Buying Satin Ribbon Bows in Ireland from a Small Irish Business

For anyone landing on this post while looking to buy satin ribbon bows in Ireland, yes, you are in the right place.

It might seem a little unusual at first, but I do sell a wide range of satin bows alongside my woodcraft, woodturning and craft supply ranges.

I stock Italian Options satin bows in both 3cm and 5cm sizes, with colours suitable for gift wrapping, wedding favours, hampers, party bags, craft projects, card making and small business packaging.

I also stock seasonal bows, including tartan bows and Christmas satin bows, depending on availability.

So why is a woodturner in Kerry selling satin bows? That is a fair question, and there is a real small-business story behind it.

3cm Satin Ribbon Bows on gift boxes showing some of the range of colours available

Why I Started Selling Satin Bows

My business began with a fairly clear idea: a mix of handmade woodcraft and online retail.

In the early days, I expected the retail side to be the larger part of the business, but woodturning gradually took over. I loved the craft, I kept learning, and before long, handmade woodcraft had become the main focus.

But small businesses rarely stay exactly as planned.

After Covid restrictions, rising costs, inflation, changing customer habits and all the usual challenges of running a small Irish business, I found myself returning to part of the original plan.

Craft supplies made sense again, especially practical items like ribbon, bows, card, stickers and packaging products that customers often need quickly and in small quantities.

I do not manufacture these bows myself. They are quality imported satin bows that I stock, sell and dispatch from my own business here in Kerry.

The important part for customers is that they are real stock, physically here, ready to ship or collect when available.

If you would like the fuller story behind this side of the business, I have also written a separate post about why a woodturner in Kerry sells ribbon, bows and craft supplies.

Red satin ribbon used to finish one of my handmade wooden Christmas decorations, which is where my craft supplies range first began.

How My Craft Supplies Range Began

My craft supplies range began in a very practical way.

In 2016, when I started making woodturned hanging ornaments, I needed satin ribbon to finish them properly. I tried a few different brands before discovering Italian Options, and I was impressed enough with the quality to eventually open an account with them.

From there, I slowly began building up my own stock of ribbon, bows and other craft supplies.

It has taken time, especially as a one-person business where every product has to be photographed, listed, stored, packed and managed manually.

That slow growth has also brought in new customers, many of whom seem to appreciate buying from someone who is involved in craft himself.

I may be a woodturner first, but I understand how important the right ribbon, bow or finishing detail can be to a project.

You can also read my related post on buying satin ribbon in Ireland if you are looking for ribbon rather than ready-made bows.

Why Use Ready-Made Satin Bows?

Ready-made satin bows are useful when you want a neat, consistent finish without tying every bow yourself.

That can be especially helpful if you are preparing several items at once.

They work well for:

● Gift wrapping
● Wedding favours
● Party bags
● Hampers
● Card making
● Craft projects
● Small business packaging
● Product presentation
● Seasonal gifts
● Handmade decorations

Tying your own bows can be lovely, especially for one-off gifts or projects where you want a handmade look.

But if you need consistency, speed and repeatable results, ready-made bows can save a lot of time.

I have written a separate guide comparing ready-made bows with tying your own, which may help if you are deciding which option is best for your project.

3cm Satin Ribbon Bows

The 3cm satin ribbon bows are the smaller bows in the range.

They are made using 6mm ribbon and each bow measures approximately 3cm wide, with a tail length of about 2cm.

These are useful for smaller craft details, card making, gift tags, party bags, small favours and lightweight decorative work.

The 3cm bows are not self-adhesive, so they need to be attached with sticky foam pads, glue dots, craft glue or whatever fixing method suits your project.

I also sell sticky foam pads, which can be useful if you want a quick way to attach them.

I originally sold these bows in smaller packs to make them more affordable, but I now also stock full sealed packs of 100 pieces for customers who need larger quantities.

You can view the full range of 3cm satin ribbon bows here.

3cm Satin Ribbon Bows displayed in a grid, the full range of colours

5cm Satin Ribbon Bows

The 5cm satin ribbon bows are larger and give a more noticeable finish. They are shown in the very first image of this post.

They are a good option for gift packaging, hampers, wedding favours, party favours, product presentation and larger craft projects.

These bows are made from 16mm double-sided satin ribbon produced to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 specification.

