Here are the main supplies you need for the tattooing business.

Every tattoo shop or studio requires certain basic supplies to function. Without these, it would be impossible to perform the procedure.

Tattoo Supplies List

Not everyone knows what needs to be added to the inventory list. If you plan on starting a tattoo studio, you’ll find the information here very crucial.

A list of essential supplies required to operate a tattoo fully has been provided here. With this, guessing your way through the process isn’t necessary.

This saves you from leaving out some essential supplies. In a nutshell, a comprehensive tattoo shop inventory list helps with better organization.

Equipment for Tattoo Shop

It’s common to find many professional tattoo artists focusing more on the art while ignoring the business side.

To establish a well-run tattoo shop, there must be a balance of both (art and business). The art of tattooing is also a business.

With this reality, you’ll need to have both business and tattoo supplies provided. It takes time to plan adequately for a business. When rushed, the enterprise is likely to fail.

Your tattoo shop inventory list is an effective tool that allows for carefully including all requirements or supplies.

Tattoo Artist Equipment and Tools

To write a comprehensive list of business supplies for a tattoo shop, you must understand that these must be split into workstation supplies, front-of-shop supplies, and back-of-shop supplies.

From the name, it’s obvious what tools each section or category should contain or have.

i. Workstation Supplies

As the name implies, this category of supplies includes all essential tools for the actual job of tattooing.

They include tattoo needles, gloves, skin markers, stencil paper & solution, light boxes, disposable razors, tattoo trays, thermal printers, machine covers, and aftercare products.

Others include hydraulic chairs, sharps containers, cover sheets, sterile ointment, proper lighting, organizational chart, adjustable tattoo chair, and magnifying lamp.

Let’s briefly discuss each of these inventory list items.

ii. Tattoo Needles

No tattoo shop inventory list will be complete without tattoo needles.

You’ll need to do some research to choose the best needle brands. This won’t be a problem if you have prior experience.

iii. Gloves

The most suitable glove types for tattoo shops are nitrile and latex gloves. A pack or several packs are needed and should never be left to go out of supply.

iv. Skin Markers

Skin markers serve to trace out designs on the skin to promote accuracy and precision. Like other supplies listed, this is highly essential for practical tattoo jobs.

You’ll need every job to turn out great.

v. Stencil Paper & Solution

The art of tattooing has seen significant innovations in recent years.

This has led to the design of supplies like stencil paper & solutions to help artists draw plans by hand to create duplicates placed in thermal printers for onward transfer to client skin.

vi. Light Boxes

Another tool that should be included in your tattoo shop inventory is the lightbox. This helps with more convenient and stress-free tattoo tracing, design adjustment, and transfer.

vii. Disposable Razors

Disposable razors help fine hairs on the targeted area meant for a tattoo before the commencement of the procedure. It would help if you had these among your supplies to make the process easier.

viii. Tattoo Trays

Because needles are widely used for tattoo jobs, having a tray around helps better organize your workstation. It also allows for better focus on the job with little interruptions.

ix. Thermal Printers

Thermal printers come in handy for tattoo jobs. You’ll need to have this piece of equipment included in your inventory.

Before designs are transferred onto the skin, they may be designed on a tablet or paper. With the thermal printer, the transfer process is made with ease.

x. Machine Covers

Machine covers are designed to serve as protective barriers between airborne contaminants and your machine. Here, it’s clear that these are required and must be included in your tattoo shop inventory list.

xi. Aftercare Products

Supplies like aftercare products are necessary to ensure tattoo jobs have the best possible outcome. These are given to clients to use after the procedure is completed.

xii. Hydraulic Chair

Tattooing procedures may take longer to complete. This is especially true for complex jobs. During this time, physical comfort is essential.

You’ll need this chair to have the best possible posture while you work.

xiii. Sharps Containers

Your tattoo shop must keep to or adhere to all safety guidelines given. Because many sharp objects are used, you’ll need a sharps container to dispose of used needles and other sharp objects.

xiv. Cover Sheets

Cover sheets serve to keep furniture from contamination during tattooing.

These single-use sterile barriers must be added to your tattoo shop inventory for more efficient and safe procedures.

xv. Sterile Ointment

The process of tattooing requires skin moisturizing to help get anticipated results. It also serves to aid with ink deposition below the skin surface.

Having this among your inventory improves your overall results.

xvi. Proper Lighting

A tattoo studio must have adequate lighting, as anything less than that negatively impacts your results. Proper lighting promotes precision.

Such lighting should be adjustable to help the artist perform a thorough job.

xvii. Adjustable Tattoo Chair

Just as you need to be better positioned or maintain the correct posture during tattooing, your client needs to be comfortably seated.

Such a chair needs to be adjustable to allow your client to position themselves in a way that they’re comfortable.

xviii. Magnifying Lamp

Attention to detail is critical when it comes to tattooing. One tool that helps you achieve that is the magnifying lamp. With this, you can focus on the tiny details of the job.

The magnifying glass is essential to your inventory list.

xix. Front-of-Shop Supplies

Inventory items in this category aid with better administration or management of the business.

These include barcode readers, POS systems, reference books, marketing materials, receipt printers, and credit card, readers.

xx. Back-of-Shop Supplies

Here, certain supplies are included to help sterilize reusable items like needles, tubes, and the like. Collections include medical-grade disinfectants, autoclaves, and sterilization bags.

This list contains essential items every tattoo shop inventory should have. All of these are essential and make your operations more efficient and effective.