About
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. Later she began using polymer-clay and added craft-workers. Now she concentrates on running the business and making the original designs.
Our eighteen craft-workers make our original designs 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 multiple colors, handpainted or have jeweled eyes made from SWAROVSKI Austrian crystals. Recently, we began freehand irridescent finishes using airbrushes .
We personalize, or name-drop, the souvenir items with a laser engraver for most of our customers.
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, department stores and franchises, but our mainstay is still the “Mom and Pop” stores.
