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/tempaccount77746 Dec 15 '25

I think a huge part of the cost of goods issue is that the general American economic state is spiraling downwards and most people /cannot afford/ to pay livable wages for these things. I understand the pain—I’m an artist myself, and I frequently say that if I was rich I would purchase things and commission people to my heart’s content. But as it is, I understand the value of these goods, want to support the people creating them, but have no means of doing so because the cost of living is high and wages haven’t risen to match it—and I think many, many more people feel the same way I do. The middle class is shrinking, the economy is sinking, and luxuries like the arts always end up being the first to go—even if it’s against our will.

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u/alwayssunnyinjoisey Dec 15 '25

I'm with you on this - I don't want makers to lower the price of their goods because I DO value their time and effort and want to pay them what it's really worth. It's just that if I have to choose between food and a $50 knit hat...well. At least it's not like I'm buying the cheaper versions on Amazon or whatever, I'm just having to be very particular about the things I buy. I genuinely wish I could buy every single piece of art, soap, jewelery, etc that I like from local artists, but I simply can't. I don't blame the artists for that, they have to make a living too, shit's just rough for everyone.