It's a mistake to compare handmade items to mass produced goods! They’re not made in the same way, they're not sold in the same way, they're not bought in the same way and they're not received in the same way.
So, you may ask, why should we choose a handmade gift over a mass produced one? Well, here are a few reasons why we love handmade and why we think it’s better to buy handmade from a small business whenever you can.
Knowing what they’re made of
Buying handmade products usually means you can find out the process by which that product was made and what’s in it.
For example, candles you buy at supermarkets and high street fashion stores are very likely to be full of nasty chemicals and contain paraffin wax. Paraffin wax candles are made from petroleum, which is a non-renewable source, and known to contain carcinogenic substances.
By buying our scented soy candles, which are made from a natural and renewable source, you know exactly what’s in them, and that they’re perfectly safe to use.
Supporting local people
Buying handmade supports local craftspeople and artisans.
For example every single aspect of our hand poured scented candles and wax melts is handmade by us. The soy wax is carefully measured, melted and poured by us, every single wick is fixed to the glass by us, the fragrances developed by us and everything is packaged and posted by us.
By purchasing handmade products you are supporting small busineses by enabling people to turn their passion into their business.
Handmade is more sustainable
Small-scale artisan makers like us consume much less energy than industrial scale production lines. Small-scale makers also have less to gain from exploiting cheap materials, as it would devalue their products and impact on their personal reputation.
All of our scented candles and wax melts are made in small batches, which ensures a more sustainable practice as each item can be carefully checked and packaged by us before being sold.
Big brands want to make as large a profit as possible, so have more to gain from using cheap labour and cheap materials, and from making unethical choices.
Handmade is more personal
As more and more independent stores are closing down, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to buy anything that’s a little bit different or personal. High streets across the country are becoming clones of each other, with just the major stores surviving. This means that finding anything unusual or individual is now almost impossible on the high street.
One of the many reasons people say they want to buy handmade is that they like the thought that something didn’t come from a big company and isn’t mass produced. In this way, buying handmade seems more exclusive and protects our sense of individuality.
In conclusion
There are lots of good reasons to choose to buy handmade products whenever we can, but that doesn’t mean it’s always bad to buy mass produced items and that we should feel guilty when we do so. It's great that some things are produced in huge quantities to fill a worldwide demand for them, but it's also fantastic that more and more people are beginning to embrace the idea of buying things that have been made by hand, and that they have increasing opportunities to do so.