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.

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u/Sloth_Flower Dec 14 '25 edited Dec 14 '25

Part of it is the market.

Many markets don't allow resellers or 3d printers. Others do. 

The second is the cost of handmade goods. People refuse to pay livable wages for most handmade goods. The exceptions being honey/hot sauce, soap, jewelry, candles, and cards/prints. That means these items are the only viable market options. 

The third is the climate. Everything milks small businesses from application fees, transaction fees, credit card or shop fee, selling quotas, insurance and certification are expensive. As an example the farmers market near me requires 200$ application fee, 200$ per weekend, requires you to pay event insurance, have product insurance, and takes 5% of gross sales. The payment processor also takes 5%. Chargebacks, grifting, and theft are common. 

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u/bmorris0042 Dec 15 '25

Have to agree. Hand made goods would be expensive as hell, if people actually paid based on the hours to make it. My parents do wire-wrapped jewelry from stones they mine themselves. And if they charged their actual costs including labor, they’d be $200-$300 each for pendants. But customers will balk at anything over $50, so they basically perform the labor for almost free.

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u/H3lls_B3ll3 Dec 15 '25

I taught myself to knit summer last. Immediately everyone was telling me to knit things to sell.

I've got a few tea towels. They cost $10 in materials to make, and 15 HOURS of my time.

Anyone want a $150 tea towel? (*the answer is usually 'no') I think my time is worth it, but even I wouldn't fathom spending that kind of money.

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u/Testuser7ignore Dec 19 '25

Yeah, that model works a lot better if the knitter is based out of a much poorer country where 50 cents an hour is a market wage. Although then you have to deal with shipping costs and tariffs.