Mini Materials on 'Shark Tank': What is the cost and how to buy realistic miniature building materials?
PORTLAND, OREGON: They say, "Great things come in small packages" and that's the case with Mini Materials, a company building realistic miniature building materials. The company avoids using plastic and paint to manufacture small-scale items.
Instead of opting for plastic and paint, Mini Materials go for the same materials used by their full-sized counterparts. The aim of their team is to provide their customers with an "authentic experience." Mini Materials are all ready to shine on ABC's 'Shark Tank' Season 15 Episode 6.
In the forthcoming episode of the ABC show, we will see Jared Waters, the owner of the company Mini Materials, pitching his miniature building invention to the Sharks: Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec.
What are Mini Materials?
Mini Materials is a company that creates realistic miniature building materials. They provide a collection of tiny building materials for hobbyists as well as professionals.
They specialize in manufacturing miniature building supplies including cinder blocks, red bricks, jersey barriers, pallets, and lumbers which are all made just the same way their full-size versions are made.
At the moment, the headquarters of the company are located in Portland, Oregon.
The company produce high quality miniature supplies that are made up of real materials like cement, wood, and nails which are handicrafted in the United States.
Mini Materials might be the perfect spot for hobbyists who want to build realistic dioramas, dollhouses, or models. The company sells materials from a scale of 1:32 to a scale of 1:4.
What are Mini Materials' products?
Here is all you can get from the company to build your own miniature dream home or town, which will look like the real thing — only smaller! You can get everything from a mortaring trowel to a mini materials "ultimate sample kit" from this company.
Building supplies
You can buy concrete and other masonry items like white sand, red bricks and cement. But besides these basic building supplies, you also get kits like the mini fireplace kit, custom items like printed mini wooden crates, and more from Mini Materials.
Tools and equipment
You will find a 1:12 scale mini toolbox, 1:12 mini metal trash can, 1:12 scale blue metal dolly, tools like the cement mix, and more items under tools and equipment.
Flooring
Mini Materials have starburst flooring miniature flooring set, black and white diamond miniature flooring set, black and yellow art decor miniature flooring set, tiny colorful square tile miniature flooring set, and retro red and blue floral miniature flooring set among others.
Furniture and decor
Here you can get all the cute products such as 1:12 scale mini modern coffee table, 1:12 scale mini modern dining table, and 1:12 welcome mat, mini pallet coasters in mahogany, to decorate.
Lumber and composites
They will provide you with a vast range of lumber and composites like 1:12 lumber mini-scale and solid wood balls.
Outdoor living
The products available for outdoor living include 1:12 scale mini fire pit stones, mini natural slate stones, 1:12 concrete deck block, and 1:12 white cycle.
Paneling, roofing, and sliding
One can acquire products like 1:12 scale plywood sliding panels, 1:12 scale square cedar singles, and more.
Roadway, barriers, and obstacles
Mini Materials can provide products as follows: 1:12 scale mini jersey barrier, 1:12 miniature stop sign, 1: 24 mini traffic cones, 1:12 scale mini dead end roadwork sign, miniature concrete road, and 1:12 scale interlocking orange barricade.
Scratch 'N Dent miniatures
These consist of items like 1: 12 scale mini blocks, rubble pack, orange bricks, and fire hydrant.
Street and traffic signs
These will include a 1:12 scale sign post base, a 1:12 scale no trespassing, and a 1:12 scale mini speed fairy speed limit sign among others.
View this post on Instagram
Who is the founder of Mini Materials?
Erik Polumbo of Lakeland and Mat Hofma of Orlando founded the company Mini Materials in the year 2015. The story of Mini Materials started in Mat's garage soon after he and Erik graduated from the University of Central Florida.
After completing his studies, Hofma used his graphic design degree and began working for an Orlando company, meanwhile, Poluma put his master's degree in business administration to work in real estate.
They did their jobs in the day and concentrated on Mini Materials on weekends and after work.
