Why Handmade Gifts are Special

We've all had it happen.

You get something for your birthday or a holiday that you think is great and then you see someone else with it. While you might feel "on-trend", it can take away some of the specialness of the item.

This is where handmade gifts come in.

Shown above: 

Original Framed Art - Protestor Pandas by Punching Pandas

Why Handmade Gifts are Special

Though not all handmade gifts are one-of-a-kind, the nature of the creation process often means that no two pieces look exactly alike.

Handmade gifts are less likely to be seen on everyone, everywhere, because the pieces are limited in number.

By comparison, mass-produced items are made on an assembly line.

It is rare that one person creates the entire mass-produced item. Each piece is one of many hundreds, if not thousands, of the same item. That's one reason they are less expensive to produce—even if they aren't priced accordingly.

Additionally, mass-produced items aren't made by the designer.

Usually that person sits in an office or studio somewhere, creating a prototype or pattern. Once that is fully realized, it is sent to the manufacturer to churn out. This makes the pieces less personal. They aren't infused with the maker's love and care the way handmade items are.

Handmade gifts tell a story

Handmade gifts can be an expression of the artist's love of nature, their passion for creating products to serve certain segments of society, or made with tools passed down from a parent or grandparent.

Handmade gifts are inspiration turned into art.

They are personal, imaginative, and an extension of the artist or maker themselves.

You may never meet the person who makes your handmade gift, but you can bet that when it was purchased, it made a difference to that artist. It convinced them to keep doing what they love. 

At The Handmade Showroom in Seattle, we believe handmade gifts are special because they are individual pieces of joy, inspiration, and love given from one person to another with great thought and care. 

And the world can always use more of that.