If you have ever wondered how suncatchers are made, this is the full story of ours, from the first design to the package at your door. Every SunCatchery piece is a printed acrylic suncatcher, made to order. It is not glass, and that one fact shapes every step below.
The short version: we print a design on the frosted back of clear acrylic, cut the piece to the outline of the design, add a chain (and a crystal drop if you want one), and ship it. The details are more interesting than that one sentence, so here they are in order.
How suncatchers are made starts with a design, a file and a print on the frosted back
Every suncatcher begins as artwork. A design is made with light in mind: bold shapes, clean edges, and colors that still read when sunshine passes through them. Fine detail that looks lovely on paper can disappear on a window, so the artwork is built for the window first.
That artwork is then prepared as a print file. The file sets the size of the piece, the exact colors, and the outline that will be followed when the piece is cut. Getting the file right matters because every step after it is physical. Once ink is on acrylic, there is no quick undo.
The material is 3mm clear acrylic, a rigid, lightweight plastic sheet. One side is frosted, and the design is printed on that frosted back. Printing on the back keeps the clear front smooth, so you see the design through the acrylic, a bit like looking at a picture through a clean window.
This is also where the glow comes from. Sunlight passes through the clear acrylic and the printed color, and the color lights up from behind. It looks closer to a small lit window than to a painting on a wall.
Cutting to the outline of the design
After printing, the sheet is still a flat rectangle with artwork on it. The next step is cutting the piece to the outline of the design. A moon is cut as a moon, and a hummingbird as a hummingbird. There is no square frame around the artwork, so the window shows through the gaps and around the edges, and the shape stands out clearly against the sky.
Cutting to the outline is why one suncatcher can look so different from the next, even though they are all made from the same 3mm material. It also keeps each piece light. Acrylic is lighter than glass and does not shatter, which is a fair comparison to make, and a real advantage if you have kids, pets or a window that gets bumped.
A light piece is also easy to hang. You do not need anything heavy or a drill: a small suction hook is enough. Our hanging and care guide explains where to put it and how to look after it.
Adding the chain and the optional crystal drop
Next comes the chain. Each suncatcher hangs from one point at the top, which lets it turn gently and catch light from different angles. The chain is added after the cut, so the piece is ready to hang the moment you open the box.
You can also choose a cut crystal drop that hangs below the acrylic piece. The two parts do different jobs, and it helps to know which does what:
- The acrylic gives the glow of color. It lights up whenever daylight comes through the window.
- The crystal drop throws rainbows. It only does this in direct sun, so a shaded window will not get them.
That means a window with direct sun for part of the day is the best home for a crystal. If your window is mostly shade, the acrylic alone still gives you color, and you can skip the drop. Either way, hang it high in the window, where the light reaches it for the longest part of the day.
Made to order: what the 2 to 3 business days cover
Nothing is waiting on a shelf with your name on it. Each suncatcher is made to order by Merchize, our production partner. The 2 to 3 business days of production cover the hands-on work described above: printing your design on the frosted back, cutting it to the outline, adding the chain and the crystal drop if you chose one, and packing the finished piece.
After that, it ships. Delivery takes 5 to 10 business days, so from order to doorstep, plan on roughly 7 to 13 business days in total. We ship within the US only, and shipping is free within the US. The details are on our shipping and returns page.
Making to order also lets us offer many designs without stocking every one. If you are ready to choose, you can browse all of our suncatchers and pick the shape and colors that suit your window.
When yours arrives, keep the care simple: wipe it with a soft cloth, dry or slightly damp, and use plain water only. Glass cleaner, alcohol and abrasives cloud acrylic and wear the print.