I don't personally have a suit yet, but I've been looking at different makers to get a good idea of who I want to commission when I'm able.

What I've been looking at is, style (artistic style, ie how they look), if they make suits that aren't just dogs. And if they do, do they accurately portray the species they made anatomy wise? I have a cat fursona, so I see a lot of cat fursuits that look like dogs with a cat nose and pointy ears. I want my fursuit to actually look feline without losing the unique style of the maker.

The quality of the fur would also be important. I don't want fur that will get clumpy and look gross after a few outings.

Another thing that might not matter to some people, is how they do digitigrade padding. Some digi suits just don't look right to me, so if a maker can make beautiful digi suits that actually look smooth and natural, I'd be more likely to commission.

The last would be pricing. If I see a really nice maker, I would be willing to save up for it. I'm one of those people that don't want a cheaply made fursuit. You usually get what you pay for. When getting a suit I would want really nice quality.

I suppose these are in order of importance.

Thank you very much for replying ^.^

You're welcome! Sorry if it seemed too long of an answer. ;v; I just got to talking, and decided to leave all of that because I felt maybe some of it would be helpful~

Very helpful! I love long replies. As a follow up question since you mentioned price being a factor, what price range do you consider as being "good quality"? And what prices would you consider too cheap?

As for good quality, probably $2,000-2,700. Cheap being $700 or lower for a full suit. Granted, there are some newer makers out there with those kinds of prices who have nice styles and lots of potential to be awesome! But that's another reason I say I look into style and such as well as pricing. Someone could have really nice suits with cheap prices, but you don't see it too much.

Like alot of people, I'm not rolling around in money.
I'm a student and have a part time job.

When I first got my fursuit I waited ALONGGGG time. Almost a year.
I wanted to find something that was


-Quality
(Meaning it won't fall apart under light-medium use, and it looks appealing to the eye, no noticeable blemishes, etc.)

-Affordable
(My price range was around $400)

-Flexible
(It really helps if the maker is willing to be flexible with payments, or the price! Of course the artist needs to be reasonable about it as well, but if you can stretch out your hand to help me, that's a bonus for me as a buyer!)

I think everyone looks for these in a maker.

Some of my own maybe less popular preferences were

-A unique style
Sure! Big makers like DHC, MFL, PWS, etc. etc. are super cute, but to me, they're all over the place! Plus I don't have that kind of money, it also ties in with my second prefrence which is:

-Unknown/Less Popular Maker
I love supporting lesser known artists, I know the struggle! If I could get a nice fursuit comparable to big name, I'm all for it! That's why I'm here on fA to maybe find some lesser known artists that really have a passion for their work and such and support them with my business. I was surprised to see so many unique styles that weren't more popular!


Another big thing is to keep a good reputation. I don't know if anyone else does this but let's say I'm interested in commissioning from you, I'm going to find previous commissioners and ask them about their experience with you. So better keep a good bridge behind you!

And one last thing,
Stay active! It's kinda a turn off when makers don't update their pages, or send out little journal reminders here and there. We like to know you're alive! and it shows you do care about commissioners. It's like saying hello when a customer walks in your store! You don't just ignore them!

I hope this wasn't too lengthy and I really hope this helps!

It's very helpful, thank you!

for me, price is a big factor, and whether or not they accept payment plans. To a degree the look mattered. I wanted someone who looked professional and not amateurish. Popularity didnt matter as generally well knownn makers rightfully charge more. I did however want someone with experience and examples of their work.

In the end I got some quotes and went with  cantoftogs its a decision I do not regret!

Thanks for sharing your experience ^.^

I have had total of 6 suits from 5 different makers. I chose them based on past work, and reputation for quality. I can be very abusive to suits as I'm a very active suiter, so knowing a suit wont fall apart or need alot of repairs is a huge factor for me. I also generally chose "toony" suits, as it helps with public performances as some realistic suits can scare children away. Price isn't necessarily a factor.

