Making buttons out of cow horns for sale
Mr Hamis Sserubugo cuts buttons out of a cow horn at Horn Products Uganda in Kalerwe, a Kampala suburb. (Inset) Mr Sserubugo prepares the finished buttons readying them for the market. PHOTOS BY Eronie Kamukama
What you need to know:
Are you looking for a hustle- free business to invest in and make money? Then look no further than making buttons from cow horns.
With this investment idea, starting the business involves production and marketing of horn buttons. A button is a small disc, typically round object usually attached to an article of clothing in order to secure an opening,
Dorothy Nakaweesi writes.
Functional buttons work by slipping the button through a fabric or thread loop, or by sliding the button through a reinforced slit called a buttonhole.
Horn buttons are made from cow and buffalo hooves and horns. Their market is relatively high since most clothes and some bags need horn buttons as fasteners.
Process
Horn button making involves use of plant and machinery such as circular saw, band saw, boring machine, hole drilling machine, circular designing machine, buffing polishing lathes, polishing drums, belt sander, double ended tool grinder, metal turning lathe and filter tools.
Production process involves cutting of horns, boring, hole drilling, designing, buffing, polishing and packing.
Mr Daniel Joloba, the chief executive officer at Big Finance, a firm that does advisory and consultancy for small and medium enterprises, says those with interest in this business should do market research on the type and size buttons.
“When one gets to know details on what the market wants then it will help them to know the kind of technology needed and how much it can cost them,” Mr Joloba says.
He said that this kind of business can be done in the confines of a home, especially for those who start small.
According to Mr Joloba, the simple button making machine can be accessed at just $70 to $100, which is an equivalent of Shs252, 000 to Shs361, 000.
Capacity
For those with interest in producing on a large scale, the business can be premised on three hundred and twelve working days and single shift of 8 hours per day.
The unit is designed to have production of 100 kilogrammes of horn buttons per day translating into an annual production of 31,200 Kilogrammes.
In this category revenue potential is estimated at $2,600 (Shs9.3 million) per month.
The business can pay back in three years.
Market
Possible customers for buttons are people who are involved in the making of school uniforms, other kinds of uniforms such as for the army or factory workers.
Mr Joloba says Uganda has more than seven million school going pupils who on average use about two uniforms each.
“Assuming each school shirt requires six buttons, this makes it 12 buttons for two shirts for each child per year. With the seven million pupils in school a total of 84 million buttons will be required annually,” Mr Joloba explains.
It is necessary to brand and package well in order to attract customers.
He adds: “Many times small businesses ignore branding their products yet it can lead them to the next customer.”
The market for horn buttons is readily available with designers, dress makers and tailors among other clothes manufacturing industries.
Mr John Musajjakawa, the Uganda Investment Authority senior investment officer, says: “Organisations such as Private Sector Foundation Uganda and Uganda Investment Authority are in place to give support to those with investment ventures.”
