Handmade versus Indie

I ran across this blog post the other day at Sweet Tarragon. She brought up a good point...while something may be handmade...it does not necessarily make it Indie. Handmade can still be outsourced so to speak. Indie implies a true independent operation, usually a home based artisan or studio of artisans...not a shop of underpaid workers in a small country somewhere running through instructions based on a design. Here is an excerpt:

"do your research and be confident that what you’re buying is handmade by an independent artisan or crafter. Talk to them about their works, what inspires them, how they got started. You’re not just buying a toy or a gift — you’re buying a small piece of that person’s life. One of the great benefits of buying indie is getting to know the person behind the product — take advantage of that and ensure that your handmade purchase is created in the spirit that the movement intends. Buy directly from the artist or their website; seek out your local craftspeople or browse the world marketplace on sites like Etsy and Dawanda.*"

To read the entire article, click here.