Toony suits are a favorite of mine as well, for the same reasons, which I suppose is strange to some people since I'm more known for my realistic fursuits.

Thanks for replying

not a problem. figure with how may suits i've commissioned i can help somewhat. XD

Definitely helpful

Looks/Style - Very important. It is a visual item, so it has to be something I find aesthetically pleasing.
Btw, you say style or something unique like its two different things. Every maker has their own style that is unique, and that is something to look for.

Cost - Definitely a factor. Personally the most I've commissioned fursuit wise is a foam head base.
But at the same time style trumps price. So price will delay purchasing from a maker, but if I really like their work I will save up for it.

Quality - Researching reviews and how an item holds up over time is quite important. You don't want something that looks good but falls apart after a month. Also important to have good vision and ventilation. You're wearing the thing so you need to be comfortable or you can't enjoy it.

"Popularity" - Not important.
Though by all means you want someone who is somewhat established in that they've made more than a handful of suits.
Commissioning someone just because a lot of other people have suits from that maker, not something I'm personally into. I want something I know -I- will like. I'm not buying this to impress someone else, its for me first.


So overall: Style/looks is a fairly big factor. It will be the first thing that attracts me to a maker.
However if I find out their work is not of acceptable quality that will turn me away.

Still haven't commisioned one, am working on findin g the money...

But what I'll look for is
-Quality: pretty basic interest here. Really shouldn't look like there made of paper...

-General Look: this ties into what Iwould call "cuteness factor" iI want to get involved in emerald city critters once I do have one, so I need one that is family frendly, cute, but still has enough from me that u don't feel like just a mascot...

Price: I think iI would be the best person to deal with when it comes to price, my range is 500$ up to 3000$ dollars {higher prices for full suits of course, lower price fo r partials...) I would pay in a lump sum. I work on the having money part from my side before I would get one.

Friendiness: I know it sounds kind of odd. But I don't want to pay someone who is not 100% kind to me.

OK to talk: I just want a person who is open will be OK with questions.

I have no artistic ability so I would definitely be up for leaving some of that in the hands of the artist (color, shape, excessorys, etc.)

Wanting to work with someone kind isn't odd at all. I certainly enjoy working with kind customers

Thank you for your reply. Its been very helpful.

Tell it like it is! lol

My seagull fursuit is the only one I commissioned, the others were premade.
I was looking for someone who had made birds before. That was hard enough to find.

Is it looks or practicality?
Both. But more the practicality - I want to move around and know nothing will get damaged easily.

Does how much a maker charge effect who you commission?
Yes, there are some that I just cannot afford.

Is popularity a factor?
No, but good reviews are.

Do you prefer a maker who has a "look" or style to their work, or one that is unique?
A certain look often ends up with all faces looking similar. I don't like that much. I prefer unique designs.

Do you research your options, or jump right in?
Depends. When I see an offer that looks really great, i might decide very fast.

No need, the questions were just to get you guys thinking. You're reply was more than adequate, thank you!

Personally I like toony-realistic/semi-realistic heads, or realistic heads, so I'm interested in fursuit makers who do that. Also ones that don't make weird digitgrade legs (like too much padding, or give it a very abrupt shape instead of a more smoothed out shape...no idea how to explain that without visuals). If I'm looking at a fullsuit or partial I also want someone who makes feet where the foam is on TOP of the shoe instead of in FRONT of the shoe. Makes a HUGE difference when walking! (I have a pair of feet I bought and because the foam is in front of the shoe if flops around and I keep breaking the darn claws off...it definitely takes some practice to use those). Also in feet I look for someone who knows how to give it some shaping, but not too much where it just looks silly. Hands I look for someone who doesn't make them super huge, since it's personally not my style. I'd say I'm more into looks than function, but I know from experience that if a suit is just too hard to wear I won't want it (for example, super long tails are cute, but carrying that around while I suit? No thanks! Same for tails that just look really big and heavy, or giant paws that look too awkward to do anything with your hands with). So needs a little bit of looks and function. I also have to say having suits that are easy to clean is a huge bonus...I kind of want to commission someone that has heads that can be WASHED in the washing machine(!), even though I don't personally care for their style, lol.

