Behind the scenes with Sutured Specimens, The Vegan Taxidermist
When Beth first introduced herself in our member forums as a ‘Vegan Taxidermist’ we had a momentary double-take! We talk a lot about creating a real ‘point of difference’, something which will make you really stand out beyond just being a vegan business, and Beth has done just that.
Now, before you worry, Beth doesn’t actually work with animals in her taxidermy. Trading as Sutured Specimens, Beth is actually an artist who makes what looks like antique anatomical studies out of all-vegan fabrics which you can buy to add a little macabre humour to your life! She also uses her creations to open up conversations about veganism with the public who see her work. Lisa recently interviewed Beth about her vegan business and there are a number of important lessons we can all learn about how to move a part-time passion to a full-time business (which Beth is currently doing), how you can use quick, pop-up tactics to test if there is a market for your business and how you can use your business to start conversations about veganism with non-vegans.
Watch the video above, or Lisa also interviewed Beth for our business column in Vegan Food and Living Magazine which you can read here:
What exactly is a vegan taxidermist?
A vegan taxidermist makes specimens suitable for the most bizarre and creepiest of curiosity collections without harming any creatures in the process. S/he must have a dark sense of humour and a taste for vegan substitutes.
What has people’s reactions been to your work?
The initial response is normally a healthy look of distaste, followed by confusion and normally ending up with a little giggle of what might be enjoyment or might be relief!
What role has veganism and the vegan cause played in the development of your work?
My work has developed alongside my own vegan journey. When I push myself to do better, it impacts my work, which in turn pulls me along. As an artist, my work is very much a part of me and is also a reflection of me. I have always been inspired by the unusual or the rare, but these items often come at an ethical or moral price. Imagine, then, a guilt-free, framed and mounted, tooth faerie skeleton!
How did you get started in vegan taxidermy?
It all began with making a gift. I wanted to use my sewing skills to make a human skull shaped doorstop. I failed miserably on my first attempt, which made me want to keep trying! After creating the skull, the next piece I made were some vertebrae to sit with the skull in an art exhibition, and from there I started to get requests for certain animals, or I would be inspired to create something particularly unusual.
How did it first become a business? Was it a conscious decision that you were going to try and make money from it?
Whilst participating in a local pop-up shop, selling some hats that I had made, I put a few skulls for sale; they sold, and from that point on my focus was entirely shifted in this new direction. Each new challenge that I set myself becomes an obsession until I have finalised the design, and then I am able to sell it. How lucky I am to have made a business from my passion!
Where do you sell your work?
Mostly I sell online to people all over the world through my Etsy shop, but I also sell at pop-up markets and tattoo conventions. I prefer to see my customers in real life, but with social media I am still able to have wonderful chats with clients who are too far away to visit me at a market.
How did you get started in vegan taxidermy?
It all began with making a gift. I wanted to use my sewing skills to make a human skull shaped doorstop. I failed miserably on my first attempt, which made me want to keep trying! After creating the skull, the next piece I made were some vertebrae to sit with the skull in an art exhibition, and from there I started to get requests for certain animals, or I would be inspired to create something particularly unusual.
How did it first become a business? Was it a conscious decision that you were going to try and make money from it?
Whilst participating in a local pop-up shop, selling some hats that I had made, I put a few skulls for sale; they sold, and from that point on my focus was entirely shifted in this new direction. Each new challenge that I set myself becomes an obsession until I have finalised the design, and then I am able to sell it. How lucky I am to have made a business from my passion!
Where do you sell your work?
Mostly I sell online to people all over the world through my Etsy shop, but I also sell at pop-up markets and tattoo conventions. I prefer to see my customers in real life, but with social media I am still able to have wonderful chats with clients who are too far away to visit me at a market.
What business skills have you had to learn in developing this into a commercial venture?
Any of the skills that involve a computer (rather than a sewing machine) don’t come naturally to me! Some of the new skills I enjoyed learning, such as social media; whereas some other skills I intend to outsource soon, such as my tax returns!
What are your plans with Sutured Specimens in the future?
All of my products are carefully handmade by me, which is very important to the ethos of Sutured Specimens. This means that I will always be a small and bespoke business. However, my imagination has no limits, and my hands can’t keep up with my new product ideas. So, my range of products will keep expanding, and as new materials are developed (such as sustainable vegan leathers) this may lead me to places I haven’t even begun to explore!
What would your advice or top tips be for someone who is thinking about starting their own vegan business?
As always, Unique Selling Point. Remember that vegans come in all shapes and sizes and have many pursuits and pastimes. If you have ever wanted a product or service that hasn’t been available in “vegan” then you can almost guarantee that someone else has wanted it too – that is your niche market. When selling your product or service, be aware that you have two types of customers, vegans who want your product because it is vegan, and non-vegans who want your product because it is better than the non-vegan version. Don’t limit yourself to vegan only selling spaces – your unique selling point may be even more unique in the wider world.
Visit Beth’s website at www.suturedspecimens.co.uk or browse and buy her work at www.etsy.com/shop/suturedspecimens.
Lisa says :
When it comes to creating a new niche as a vegan business, Sutured Specimens is a great example. Beth has combined her skillset with her veganism, and her artistic talent and passion for the cause is providing increasing momentum for a truly unique set of products. She is also a testament to how a personal touch can provide an ever-growing base of loyal fans.
It’s also important to learn how Beth first tested her idea. Originally she was making hats and fascinators but used a pop-up stall to test selling something a bit more macabre – the results gave her the validation that there was a marketplace before she put lots of time and effort into setting something up that was unproven.
