Today we’d like to introduce you to Sue Henderson.
Sue, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2020, myself and my partner were doing a lot of cosplay. We needed a specific accessory for a character that had a set of Rabbit ears, and there wasn’t anything available that we liked so we decided to learn to make it ourselves.
This sparked a love for the creativity of the craft, and seeing that there were not many sellers based in the united states, started designing our own patterns and selling online in 2021.
In 2022, the buisness had gained enough traction for it to become my full time job, attending in person events such as GeekCraft Expo and selling online specializing in faux fur animal ears+tails.
It has continued to be my income for the last 3 years and in 2025 my partner and I officially changed PolyPaws Ensembles over to an LLC, expanding our creations to 3d printed Horns, Fursuits and larger pieces like Fairy Wings and Selkie Coats with the goal of growing further so both of us can continue to work with our passion for cosplay and bringing peoples characters to life.
Cosplay, Costuming and Fursuiting is not just for teenagers. At 29 yeara old, the community is a vibrant and thriving source of joy and a way to share the love of Fandom and original stories with others.
I am so thankful to all of my wonderful customers and the events that allow me to sustain myself doing what I love and I look forward to many more years of perfecting my craft.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting up and maintaining a small buisness isn’t a clear cut series of check marks on a list.
The biggest challenge that has taught me valuable lessons over the years is how much time goes into making it successful as a one or two individual team.
Website maintenance, Social media marketing, In person connections, Product pictures and videos, Customer consultations and other elements that would normally be given to a team of people fall into your responsibility.
Fairly pricing your handmade craft so it reflects your expertise, the cost of materials and labor to allow you to make a profit while remaining achievable for your customer’s budget can also be a juggling act.
Despite the challenges of running a small buisness however I have found the experience to be highly rewarding. I love knowing that I have made someone happy when their idea has come to life with a physical item they can hold.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
PolyPaws Ensembles specializes in Custom made Cosplay and Fursuit accessories.
We started off doing mainly poseable Faux Fur Ears + Tails for original designs and Inspired by games or media such as the Final Fantasy Viera, Beastars or Dungeons and Dragons.
The element I am the most proud of is how far I have come in the quality and longevity of my items, being self taught for sewing, fur sculpting and patterning.
Our style of Ears/Accessories are set apart by their fluffy soft to the touch texture even after the color detail of alcohol ink has been applied. We shave down the insides of our sets less than most others on the market to retain a plush texture, while still being able to do specialized markings.
How do you define success?
Being able to sustain yourself while taking pride in what you are creating.
Pricing:
- Flexible pricing for extra labor based on size and complexity of design
- Special ordering Fur for half the cost of the minimum yardage I can order
Contact Info:
- Website: https://polypawsensembles.etsy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polypaws_ensembles/profilecard/?igsh=bHNjeHh0eXZ2NXZo
- Other: https://polypawsensembles.mayhem.my
