building

Clay Critters, Inc.

Clay Critters was created in 1978 when Rebecca Bollinger turned a hobby into a business. Working out of her home, she began making each “critter” by hand from baking soda and salt clay. Shortly thereafter, she switched to using polymer clay and hired craft-workers. Now she concentrates on running the business, but she still has her hand in making all of the designs.

Our twenty craft workers create our product using a proprietary polymer clay. Each item is Handmade in the U.S.A. A small shop, our workers benefit from flex-time and a profit-based incentive plan.

Many of our products have a unique “swirled” appearance. Others are made in metallic, fluorescent, or a faux granite finish. Others are assembled from multiple color parts, handpainted, or have jeweled eyes made from SWAROVSKI Austrian crystals. Recently, we began airbrushing irridescent finishes.

Almost all of our customers request the free laser-engraved name-drop service for their souvenir items. Most of our products are sold to souvenir and gift shops around the country and in the Caribbean. You can also find them in many airport gift shops. We are happy to have a few large customers including museums, zoo, and aquariums, but our mainstay are still the “Mom and Pop” souvenir shops.