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Parachute cord, which is also called paracord, 550 paracord, or mil spec paracord, was originally used by the U.S. military during the Second World War. These days, civilians use it for just about anything—rope jewelry, outdoor survival, emergencies, and practical applications for everyday life.
As a business owner or a potential business owner of outdoor equipment, you might be curious if you can make money selling paracord. So, in this article, we’ll discuss the profitability of paracord, finding a good paracord manufacturer, and important considerations and challenges.
Overview of the Paracord Industry
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It’s difficult to give an exact figure for the demand for commercial nylon cords around the world. According to Volza Global, a self-service app that provides global export trade data, there are 3,724 paracord import shipments from 44 importing countries. The leading suppliers of imported paracord come from China and Indonesia.
Here are a few tips to determine if paracord is worth selling:
1. Find the ideal customers for your products and services. The simplest way to do this is to engage them online. You can join forums or communities for outdoor enthusiasts, the military, crafting and do-it-yourself projects, animal lovers, and sports fans.
2. You can also search for the top-selling paracord products on different global online marketplaces, such as Alibaba, Amazon, and Etsy. These platforms provide tools to help you quickly determine if paracord is truly worth your time and money.
3. The easiest way to know if paracord is a good product to sell is to look for businesses that make money out of it. Study your direct competitors. This helps you gather information on their best-selling paracord and what they’ve done to successfully market their products.
Potential Target Markets for Parachute Cord ropes
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The great thing about paracord is that it has a relatively large customer base. Here are just a few of your possible target customers for paracord braided rope and paracord that meets military specifications:
Outdoor Enthusiasts
People who love the outdoors, such as campers and hikers, could use paracord for a wide range of purposes. For instance, reflective paracord and glow-in-the-dark paracord will make sure people don’t trip over their tent strings in the dark ever again. People can also use it to tie their gear to their backpacks.
Law Enforcement and Military
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Military-grade paracord undergoes more rigorous breaking strength tests than commercial 550 paracord. This makes them suitable for heavy-duty applications that are common in law enforcement and military settings.
The military uses mil spec paracord in different ways due to its incredible strength and versatility. It can be useful for setting up temporary shelters, replacing broken buckles or straps, securing equipment, and building improvised structures.
Survival and Prepper Groups
Aside from the cord itself, the core strands would make good tinder for starting fires. You could also take out each strand and use it for sewing and suturing wounds. For people who like to be prepared for any disaster or emergency—like preppers and survivalists—paracord perfectly aligns with their needs.
People Devoted to Sporting and Outdoor Activities
Quality paracord can provide a secure, non-slip grip on the handle of sporting equipment, such as a bat or racket. If there’s no field-marking paint or white artificial grass, paracord can be a good alternative to marking the lines on a sports field. It can also be used to attach or secure sporting equipment to, let’s say, a backpack.
Creatives and Do-It-Yourselfers
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Paracord is also popular in the crafting community and fashion industry. Most manufacturers provide paracord in numerous colors, construction styles, and sizes. This makes it easier for people to let their creativity flow and create a wide range of eye-catching and practical accessories, such as belts, keychains, necklaces, pet collars, tactical bracelets, and home decorations.
Remember that the demand for this item can fluctuate over time, depending on economic trends, changes in consumer behavior, and global issues, just to name a few. So, before you rush into buying a stock of paracord, do thorough research first. Consult recent industry reports, sales figures, and market research.
Finding a Paracord Manufacturer with Great Customer Service
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When setting up your paracord business, one of the things you need to do is find a reliable manufacturer. If you still haven’t found one, we’d like to share a few helpful tips for choosing the best one for your business.
Experience and Reputation
How many years has the company been in operation? What do the recent reviews say about the company?
We think that it’s a given that you would want to work with a manufacturer that knows what they’re doing and has a good industry reputation. There are many ways to find these reputable manufacturers, such as by reading customer and expert reviews and asking for recommendations from trusted sources.
Regulatory Compliance
The laws and regulations with which manufacturers need to comply will depend on the country where they operate. For instance, they may need to meet laws and regulations for product safety, product testing, labeling, packaging, and environmental health. Choosing a manufacturer that complies with regulations and sustainability efforts will give your business an added advantage.
Quality of Materials and Workmanship
Paracord is usually made from high-strength nylon and polyester fibers. If a manufacturer meets industry standards and regulations, it’s highly likely their products are also made from high-quality materials.
If you order your paracord from a local manufacturer, take time to visit their manufacturing facility in person. However, this might be difficult if you’re working with a manufacturer abroad. Fortunately, most of these companies offer samples of your orders before you fully commit.
Tested Tensile Strength
Paracord braided rope is available in different breaking strengths, from 95 pounds to over 1,000 pounds. This rating is usually for static load (the maximum weight it can support in a fixed position). Make sure to ask the manufacturer to provide details about their paracord’s minimum and maximum safe working load capacities.
Customization Options
One of the advantages of sourcing paracord straight from the factory is that you have more control over its production. Some manufacturing companies offer ODM and OEM (based on your requirements) services to customers. So, if you have specific ideas on the color, pattern, or packaging, ask the manufacturer if they offer custom paracord options.
Customer Support and Services
Evaluate the manufacturer’s customer support. Do they have a fast response time? Are their employees friendly and helpful throughout the process? Top-notch customer support is especially helpful if the manufacturer is based outside your country, so you can’t just visit their office or production facility whenever you want.
Pricing
Production costs are an important factor for businesses to consider if they want to survive. That’s why most businesses source their products from manufacturers abroad, such as those in China, because it’s less expensive.
While this is beneficial for your business’ financial health, make sure to prioritize value for your money rather than being focused on getting the cheapest paracord. Search for manufacturers that provide a good balance between quality products and competitive pricing.
Now, if you’re not considering any paracord manufacturer right now, we’d like to make a suggestion—Baiyuheng Outdoors.
Baiyuheng Outdoors
Source: Baiyuheng Outdoors
Baiyuheng Outdoors was established in 2010 in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, China. The company is fully certified to manufacture all types of outdoor equipment and gear, from ferro rods to survival cards to paracord. The company is dedicated to the production and distribution of high-quality products that you can customize to fit your business needs.
Best Product
Source: Baiyuheng Outdoors
Baiyuheng Outdoors provides a wide selection of braided rope and paracord products to their customers. One of these is the Bengku 550 paracord, which is the most popular paracord variety because it perfectly balances flexibility and strength.
Inside the paracord’s outer sheath are seven strands, each with another set of three strands that are woven together to give the cord amazing strength. The paracord has a minimum safe working load (static) of up to 550 pounds.
Why Choose Baiyuheng Outdoors
- Baiyuheng Outdoors is committed to shipping your orders on time. So, it’s not surprising that they have a high on-time delivery rating on Alibaba.com.
- In fact, they can deliver your orders to your doorstep.
- They offer customization services to help you build your brand.
- Their minimum order requirement (MOQ) is low, so you don’t need to buy a lot of paracord if you’re not yet ready for it.
- In addition, they can give you product samples and photos—free of charge!
- They have a team of customer representatives who are always ready to help.
Conclusion
So, can you make money selling paracord?
The answer is that it depends.
There are many factors that affect the profitability of a product like paracord, such as production costs and marketing and advertising strategies. But overall, paracord is worth adding to your product inventory because of its large potential target markets.
Once you’re ready to invest in paracord, it’s important to find a reputable manufacturer or supplier. Baiyuheng Outdoor is one of the best options out there.