While having a chat with The Ledger in 2017, Polumbo talked about the tiny blocks and said, “They are perfect for anyone who is creating a to-scale model for a railroad setup or needs to build a foundation for a doll-house or who just wants to be accurate while creating a miniature."
He added, "We mix the concrete and pour it into silicone molds, let it set for an hour and it’s ready to be packaged and shipped out.”
He stated that molds were the creation of Hofma before he chimed in and said, “I wanted to develop an online business and looked for something niche-y and interesting. I found somebody making mini-blocks, but they weren't to scale and weren't durable.”
Polumbo said, “Mat thought there might be a market for small, to-scale cement blocks and, using a 3-D printer, came up with the base for the silicone molds we use. Then, we messed around until we found the right mix for the concrete, and here we are.” The two of them gave their all to make Mini Materials work.
Then, he mentioned that they also see schools and training sites as customers. He added, “Anyone who builds a miniature to market their own product or skills could use these blocks."
In 2022, Jared Waters took over Mini Materials. Since then, he has been managing the company and ensuring the quality of the products remains intact. Now, it has a wide range of products.
He has continued to bring innovative, authentic, and fun products to the mini world.
What is the cost and how to buy Mini Materials?
The prices of the Mini Materials products can vary from product to product.
It can range between $20 to $250. The price of the budding supplies are as follows: 1:12 mini cinder block pallet 24 pk ($20.41), mini materials ultimate sample kit, ($111. 67), mini cinder block cement mix ($31.22), 1:12 mini red brick mold ($20.41), mini materials ultimate warehouse kit ($127. 28), and 1:12 scale ultimate build kit ($254.56).
For flooring, products like the Starburst Flooring Miniature Flooring Sheet and the Black and White Diamond Miniature Flooring Set are priced around $20.41. Most of the flooring sets fall within this price range.
Furniture and decor products range from $6 to $20, while outdoor living products, panel products, and lumber and composites are priced between $3 to $13.
Additionally, other items such as roadway barriers, room boxes, scratch and dent miniatures, and street and traffic signs fall within a similar price range.
Customers can place orders directly through the official Mini Materials website or purchase it from Amazon.
Mini Materials' products have received positive feedback on Amazon.
A user named Jolene Godfrey wrote, "Absolutely love these ... but wish there was more in package. The small amount is ok for maybe a small project but wish there was a package that was 100 or more for the bigger stuff."
Mrs. Martineau commented, "So adorable and fun that even my husband thought it was a great buy. He usually questions my Amazon orders. He actually decided to buy more, because of how awesome they are."
Dolce Vita added, "Very real looking and well made. Makes for a great conversation in the office and fun to play with while on the phone."
An anonymous customer penned, "Very fun gift!! Just as described. Would order again for another friend. Shipped great, good packaging."
View this post on Instagram
Where is Mini Materials now?
Over the past few years, Mini Materials has experienced substantial growth, expanding their product offerings significantly.
It's remarkable to see how far they've come from 2015 to 2023. Currently, their official building invention page boasts more than 87k followers on Instagram.
Their Instagram feed showcases a wide array of photos featuring their miniature products, alongside a collection of delightful videos highlighting these adorable miniature items.
View this post on Instagram
Who will steal the deal?
In the upcoming episode of the show 'Shark Tank,' Jared Waters will present his miniature building company to a panel of 5 Sharks: Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John, Lori Greiner, and Robert Herjavec.
To secure an investment, he'll need to deliver a compelling pitch that captures their interest.
It seems like Robert Herjavec might seal the deal as he likes to put his money into businesses that have the potential to grow in the market.
'Shark Tank' Season 15, Episode 6 airs on ABC on Friday, November 3, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like Supermix Studio, Tik Pik, and Krapp Strapp.
For those who miss the episode, it will be available on demand the following day and on Hulu. Additionally, viewers can explore past seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.