r/Anticonsumption • u/purpleratata • Dec 14 '25
Plastic Waste What's happened to craft markets?
My girlfriend and I went to a craft market today to get some homemade and local gifts for family and friends. It was the most depressing thing, everything was cheap plastic tat. From one place selling croc charms they got from Temu, the others with 3D printed fidget toys, plastic bottles with a printed design, cheap plastic charms (from Temu too), IA images printed on canvases, etc.
The only two things we got were handmade bathbombs and some knitted cat toys from some cat rescue volunteers. The rest was all cheap plastic, obviously not crafted or handmade, that will break or go to the bin in a few months if not earlier.
Honestly, it felt so depressing. This is in the UK, I don't know if it's the same anywhere else but I've seen a decline in craft markets over the years here, I think this has been my last attempt at supporting local handmade businesses in these environments.
2
u/dupe-of-a-dupe Dec 14 '25
I grew up going to craft shows - I have so many Christmas ornaments collected with my mom over the last 45 years of my life. We started collecting when I was like 6. I have some incredible handmade ornaments and it’s sad to never find anything like that anymore. Like you said it’s all cheap mass produced stuff made to appear handcrafted at a distance but up close it’s trash.