Speaking of style: well, honestly it depends. Usually I just like things that look "good"...but it's like, "Okay, what is good?" XD I think for toony suits yeah if the style is more cute and something I could imagine interacting well with kids or people who are normally scared of fursuits then I'd look for a person's style. Other than that though I just look for how well made the character is. Does it look like [insert species here]? Are the markings correct? Is anything misshapen? Does it look like cheap materials? Does it look like it's barely holding together? Does it look patchy? Are the seams super-obvious? Is there too much/not enough trimming on the areas that need it? Do the colors blend into each other (unless the character's markings are supposed to be rather stark and contrasting)? Does it looks like it's not too hard to wear and maintain?

Popularity? Doesn't matter.

Price? If I can't afford it, I can't afford it, so it does play a factor (that, and I always have to know that I can justify spending the money both to myself and to my partner, lol). I mean, heck if price wasn't an issue I'd be commissioning a few people! lol

How well a person keeps in contact with their customers is a big deal to me. I prefer it if they have a commission list that I can see, so I know where I stand in the order of things and can see the progress. Otherwise I'm going to be that person who checks in every month and get annoying =/ (when you've been brushed off too many times, it happens). If a person is really bad about keeping in contact I would avoid doing business with them again.

Also if they keep you waiting a long time without any kind of updates, I wouldn't do business with them again. I'm doing business with someone right now who hasn't sent me pictures despite promising to in multiple e-mails (at first it was "my camera broke" which I do believe happened, but now they say it's fixed and they'll send pictures and...no pictures; they also said they'd send it before Christmas too though), and had an extremely hard time getting some fur samples to send to me in the mail (whether it was actually the post office's fault, or they were doing something wrong or not actually sending them, I just don't know...but it shouldn't take MONTHS to send an envelope in the mail that you claim to have sent at least twice). I wouldn't do business with them again, even if I really love the head I receive.

Also attitude. I accidentally won an auction I had just meant to bump up, and when I tried to ask the seller if they'd sell it to the second-highest bidder and just let me pay them the difference plus a little extra and they got on my case about it badly. They straight up insulted me, accused me of not being able to pay and wasting their time and auction lot (which I did pay, PROMPTLY and IN FULL, just as I said I would if they didn't agree to my deal, though after they said that I wanted to just go ahead and skip out on them...), told me they wouldn't do business with me ever again and were blacklisting me, and overall had a very snotty attitude. I wouldn't commission them ever again even if I wasn't black listed, and when I re-sell the head (because it turns out it doesn't even fit anyway...plus the maker kind of ruined it for me by being so rude) I'm not going to include their business cards or recommend the original maker to the buyer. All they had to do was tell me no, I really wasn't being rude, I was being extremely apologetic to them and just asking if it would be a possibility, but they went off on me like I had insulted their mother or something.</rant> So yeah, don't be an arse to customers! Great way to lose them and have them bad-mouth you! XD

Having a base price list for things that's easy to find (or even better, price calculators on the website!), having examples of your work (with different parts and species) that are easy to find, being open for doing parts instead of full suits only, making it easy to see if you're open for commissions at this time or not, and being easy to find (preferably with an easy to remember name) also factor in on my decision to buy from someone.

Overall if the person is nice, keeps buyers in the loop, and has a good product I'll buy from them (if I have the money to). Even if it's someone with a little lower quality fursuit, if the price is right and the maker is nice I'd buy from them over someone else.

I was looking for someone who's work showed great quality. Because the last thing I want is to be walking around in a cringy suit that I coughed over 1000 dollars for.

Oh, I forgot to add: Waiting time is a big issue for me. I waited two years for a head, and I hated it. So artists with a 40+ suits waiting list aren't considered.

