cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/49472387
I really can’t think about any reason that this products category even exists.
I imagine people who buy hand-made products as office workers who choose to ride a human instead of ordering taxi to work, just because why not.
It’s like, For people who buy handmade products:
- A Product that is made of good material and made by machine in a factory and sold at reasonable price: 😡😡😡
- A product that is 10x the price of normal product and is made by a human using less advanced machines: 😍😍😍
I buy “crafts” on occasion because I value how unique they are. I am a (very) amateur potter and I like to buy pots made by other people because I appreciate the work that goes into each piece. Imperfections, tool marks, they all add interest.
A handmade (by the giver) gift can signify how important someone is to you. On top of the materials, the creator puts time and effort into making the thing.
Plus, there are things that still cannot be made as well using machines. For example, my brother is a carpenter who does large projects, but constructed a fancy gift box for jewelry for his partner and it was exquisite. I do some knitting and crochet and there are patterns and techniques that machines can replicate yet (or it’s not commercially viable to build machines that can). Embroidery and lace is another example.