Unlike the 3cm bows, the 5cm satin bows are self-adhesive. That makes them very handy when you want a quick, neat finish without needing separate pads or glue.

As with any adhesive product, the surface matters. They should be applied to a clean, suitable surface and pressed down properly.

Over time, I realised that carrying only a few colours was not enough. Customers often need specific colours for weddings, events, packaging or craft projects, so I built up the full range of over 40 colours.

You can view the full range of 5cm satin ribbon bows here.

Burgundy 5cm satin ribbon bows shown on a small gift box with loose self-adhesive bows for crafts, favours and packaging.

3cm or 5cm Satin Bows: Which Size Should You Choose?

The easiest way to choose between 3cm and 5cm bows is to think about where the bow will be seen.

Choose 3cm satin bows for smaller details, such as card making, tags, small favours, party bags and delicate craft projects.

Choose 5cm satin bows when you want the bow to stand out more, such as on gift boxes, hampers, wedding favours, product packaging or larger displays.

If the item is small, a 5cm bow may look too large. If the item is medium-sized or needs a stronger decorative finish, a 3cm bow may look too small.

There is no perfect rule, but scale matters.

Larger Ribbon Bows

I have also added larger ribbon bows over time, including larger satin bows and grosgrain bows.

I usually start cautiously with new ranges because buying unknown stock in every colour and size is expensive, especially with Brexit-related charges and the realities of running a small business in Ireland.

If a range proves useful to customers, I can then build it up properly.

You can view the range of larger ribbon bows here.

I also stock other bow types at different times, including tartan bows for Christmas and seasonal projects, along with larger ribbon bows such as grosgrain bows or 10cm satin bows where available. These are useful when you want something bolder than the standard 3cm or 5cm satin bows.

You can see the wider range on my All Gift Bows page.

Buying Satin Bows from a Small Irish Business

I am only a small business, and every sale genuinely matters.

A lot of new stock is bought out of my own pocket, one range at a time. Every product has to be photographed, listed, stored, counted, packed and shipped.

That is one of the reasons I try to give good service. I know what it is like to shop online and wonder whether something is actually in stock, whether it will be dispatched quickly, or whether anyone will reply if there is a problem.

If I have the bows in stock, they are physically here with me in Tralee and ready to ship.

If you are looking for craft supplies in Ireland, including satin bows, ribbon, stickers or small packaging items, I am here to help where I can.

If I do not have something, you can always ask and I will tell you honestly whether I can get it or not.

Related Craft Supply Guides

If you are buying satin bows, you may also find these related guides useful:

● How to Choose the Right Ribbon Width for Gifts

● Wedding Ribbon in Ireland: A Handy Source for Printers, Designers and DIY Wedding Projects

● Ready-Made Bows vs Tying Your Own – Which Is Best?

Ready-made bows are only one part of the craft supply range, so I have gathered the related guides into one main post here: Craft Supplies in Ireland – Ribbon, Bows, Stickers and Practical Buying Guides. It is a handy starting point if you are looking at bows, satin ribbon, wedding ribbon, stickers or simple finishing touches for gifts and craft projects.

If you are putting together Christmas gifts, party bags or simple festive craft projects, you may also find my post on Christmas stickers for kids, cards and gift wrapping useful. Stickers, ribbon and ready-made bows can work well together when you want inexpensive festive presentation without too much fuss.

Thanks for Reading

Thanks for reading.

I hope this post helps if you are looking for satin ribbon bows in Ireland, whether you need them for gifts, weddings, hampers, party bags, craft projects or small business packaging.

David

About the Author

I’m David Condon, a small business owner and blog writer based in Tralee, Co. Kerry. Running my own woodcraft business means I’ve seen first-hand how much confusion there can be around shipping times, delivery dates, and what “business days” actually mean. That’s why I wrote this post — to share a bit of what I’ve learned and hopefully save you some frustration.
Every so often I step outside the workshop to write about wider business topics like this one. If you’d like to know more, you can follow the link in the Note from the Author section below or visit my About Me page to learn more.

💬 Note from the Author
This post was written specially for David Condon Finds. If you enjoyed it, you might also like my other projects:
Phoenix DVD Blog – where I write about DVDs, Blu-rays, and life as a collector
David Condon Woodcraft – my main site focused on woodturning and handmade Irish pieces
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