Polymer Clay: Which Brand to Choose
There are so many types (or brands) of polymer clay available on the market today, that novice clayers are sometimes confused and are not sure which brand to choose.
My advice is to consider the following questions:
- What techniques are you planning to use? For caning, choose stiffer clays (such as Premo or Kato). For other projects, softer clays would work as well.
- How strong are your hands? Softer clays (such as Sculpey III, Fimo Soft, or Ultralight) are much easier to condition than some other clays (such as Kato).
- How much will your final product be handled? You will need the stronger clays for jewelry, for example, while a small sculpture (intended for sitting on a shelf looking pretty) can be less durable.
- Do you like the colors available for the brand you are considering? While different colors of polymer clays may be mixed to create a custom color, you are still limited by the original palette available for each brand. For example, Studio by Sculpey comes in soft, soothing colors, so it is not a good choice for bright-colored projects.
- How will you buy your clay? For example, Kato is available mostly on-line, Craft Smart is a store brand for Michael's (so it is only available in this store), while Studio by Sculpey is available at Joann's, but not at Michael's. Which way do you prefer?
- Does the price matter? Do not forget to check the package size when comparing the prices. Most clays are packaged in 2-oz packages, but some come in bigger or smaller packages.
For a brief description of some of the most common polymer clays available in the United States, please refer to the Types of Polymer Clay page.
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