The Rise Of The Handmade Market. Is Your Business Protected?

Shopping for gifts as well as for everyday essentials such as food and clothes is often a stress-inducing experience as we wrestle with large crowds, contend with piped music blaring out through shop floors and juggle bags, children and maybe a buggy. It can be dispiriting as we part with our hard-earned cash on a mass-produced item at a checkout manned by someone who is a stranger to us. The whole experience lacks any sense of personal connection or meaning. As we stow our shopping away in overflowing bags, we may also wonder just what cost has been paid for our budget finds, and by whom. These are uncomfortable truths.

There is, however, an alternative option and one which is increasing in popularity, and that is to buy handmade products, created by skilled artisans. While these will almost inevitably come with a higher price tag, there are many advantages, some of which we’ll consider here.

Firstly, buying a handmade product will ensure you have something unique; no embarrassing moments when you turn up at a party with the same dress as another guest, or stand next to a fellow parent on the sidelines of the football pitch in matching woolly hats. Handcrafted products also allow for personalisation of an item, whether that be a completely bespoke set of crockery for a wedding gift, adding a child’s name to some bunting or simply choosing a colour palette for a special gift.

In an age when we are all too often reduced to a number or code, our yearning to be seen and heard as unique individuals is growing. As human beings, the story is important to us and entering into someone else’s story, as well as writing our own as we journey through life, is deeply satisfying. Thus, when we buy a handcrafted product, we have the satisfaction of knowing we have been a small part of its creator’s story. We have invested in someone’s skills and talents and have offered affirmation and encouragement on a personal level. This simply couldn’t be done for a mass-produced item.

Linked with this is our need for rootedness and a sense of place. Many crafts will either reflect their geographical location, use raw materials from it or be a part of a rich cultural tradition specific to that area. For example, a set of ceramics made in Cornwall might be inspired by the wild and spectacular coast, willow baskets from the wetlands of Somerset will be woven from withies grown locally, and buying a Fair Isle or Sanquhar jumper will help keep that particular rich cultural heritage alive.

We are very aware of the cost to the planet of our mass consumerism, and choosing a handmade product over a factory-made one will leave a lower footprint in several ways. There will be significantly less waste during the manufacturing process, and raw materials will often be sourced either locally or, if coming from a distance, ethically. In addition, the actual products are well made and have a longevity which their mass-produced counterparts may not have, thus reducing landfill and going some way to combat our throw-away society.

By choosing a handmade item, we can also support a local business as opposed to pouring pounds into a huge global entity. As local businesses thrive, so local communities will be boosted with employment, increased opportunities for young people and money in turn being reinvested into the local economy.

The actual shopping experience can be very different if we choose to buy from a small handicrafting business. Many crafters will sell at markets or fairs, and rather than being an anonymous experience, which can leave us feeling depleted physically and mentally as well as financially, these are often vibrant affairs with a real buzz to them. Customers can mingle amongst the stalls, talk with the stall holders about their products and often partake of food and drink provided by further local businesses. It can be an opportunity to meet up with friends, be inspired by the creativity on show and buy some unique and well-made items.

If you are a crafter yourself, you may choose to join the growing number of makers who sell their handmade crafts online. Although you will not have face-to-face contact with your customers, there are many aspects from the above list which you can include when you sell your handmade crafts online.

Customers will love to hear your story, so make sure you tell it well in an ‘About’ section, and be sure to add a picture or two. You could build on this by adding blogs focusing on how you make certain items, how the business is growing, or even glimpses of your everyday life. These all go towards establishing a connection between yourself and your customer base.

We have mentioned this before, but it is worth mentioning again; you will most likely be heads above any factory-produced counterparts when it comes to ecological credentials.

So, if you sell your handmade crafts online, be sure to flag these up clearly. Things which you might take for granted, like using locally or ethically sourced raw products, having solar panels on your premises or employing from nearby (especially if this means your staff can walk or cycle to work) are all well worth documenting on your website.

And finally, whether you sell your handmade crafts online, in person, or both, you will need to ensure you have the appropriate craft insurance to cover your business. This can seem mundane but like making sure you have the correct financial foundations in place, this will allow you to build your business on a stable foundation. We communicate directly with all our customers, so pick up the phone or drop us a line, and either Sam or Naomi will be here to help. We look forward to hearing about your exciting venture as you join the increasing number of handmade craft businesses.