I think it's been various factors.

The big thing for me has been art style. All of my suits have been chosen because I liked the artists' styles. None of them are personal characters.

That said, based on experience, one thing I definitely look closely at now is how far back an artist's gallery goes and how much they communicate. If there are any upset shouts/posts on their page, etc. One or two discrepancies, okay, maybe a commissioner just got out of hand. More than that starts to make me nervous. But if the page is like a ghosttown or just gets updated every few months, I wonder about the maker's communication skills.

I had an issue where I paid (up front in full, which was kind of foolish but it kinda worked out) for a piece and it took FOREVER to get what I was told would take a month (actually, was told it would just take a few days, but I was willing to wait for it to not be rushed), and part of the reason I'd originally commissioned the artist was because I thought I'd get the piece done quick. It wasn't the only reason, of course, but it was a big factor at the time; I wanted something to wear while I waited for another suit to be made. The main issue the entire time, though, was communication. I'd be promised a ship date and then never hear anything and have to wait a week to be told I had to wait longer. I mean, I'm an understanding person when I'm working with a single artist. I realize you guys get sick etc., but I get a little peeved when a maker just disappears. That is where I start wondering if I'm going to lose my money to someone who is a fraud or who just decided to stop making suits and has already spent my deposit somewhere.

I will say that apparent quality, ease of wear/use, and unique species are a big draw for me. I'm far less concerned with "popular" makers, superfast turnarounds (the one exception above notwithstanding), or really low pricing. As to pricing, I expect it to be comparable to the quality, speed, and popularity of the suit/maker. Obviously, a discount is a draw, but if I want it badly enough I'll save for it, because I don't expect an artist to work for nothing.

I decided to wait until I got some time before responding as I knew it would take that and some thought..
First a little history on my suits. 2 of them were pre-made. My first, 4th and 5th were commissions.

My first suit I commissioned, I went with a "local" builder in Charlotte, NC. Time, being open, price and a willingness to make it being the key factors. Also a little naiveté on my part. As it turns out, he's one tough made suit, and shows little wear considering how much he gets used. I've only had to re-sole his feet paws and give him a regular cleaning.

I went to my second maker was because I felt they were the only one who could pull it off. Little did I know, they'd always wanted to make such a character. They showed a lot of enthusiasm towards the project and had no hesitation on accepting the it, in spite of all ready filling their queue and being closed for additional commissions.

The third maker I commissioned was because I all ready had a pre-made partial from them. I found it to be very comfortable to wear, they had enthusiasm for the project and the willingness to tackle 40 something stripes. I also consider them to be friends.

So what do I look for in a builder. These are in no particular order of importance..

Quality of workmanship.
Attention to detail.
Reasonable price.
Enthusiasm for the character.
Good communication.
Able to meet a deadline.
Their own style - but not cookie cutter.
Best suited for the type of suit I'm looking for - I wouldn't go to a known toony style builder for a realistic suit.
Past record of satisfied customers.
Customer service before, during and after construction.
Construction methods - I've passed on some awesome builders because they use resin masks. I'm also not a fan of baklava based heads, although I do have one.
Openness to showing their construction methods
Popularity - #2 was built by a very well known and popular builder. They turned down the stripes a year previously. It's not a very important factor to me.
Friendliness. Tough to explain, but it's a combination of communication, enthusiasm, and just plain old humanity.
Able to take some criticism, or alternate ideas during construction. (I might see something that doesn't look "right" from WIP photos) It is my character you're making!
Ability to work with other builders. This gets a little complicated. I might like one builder's stompy paws, another one's head style, and might want to go to someone else for the bodysuit. But, the entire ensemble has to blend and work together, as well as having the fur and other materials match.
Service after the sale / warranty.

What I keep in mind is the final result. Being satisfied with what I receive, both physically and emotionally.

I can elaborate on any point if you'd like.