Made By Hand Is Trending

Vintage Macrame Necklace from 1970's. Private collection.

Trend Or Change?

Trends come and go but change is permanent.  I've noticed something lately.  Is it a trend or a real change?

In the digital /machine age of mass produced plastic throw-away's, there seems to be a growing hunger for products and goods made using the old skills and technologies of yesteryear.

There's a resurgence recently in the popularity of macramé, woodworking, and crafts -  made-by-hand vs. made-by-machine.

Is it a spiritual yearning for a simpler time?  A desire for quality, thoughtfully hand made  goods?  A rejection of mass-produced imports without character that wind up in the landfill after they break?

Time will tell if it's a passing fad or a paradigm shift.  If it holds and is truly a sea-change in buying habits, the upside is promising:
•    More jobs here at home
•    More opportunities for home-based cottage industries like those found on Etsy
•    Less "slock" destined for overflowing landfills
•   Less squandering of natural resources since made-by-hand items become family heirlooms and are passed down
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It's encouraging that Millennial's are leading this resurgence by rejecting the "wretched excess" of our current society.  They seem to be looking to the past for adding quality and meaning to their lives.

The skills needed to produce these made-by-hand goods are becoming rare these days and quickly disappearing.  Perhaps it's time to visit a surviving member of "The Greatest Generation" while there's still time.  We could all learn a thing or two. 

"Angelica"

Made-by-hand Macramé on Etsy​