Shop wholesale directly from artisans

Search
Close this search box.
Retail Business

10 Reasons Why You Should Be Buying Hand-Crafted Goods

In a study looking at the handmade shopping habits of consumers, nearly one-third of respondents said that they’ve purchased hand-crafted products “many times.” 40% said they’ve bought a handmade product at least once or twice.

If you’re not one of these people, you may be wondering what the big deal is over buying a hand-crafted product. What’s wrong with something that was mass produced and sold by a large retailer?

There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with buying manufactured products. However, buying handmade does offer many benefits and a different level of satisfaction that we believe just cannot be matched elsewhere.

Here are ten reasons to buy handmade goods, if you’re not already.

1. Handmade Supports The Local Economy

Handmade goods are considered by many to be the new American manufacturing. Buying a product made in the USA helps support the artist’s local economy and contributes to the country’s economy.

In fact, research shows that if every U.S. citizen bought just $64 worth of American-made goods annually that it would help create 200,000 jobs. Shopping local is more than just a good trend – it’s good business!

Most if not all of the money spent on handcrafted products goes directly to the artist who made them, not a corporation where they would receive a sliver of the profits. When you buy a handmade product, you can feel confident that you’re directly helping an individual put food on their family’s table or pay for their utilities and other necessities.

2. Hand-Crafted Goods Are High Quality

Hand-crafted products are less likely to contain defects because of the artist’s personalized attention given to them. Each piece must be made one at a time and as a result, their attention to detail is very high. That’s not to say that every piece will be identical, but more on that in a moment.

People are also willing to pay more for handmade products than mass-produced ones for this reason. They are often higher quality than factory produced products. Think about how much people will pay for Amish furniture, or a handwoven tapestry.

3. No Two Handmade Products Are Exactly Alike

Each handmade product is unique. Even if you buy more of the same product from the same craftsperson, each item will have its own nuances that prevent it from being a carbon copy.

Handmade products on their own are also unique in that you often cannot find anything quite like them in stores. A lot of people value a work of art that not too many other people can say they own.

4. Hand-Crafted Products Are More Sustainable

Making handmade goods tends to produce much less harmful waste and uses less energy than a factory operation. Because many of these products are made by one person or a small group of people there’s much less waste being produced that can contribute to pollution.

Many handmade products are made in the artist’s home or a small studio, not a large warehouse with mountains of excess materials.

Some of these products are also made of recycled materials. For example, Etymology Jewelry uses vintage and recycled components in all of her pieces. Artisans making handmade goods tend to be more mindful of disposing of waste and recyclable items responsibly.

5. Less Harmful Ingredients

Most handcrafted personal care items such as skin care products are made without preservatives, parabens, artificial fragrances, and other harmful ingredients. Because these items are made in small batches by hand, their creators usually only include natural ingredients such as cocoa butter and essential oils.

When you buy handcrafted personal care products you can feel good about applying them to your skin and hair without worrying about chemicals. If you’re a parent, you can also feel good about using them on your child.

6. Handmade Products Are Made With Love

A handmade product exists because someone has a passion for making the item you’re buying. It wasn’t created using machinery, but with loving hands by someone who truly loves what they do for a living.

This makes handcrafted products all the more special. In a way, you’re owning an item where you’re reminded of some kind of connection to another human being each time you use it. You could say that handmade products definitely have a lot of heart!

7. Buying Handmade Keeps Skills And Creativity In Demand

If no one interested were interested in buying hand knitted apparel, painted artwork, or homemade baked goods, then people with these skills would be unable to practice their craft. Buying handmade ensures that there’s a demand for people who know how to make pottery, clothing, hair accessories, and more.

These skills are just as needed in our world today as technical skills are.

8. Handmade Goods Come From All Over The World

It’s not just Americans who have an entrepreneurial spirit; people all over the globe love creating and selling their handmade wares. If you’re seeking a special international product, chances are you’ll be able to find it in the form of a handmade item. Several of our sellers are from countries other than the United States, and bring their own unique perspectives to their products.

Handmade goods expose us to different cultures and unique products we may never have been aware of before. They also open up our minds to our world’s diversity of artists and their talents.

9. Handmade Goods Are Easier Than Ever To Find

In the past, the easiest way to find new handmade brands for your store was to attend trade shows and wholesale markets. Unfortunately, attending these shows is expensive and time-consuming! Not to mention that everyone who shops them will have the same selection of products in their store as you – not exactly the curated unique experience your customer’s are looking for.

If you skipped the shows your only other options were to prowl the pop-up retail markets and craft fairs, or scour the internet and social media. You might find some unique products, but at what cost to your time? You also didn’t know exactly what to expect from them in terms of professionalism and quality until you had the products in hand, which is another source of stress you don’t need.

But stocking a variety of high-quality, unique, handmade goods is a snap now, thanks to online marketplaces like Stockabl.  You can find new brands with a glass of wine in hand from the comfort of your couch. It doesn’t get much better than that!

10. Handmade Products Just Feel Good To Buy

When you add up all of the benefits of buying hand-crafted products, you’ll find that purchasing and owning one just makes you feel good. It’s a combination of supporting an artist, helping the environment, and owning a product that not too many other people have that contribute to this feeling.

There’s nothing quite like buying a handmade good!

Which Hand-Crafted Goods Do You Love?

There’s many advantages to shopping for hand-crafted goods. Here at Stockabl, we’re proud to be able to offer you a wide variety of handmade products from skilled craftspeople from all over the world.

Whether you’re looking for handmade clothing, home decor, accessories, pet products, jewelry and more, you’re bound to find something you like here. As a start check out our latest fresh finds.

Happy handmade goods shopping!

Create a Free Retailer Account

Invite A Retailer

Help your retailers skip the line (and the application form) and give them immediate access to your shop. We’ll send an invite with their unique access code and a link to your shop.

You agree to only add retailers that meet our buyer qualifications and that you have prior permission to contact. Any abuse of this service can result in termination of your account. 

Welcome Back!

New to Stockabl? Create an Account