Crafting in the Digital Age

The digital age has brought about an interesting trend: more and more people around the world are quitting their workplaces to pursue craftwork jobs. Crafts like sewing, pottery, baking or needlework are no longer considered a relic of the past. This trend has also had a great impact on our purchasing habits so that we now favour "artisanal" or "craft" bread, coffee or jewellery over mass-produced products.

So, what exactly is modern craftsmanship, and what are its cultural meanings? Why do individuals prefer to work with their hands in the digital age? And why do we as consumers choose to buy craft products?

In this text, I will draw on some ideas of Richard Sennett's, a sociologist who wrote extensively on the topics of crafts and craftsmanship and offered some really insightful perspectives on it.

Defining Modern Craftsmanship

According to Sennett, craftsmanship means more than just making things with your own hands. It expresses the desire inherent in each of us to do our job well, accurately, and for its own sake. It’s also about devotion to the job and being passionate about it.

People driven just by monetary rewards or competitiveness do not create as good work as those motivated by the joy of craftsmanship.

Craft vs industry

Sennett contrasts manual labour with the industrial mode of production when machines produce identical items in large quantities.

Mass production and the availability of goods led to the fact that we began to value things much less.

It has become easier for us to get rid of an item and buy a new one than to use it for an extended period of time. All of this raised concerns that our senses would become dulled by uniformity, and that the mass-produced cheap goods would no longer evoke any emotional response.

Individuality through Imperfection

Against the backdrop of manufactured goods, craftspeople represent human individuality and self-expression. Flaws and imperfections, which are distinctive features of handicrafts, get to be valued much more positively than before, as they point to a human hand, not a machine. Furthermore, these imperfections in handmade products can also highlight the material used and the production process, which can add to their charm and authenticity. In contrast, mass-produced items lack this personal connection and can feel impersonal and sterile.

Craft objects also allow you to feel the contact with your own body: to enjoy the tactile sensations that you experience when touching handmade products, to admire their irregularities.

Sense of Pride & Accomplishment

Sennett also emphasizes the importance of craftsmanship for developing a sense of pride and accomplishment in the maker. Through the process of creating something with their own hands, the craftsman gains an intimate understanding of the material and takes joy in the finished product that can be cherished for years to come. It allows to appreciate the tangible outcomes of a job well done while providing the opportunity to find pleasure in the work process.

The Stories Behind Handmade Objects

Handmade objects like clothing, jewellery, or pottery all tell a story. They all have something to say about the individual who produced them: their identity, culture, character and passions. Because the craftsperson takes such care in crafting their items, you can almost feel their presence in the object itself. In a way, when buying a handmade object, you're also acquiring a glimpse into the life of its maker.

Craft for Social Good

Understanding how and why something is made and where it comes from is more important than ever these days. Naturally, handmade items are not inexpensive, yet their worth is not just monetary. It's also social and political - knowing how something came to be, who created it, and what are the cultural meanings behind it - all of that makes us appreciate craft objects even more. Craftsmanship is also interwoven with a wide range of values, like anti-consumerism, localism, environmentalism, etc.

At the end of the day, this is what makes us more responsible consumers.

Resources

Sennett, Richard. The Craftsman. Penguin Books, 2009.