Why Handcrafted

Why Handcrafted & Local Matters

Because what you choose to stock shapes what survives.

For more than 25 years, IndieMe has connected independent North American artists with retailers who believe shelves should hold stories—not just products. Handcrafted and local aren’t trends. They’re how artists pay their studio rent, how Main Street stays vibrant, and how your customers find gifts that actually mean something. When you decide to source handcrafted and local, you’re not just placing an order. You’re voting for the kind of economy, community, and culture you want to see in the future.

Shape 1

Handcrafted Is Human

Behind every handcrafted piece is a person, not a production line:

  • An artist sketching ideas at the kitchen table.
  • Hands that cut, carve, throw, solder, stitch, and glaze.
  • A real story about where they live and what they care about.

Your customers feel that. When someone asks, “Who made this?” and your staff can answer, you’ve done more than complete a sale—you’ve created a connection.

Handcrafted Is Human
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Why Local Spending Matters

Why Local Spending Matters

Money spent with local shops and small makers doesn’t disappear into a distant warehouse. It recirculates in your community—supporting wages, services, and other local businesses.

When you prioritize handcrafted and local, you help:

  • Strengthen your local economy.
  • Keep Main Street active and interesting.
  • Position your store as a partner in the community, not just another storefront.

You’re not only curating a product mix. You’re helping keep your town or city uniquely itself.

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Your Customers Already Want This

Shoppers are increasingly looking for:

  • Items that feel special, not generic.
  • Gifts with a real story behind them.
  • Purchases that align with their values—supporting small business, local, and sustainable choices.

When you offer handcrafted and local goods, you’re not trying to convince people to care about something new. You’re giving them an easy way to act on what they already believe.

Your Customers Already Want This

How IndieMe & Shop American Handcrafted Help

We know you’re busy. You need a trusted way to find real handcrafted work and share that value with your customers.

IndieMe

  • 100% handcrafted artists from the U.S. and Canada.
  • Juried membership, so you know it’s truly handmade.
  • Built by an artist, woman-owned, and independently held—aligned with the same values you’re trying to support.

Shop American Handcrafted

  • Our nonprofit initiative that helps consumers find stores like yours—shops that champion U.S.-made handcrafted goods and small businesses. Follow this link to view Shop American Handcrafted.
  • A way to connect what you buy wholesale with the story you tell your community.

Make Handcrafted & Local Part of How You Do Business

You don’t have to change everything overnight. Even shifting a portion of your assortment toward handcrafted and local makes a real difference.

If you’re a retailer:

  • Add or expand your handcrafted section by joining IndieMe today.
  • Discover new lines from juried IndieMe artists.
  • Get your shop in front of values-driven consumers through Shop American Handcrafted.

If you’re an artist:

  • Join a marketplace devoted entirely to handcrafted wholesale.
  • Reach retailers who are actively seeking work like yours.

Every handcrafted, local purchase keeps a story, a shop, and a studio alive.

When you choose handcrafted and local through IndieMe and Shop American Handcrafted, you’re not just filling shelves—you’re helping keep a legacy alive for the next generation.