Disclaimer: I think people who can create things – be it clothes, furniture, paper flowers or cast candlesticks - with their hands deserve all respect and admiration of the world. For their talent and for their skill.
Last Sunday we went to the Home Made Market here in The Hague. It’s a lively one-day market where you can buy all kinds of non-mass-produced things. We got a necklace to give as a present, a pair of earrings for me and trousers for our baby daughter. All girly stuff I know. Somehow there was not much to be had for men.
Anyway. I’ve heard the words ‘hand-made’ nearly at every stand last Sunday. And here’s the thing: I am not surprised that sellers use the notion for their marketing so excessively often. Most people gifted with two right hands are not that original, they just copy each other. What does surprise me, is that other people buy it. As if ‘hand-made’ makes a product better by definition.
Now let’s get two things straight:
A) If you make clothes using a sewing machine, then your products are not much more hand-made than a random mass produced piece of apparel. This may come as a shock to you, but in big factories clothes parts are put together by real people (usually women) one piece at a time. Women behind sewing machines. They all use their hands for their work. Same goes for jewellery.
B) In many cases (I would even argue – in most) using machines instead of your bare hands makes your product better, not worse.
So please, stop giving me that ‘hand-made’ sh*t. Save time and money on marketing. Just make something original. I will buy it.
This guy didn’t say anything about hand-made. He didn’t say anything at all. I bought three pieces from him and will come back for more.
P.S. If I find the time, I'll photograph and show off my new earrings next time.
Last Sunday we went to the Home Made Market here in The Hague. It’s a lively one-day market where you can buy all kinds of non-mass-produced things. We got a necklace to give as a present, a pair of earrings for me and trousers for our baby daughter. All girly stuff I know. Somehow there was not much to be had for men.
Anyway. I’ve heard the words ‘hand-made’ nearly at every stand last Sunday. And here’s the thing: I am not surprised that sellers use the notion for their marketing so excessively often. Most people gifted with two right hands are not that original, they just copy each other. What does surprise me, is that other people buy it. As if ‘hand-made’ makes a product better by definition.
Now let’s get two things straight:
A) If you make clothes using a sewing machine, then your products are not much more hand-made than a random mass produced piece of apparel. This may come as a shock to you, but in big factories clothes parts are put together by real people (usually women) one piece at a time. Women behind sewing machines. They all use their hands for their work. Same goes for jewellery.
B) In many cases (I would even argue – in most) using machines instead of your bare hands makes your product better, not worse.
So please, stop giving me that ‘hand-made’ sh*t. Save time and money on marketing. Just make something original. I will buy it.
P.S. If I find the time, I'll photograph and show off my new earrings next time.
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