Перш ніж перейти до предмету даної статті, необхідно визначитися, про який вид бізнесу йде мова. Вважаю не буде перебільшенням, якщо скажу, що кожен із нас хоча б один раз в житті задумувався над тим, як можна заробити на улюбленому занятті, хобі чи рукоділлі.
Є серед нас такі, хто поки що лише планує зробити перші кроки в світі хенд-мейду, є такі, які вагаються, а є такі, які відігнали від себе будь-які сумніви та вирішили перетворити своє захоплення в джерело додаткового чи постійного доходу. Погодьтеся, що ж може бути краще, аніж отримувати прибуток від улюбленого заняття?
Дана стаття орієнтована не на акул океану хенд-мейду, а на початківців, тих, хто хотів би приєднатися до української спільноти талановитих майстрів, розпочати заробляти, але поки що не знайомий з даним видом бізнесу і не знає, з чого розпочати і чим спочатку зайнятися.
What is handmade?
For centuries, humans have been trying to improve and enhance the world by creating various beautiful things by hand. For some, it is a form of self-expression, for others – a simple hobby, and for others still – a way to keep their hands busy for a while. However, in any case, anyone with hands can create various products that are now commonly referred to as handmade (literally translated from English as "hand-made").
Nowadays, handmade is widespread almost all over the world and includes a variety of techniques – from embroidery, quilling, decoupage, and hand painting on fabric to carving, macramé, and wood carving. For many, handmade is a wonderful opportunity to express their soul and self-actualize. That is why such products are highly valued, as they contain a piece of the craftsman's heartfelt warmth.
So, as you may have guessed, handmade with your own hands is not only a beautiful way to express yourself and show others your level of craftsmanship, but also a great opportunity to earn income.
What handmade ideas are there?
With the growing popularity of handmade products and the increasing number of various handmade ideas, the demand for them is also rising. After all, it is these items, made by a craftsman by hand with warmth and love, that truly compete with mass-produced factory goods and are becoming more popular every day.
And this is not surprising, as can "soulless" factory products compete with, for example, ceramic items, figurines, or embroidered shirts made by the hands of a talented master?
To start engaging in a particular type of handmade, it is necessary to determine what brings you joy, what excites you, and what you can do for hours without getting bored.
Handmade is closely related to the traditions of crafts, folk arts, and decorative-applied arts. One could even say that the modern term "hand-made" is a rephrased, simplified name for decorative-applied art, whose products must meet several requirements: have aesthetic quality, possess artistic effect, and serve for interior and household decoration. Such items can include clothing, decorative fabrics, furniture, carpets, porcelain, faience, artistic glass, jewelry, and other artistic products. From the above, it can be concluded that the world of handmade is vast, and each of us, based on our tastes and preferences, can easily find the most suitable option for ourselves.
Decoupage, scrapbooking, carving, quilling, felting, topiary, products made from polymer clay and leather, dolls and toys, patchwork, macramé, embroidery, knitting, bead weaving – these and many other types of handicrafts are available for anyone wishing to start engaging in handmade and earn from it. After all, they say: "If there is a will, there will be opportunities!".
Advantages and disadvantages of handmade
Like any type of activity aimed at generating income, handmade has its pros and cons. So let's take a look at them right away. First, let's analyze the negative aspects.
The main disadvantage of handmade is the high cost of tools, materials, and accessories. To start engaging in this type of activity, a beginner needs to spend a considerable amount of money. However, it is quite difficult to explain to customers why such a small item costs several hundred hryvnias… :-)
However, there are many more advantages to handmade. These include:
it allows a person to realize their creative potential, and for the craftsman, handmade will never become a routine;
handmade helps improve motor skills;
in most cases, handmade craftsmen are not tied to a specific workplace, so they can work anywhere and anytime, in a place convenient for them, day or night;
handmade is constant self-improvement, as to ensure demand for the craftsman's items, they always need to generate fresh original ideas.
However, the greatest and most important advantage of handmade, regardless of the type, is its ability to bring a very good profit to the craftsman. And all that is needed for this is to learn how to make quality items and to announce oneself to a wide circle of potential buyers.
How to announce yourself and where to sell finished products?
The main question that interests all handmade craftsmen, both beginners and experienced ones, is how and where to sell their products. This question is especially relevant for those who plan to make this type of activity their main source of income.
Exhibitions, festivals, and fairs
In any large city, various mass cultural events – festivals, exhibitions, fairs – are held from time to time. It is at these events that craftsmen can sell their handmade products.
These can be pre-New Year and Christmas fairs, holidays, youth festivals, various exhibition projects, etc. Here, it is important to keep your finger on the pulse of cultural events in the country and closely monitor thematic events in the largest cities of Ukraine.
This option is a great way for craftsmen to announce themselves, meet a large number of potential buyers who, by the way, may become regular customers, organizers of cultural events, intermediaries, owners of retail chains, etc.
Own website
A great way to sell your handmade products is to have your own website. However, this method requires persistence and patience from the craftsman. Here, it is necessary to aim for the long term and be prepared for the fact that products will not start selling en masse right away.
This option is suitable for craftsmen who have been actively engaged in handmade in Ukraine for quite some time, who often participate in various cultural projects, and who are, in a word, well-known to the public, and whose products are known and in demand.
Social networks
If you are a beginner in handmade, just taking your first steps in this field, then advertising on social networks is your option, as in this case there are no capital investments.
In general, everything depends on your ingenuity, resourcefulness, and availability of free time, with which you can announce yourself and introduce your creativity to the networks. In addition, never forget about friends who can freely, just for fun, post photos of your products on their pages.
Special internet resources
Special internet resources for handmade makers are probably the strongest and most widespread tool for selling handmade products worldwide. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many such services in the world.
However, I would like to highlight only a few that are rightly considered the best of the best.
For several years, the leader in the market for selling handmade products has been the commercial portal "Etsy", which is extremely popular in all corners of the world. For many craftsmen, this platform has become a source of steady income.
In addition to "Etsy", attention should also be paid to other internet portals specializing in handmade products, such as "ArtFire", "iCraft", "DaWanda", "Zibbet", and many others.
Where to buy materials?
To start engaging in handmade, you will definitely need tools, paints, threads, ribbons, glue, cardboard, beads, and other consumables. They are not cheap, so buying everything at once, especially for a beginner, will be quite difficult.
Today, craftsmen mostly order everything they need online. Fortunately, Ukrainian and foreign online stores offer their customers a huge assortment of goods for any type of handmade, for any taste and any thickness of wallet.
It is worth noting that buying materials online comes with some inconveniences. For example, some Ukrainian online sellers offer free shipping only for large orders. The downside of working with foreign online stores is that payments have to be made in foreign currency, and it can take quite a long time to wait for the order to arrive.
However, there is an alternative option – buying consumables at markets, fairs, specialized stores, etc. Perhaps the assortment in such places is not as large as online, but here the buyer has the opportunity to see the product in person, examine it, consult, and in some cases – even bargain... And let’s not forget that local sellers can always order the necessary goods.
In conclusion, it should be said that handmade, as a source of income, is a fairly common phenomenon worldwide and, in particular, in our country. So if you love to create various products by hand and enjoy it, we advise you to consider whether it is time to start earning from your hobby?
