scrapbook store.
    Here is a prime example of a digital scrapbook store where there are thousands of downloadable products:
    http://store.scrapbook-elements.com/.
    With the tech savvy baby boomer generation this is the perfect outlet for our scrapbooking hobby. Save money and learn a whole new technique all at one time. Pay no postage and have your product at your fingertips now!

  4. Digital storybooking is even getting the attention of Oprah! Look for Heritage Makers to be on her Favorite Things List this fall. Only in it’s second year, Heritage Makers is soon to be the leader in the digital scrapbooking industry and will become a household name. What is so great about this company is that the 30,000 pieces of artwork and embellishments are available on-line, there is nothing to download, you have access to all of it, and the newest collections added monthly for a subscription price that you can cancel and renew at anytime. The new Studio 2.0 is cutting-edge technology, just installed in September 2007 allowing the user to have access to advanced tools that are easy to use. And if you’re aren’t the creative type, you can use their Classic Publishing System and choose from a huge variety of templates and layouts already created for you. And everything you create is archived permanently. If something happens to your book, even if it is your own fault, you can have it replaced at half-price.
    I agree with cyberblonde…save money and time by learning this new technique in preserving your memories!
    http://www.inspiringheritage.com

  5. …pie

  6. The answers herein address all three of these, it appears. ,

  7. been a typo, Your blog looks good. Have a nice day.