In 2018 slime content generated 25.4 billion views on Youtube, an increase of 78 percent
from 2016. But where exactly did the slime craze come from? Kids, of course! They were
making it at home and selling it in the schoolyard for cold, hard cash. The market was easy to
break into – you only needed three cheap ingredients. Before long the slime trade had
moved online, where ambitious producers could pocket thousands of dollars a month.
Not only did slimers do brisk business, they also showed off their skills with how-tos,
and demoed the ASMR power of slime-popping audio.
Now homemade slime is so well-known it’s created countless social media stars, and
even caused glue shortages in some craft stores! So why is slime so popular? And just how did
this niche internet fad go from a recess hustle to a lucrative industry?
While products like slime have been around since the late 70s, it’s the children of
those slimers who now make up the majority of both the workforce and the consumer market.
With tween girls and young women at the helm, slime sold online goes for around $6 to $16
dollars per jar. The prices go up with unique varieties like mystery, made-to-order, textured
and scented slimes. And with different add-ins like glitter, beads and charms, the final
ticket price continues to rise.
A slimer often works alone, but many start off with friends and family helping build
a hobby into an empire.
My business started at my house. But I moved into an office, and now I just have around
2 to 3 employees.
The more help you have, the more you can slime. And the more money you can make.
At a point it was too much, I could barely make up for the demand. Now that I have a
couple of like larger mixers it’s easier for me to make a lot of it at once.
So if you sell 200 to 300 slimes, you’re probably making about $5,000
for that restock alone...and a lot of companies do it every week...you could be making like
$20,000 a month.
But it’s not only millennials making bank on slime. Secondary industries have seen sales
boosts for products like mixers and containers. Noticing the big dollars exchanging hands,
some companies have even produced branded kits and specialty glue.
And after you make it, you film it. Posting slime videos online and selling ads is another
income stream. That’s why the first thing Jay bought when starting her business was
a camera. No doubt it helped her attract her two million Instagram followers.
So, in a month I sell around 10,000 slimes...During, you know, Black Friday or
Christmas, I sell around 20,000 slimes, per month...I think I can save up a lot of
money for my college.
It’s a creative outlet for a lot of people. As like an adult, sometimes you get, I get
really bad anxiety, so slime helps with that a lot.
Just like fidget spinners, slime keeps your hands busy and relieves stress. In today’s
barrage of digital distractions, it’s like a return to simpler pleasures.
Some say slime peaked in 2017. That’s when “How to make slime” was Google’s #1
‘How to’ search of the year. But The Toy Association still predicts slime will remain
a top-selling product.
I’m basically doing, you know, what I like to do… being an entrepreneur and making
slime. My advice to someone who wants to start their own business is...you know, you can
start your own business out of your hobby.
So, whether it’s turning schoolyard trades into online sales or goo into dough, turning
that hobby into a business could be the path to squishy profits.