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Custom Phone Cases

💰 £40-£120 ⏱ Ongoing 📊 Intermediate

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What is it?

Creating and selling custom phone cases is a creative and profitable way for teenagers to raise money for their trips. By designing unique or personalised cases, you can tap into friends, family, and your wider community’s desire for stylish, one-of-a-kind phone accessories.

Why does it work?

People love personalised items that reflect their style or interests, and phone cases are a daily-use product with broad appeal. Plus, the relatively low cost of materials combined with a reasonable selling price means good profit margins, making it easier to reach your fundraising targets.

What you'll need

  • Plain phone cases compatible with popular phone models
  • Permanent markers, acrylic paints, or paint pens
  • Stencils or stickers for designs
  • Clear sealant spray or Mod Podge to protect your designs
  • A smartphone or camera for taking product photos
  • Access to social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook) or local selling platforms
  • Packaging materials like small boxes or padded envelopes

Step-by-step plan

1
Research popular phone models among your target customers to stock the right plain cases (e.g., iPhone, Samsung).
2
Choose your design style—consider trends, favourite colours, or themes like nature, sports, or pop culture.
3
Practice your designs on spare cases or paper to perfect your technique before creating your stock.
4
Create a small initial batch of customised phone cases with neat, durable designs, sealing them to protect your artwork.
5
Photograph your cases clearly with good lighting and from multiple angles to showcase your work.
6
Set up a selling platform: use Instagram to showcase your cases or list them on local Facebook Marketplace groups.
7
Price your cases between £8 and £15 each, factoring in the cost of materials and reasonable profit.
8
Promote your cases to friends, family, and community groups; offer custom orders for an extra personal touch.
9
Manage orders carefully, keep track of payments, and package cases securely for delivery or collection.
10
Ask satisfied customers for testimonials or photos to help advertise future sales.

How to advertise it

  • Post eye-catching photos and videos on Instagram Stories and Reels with relevant hashtags (#customphonecase, #UKfundraiser).
  • Join local Facebook groups to share your products and connect with potential buyers nearby.
  • Create a short video showing the making process to engage your audience and boost interest.
  • Ask friends and family to share your posts to widen your reach.
  • Set up a stall at school events, community fairs, or markets to sell in person.

Realistic earnings

Most teenagers can expect to earn between £40 and £120 depending on the number of cases sold and the level of customisation. With consistent effort and good promotion, reaching £100 or more over a few weeks is achievable.

Top tips

✅ Focus on neat, durable designs that won’t easily fade or chip to keep customers happy.
✅ Offer customisation options like initials, favourite colours, or simple motifs for a small extra charge.
✅ Keep track of popular phone models to avoid wasting money on cases that won’t sell.
✅ Always communicate clearly with customers about delivery times to build trust.

Common mistakes to avoid

⚠️ Using materials or paints that aren’t water-resistant, causing designs to wear off quickly.
⚠️ Pricing cases too low and not covering the cost of materials and your time.
⚠️ Neglecting to test designs on cases before selling, leading to poor-quality products.
💡 TOP TIP — easyfundraising

When buying plain phone cases, paints, and sealants online or in-store, use easyfundraising to earn cashback for your fundraising pot.

Set up your easyfundraising cause free →