Why Buy Handmade

Buying handmade products is a great idea. Here's why.

1. Handmade products are made with love, care, and attention.

Handmade business owners put a lot of work into their products. They pay close attention to details because they want their customers to love their products. When you buy a handmade product, you can rest assured that the maker put their best foot forward because they are passionate about what they do. You will be receiving a high-quality product that was made with customer satisfaction in mind. Human beings put a lot more care into what they make than machines do, and this care shows in the product you receive.

One way to think of it is this: When you buy from a retail store, the product will have gone through multiple steps before it reaches you. The parts are made in a factory, and then shipped to another factory where they are put together, and then they are distributed to a big branch of a company, and then to a smaller branch, then put on a shelf. A handmade product is made by a human being, and then bought by another human being.

Because there are fewer steps in the process, the maker of the product has an easier time visualizing their customer, and therefore keeps the customer in mind more so.

2. Handmade products are one of a kind.

Each handmade product you buy will have its own unique charm. Creative business owners come up with product ideas that you cannot find anywhere else. Do one search on Etsy and you will see a whole collection of charming and unique products that you just won’t find at Target. These one-of-a-kind products can often make great gifts. People will appreciate the uniqueness and the thought they can tell went into the product.

3. You are supporting small businesses.

You may have heard about the importance of supporting small businesses before. It benefits hardworking families and local economies. Although you may need to spend a few extra dollars, the support you are providing is worth it. The same is true for handmade businesses. Many of them are run by a family, a pair of friends, or even just by one person. These people are hard-working and creative, and when you buy from them you are supporting the American dream.

4. You are directly impacting the person you are buying from.

This is true of any small business. Your money from your purchases is going towards the single mom, the college student, or the pair of friends who opened a business together. I mentioned before that it’s easier for a handmade business owner to visualize their customer. In the same way, it’s easier for you as a buyer to visualize the maker of the product, which makes the purchase more personal. It’s like your money is going to your neighbors instead of to a corporate office. And at the same time, you are getting a cool handmade product out of it; so it’s a win-win!

5. You are supporting art and artists.

When you buy handmade, you are supporting someone’s creative dream. Running a creative business is rarely easy, but that person is doing it because they have the passion. Once you make a purchase from a handmade business, you become a sponsor of the owner’s artistic pursuits. In a small way, you are helping create a more creative and artistic culture. You are helping to create a world in which a career in the arts is a valid way to make money and support yourself.

6. Your money is going towards something bigger.

This basically sums up all the reasons previously listed. When you make a purchase from a handmade business, you add a little bit of happiness to a real person’s day. Your money goes directly to that person and supports his or her dream and creativity. You help create a more artistic world and you support the American dream. All of that with one purchase? I think that’s worth the extra dollar!