Colored PVC Stands?

[Roanoke]

Hey all, I was just looking online at some PVC pipe play gyms and thinking that while they are easy to make, they're sure ugly. White piping with printed labels really doesn't do much to pretty up a room. So I thought hey, I wonder if there'd be a demand for colored PVC stands? I know I'd like a black, blue or red one for my room (Which follows a UK flag inspired color theme!) and was wondering if any members here would be interested in a glossy, colored stand as opposed to a printed white one?

Brown, gray, teal- there's a lot of colors out there. Bird-safe, I might add.
I might actually try and start a business out of it and see if it takes off. Designing new and unique things (Especially bird things- the market doesn't see a lot of fresh ideas) really appeals to me so I think I could make this work! Let me know what you think. Obviously, to sell them I'd need to make one first. Do you think it would be worth the parts costs? Would I get any orders, provided I market them well?

 

[Birdman666]

I tried a sideline business making killer playstands for people years ago...

Don't expect to get rich off them, but you might sell a few.

 

[Lullx]

I've made two PVC stands for my birds and just wrap the white PVC in coloured vet wrap. Not only does it look better than the plain PVC, but it adds some cushion and grip for the birds.
I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love precoloured PVC stands though! I've seen a few orange and yellow ones being manufactured and sold by a big company, so there's definitely a market for it.

 

[RavensGryf]

As Mark said, I wouldn't go into it expecting to make a steady income off of it, but sure, if you have the funds to start it up then why not do something you love, and make a little extra money. Of course if you can start making more unique ones like printed or themed ones that people can't just make themselves, you'd need to work with a manufacturer and find out all the legal aspects of it, paperwork, patents, cost of production vs profit, etc. It might be more trouble and tedium than it's worth. 'Personally' speaking, I prefer the look of the natural wood stands.

 

[Weezerj]

Wood looking PVC would be the bomb. Texturing the PVC would also give you an advantage over the plain white stuff.

 

[Roanoke]

I've made two PVC stands for my birds and just wrap the white PVC in coloured vet wrap. Not only does it look better than the plain PVC, but it adds some cushion and grip for the birds.
I'm sure there are plenty of people who would love precoloured PVC stands though! I've seen a few orange and yellow ones being manufactured and sold by a big company, so there's definitely a market for it.

Yeah, I've seen those. Odd color combo if you ask me. As for the wrap, that's what I was planning on doing! Maybe a color that matches the PVC, so it looks more polished.

I've actually spent some time today coming up with plans and pricing everything out.
Do you guys think it would be best to start off with a couple tabletop stands to gauge the demand?

Also, I'd really appreciate color suggestions. What's your favorite color for decor? The PVC I'm looking at ordering comes in black, red, blue, green, yellow, orange and purple as well as white. Too bad they don't make it in brown or beige, right? I have seen some in those colors, just not the important parts. Fittings and whatnot.

Also, what does everyone think of the shop name "Birdniture"? I'm going for a 'decorative yet functional pieces for the modern pet owner' type vibe.
If anyone comes up with a better name, let me know! Birdniture does sound pretty stupid, doesn't it?

Thank you all for your input! I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes.

 

[Mallory]

I think they'd be cute! Personally I use vet wrap but a lot of the white still shows and I've always thought the pvc, while quite functional, was hideous. I would love a stand made of turquoise colored pvc or even in bird-matching colors. I think if you can keep the costs down so they're affordable stands and you offer a lot in the way of toy hanging, bowls and different interesting levels you should get some interest. I have seen white pvc stands sell decently on Etsy but you could put together some much nicer stands. For a lot of people - myself included - natural wood stands would be the ideal but the cost and cleaning involved just aren't realistic and there is something to be said for the fact that I can collapse and store my pvc stand in a small space.

 

[Flboy]

Gonna be fun to watch this grow!

 

[Roanoke]

Hey all, I have another question!
How much would the average bird owner (you?) pay for a rectangular shaped solid black freestanding gym that measures 60" high, 40" wide and 30" deep with 8 perches (besides the frame), a few quick-lock crocks and 20 toy hooks? The plans look great.. I'm just trying to figure out how to justify the initial costs. Colored PVC is really expensive. Any advice would be appreciated!