Benefits of Buying Handicrafts & Reviving This Dying Art (Updated 2020)

Handicrafts are an expression of tradition, heritage, and culture of a region or country. They are the product of years of experience and handiwork with the use of specialized tools.

But as the world advances, mechanization of production becomes the norm. Over time, the sense of individualism and the value of artistic expression are depleted.

However, in a society that mass-produces everything, more and more people are now turning to artisanal crafts. Sure, you can buy "exotic pieces" at the mall, but you're also purchasing the same thing as everybody else.

Handicrafts are becoming increasingly popular once again because they represent a humanistic side to consumerism. We are surrounded by a digital world, and the eye craves tangible pieces of art, just like handicrafts.

If you’re thinking of getting handicrafts for your home, read on and find out the several benefits of buying artisan products.

Sui Generis

Sui generis is Latin for “of its own kind”—a perfect description for handicrafts. What sets handicrafts apart from commercially mass-produced products is that they’re on a league of their own. Nothing quite compares to purchasing and owning handicrafts.

Made with love

It's not easy to create handicrafts. They are artforms passed down from generation to generation, slowly being refined and perfected with every set of hands they pass through. Each country, region, and family holds secrets to producing their specialty handicrafts as everyone has a different take on production.

There's a story behind each product. Each handmade item has time and effort put into it. Unlike commercial items that are shipped in pieces and put together in assembly lines, artisans produce handicrafts from farm to table. Sometimes literally.

These artists take charge of the entire creative process. Most of them grow and source the material as well as harvest and process everything themselves.

Handicrafts are trendy and will never go out of style

We’ve all heard of how fast fashion is polluting the environment. In the United States over 12.8 million tons of clothing are sent to landfills every year. 

Handicrafts, on the other hand, are timeless pieces that will remain trendy for the years to come. Unlike mass-produced items that come and go as the season changes, handicrafts will remain to be sought long after Paris Fashion Week takes over. 

Rainforest Bowls has a selection of trendy and sustainable products that are sure to last you a lifetime. Whether you’re in your roaring 20s or golden 50s, there’s something to appreciate about our uniquely handcrafted products.

Check out our Jumbo and Small Coconut Bowls Set with Wooden Utensils pack! Just like all our other products it’s 100% natural, eco-friendly, and has a taste of timeless style. It’s 45% OFF right now, so cop it while it’s hot!

Unique

No two handicrafts are the same. Variations in shape, shading, grain, color, and texture are given in handmade items, which means that your handicraft purchases are one of a kind. How can you not love that?

Even if you were to gift your friends a set of Rainforest Bowls identical to your own, you could assure them and yourself that each bowl is unique. Every scour on the bowl, every patch, and every line is different on each bowl. Even the way each bowl is shaped is different because no two coconuts grow alike. 

Treat yourself and your buddies to a Rainforest Bowls variety pack. Pick from one of each size (or keep them all for yourself!).

Quality

Handicrafts have the added benefit of attention to detail. The artisans understand the value of each piece as their products are their bread and butter. 

Nothing can detect imperfection better than the human eye. Machines may be programmed to weed out the ugly and get rid of the defective, but artists can embrace the ugly and turn it into something beautiful. Just because one bowl has a flatter bottom doesn't mean that it's not of the highest quality.

On a lighter note, artisans ensure the quality of their pieces by refining each and every detail until it fits their standards. The longer they spend working on a product, the better they become at identifying the kinks and flaws, therefore fixing the problem before it grows.

Artisans take pride in their craft. How their products turn out is a reflection of their craftsmanship and skill. It only makes sense that they want to put their best foot forward every single time.

This fact rings true at Rainforest Bowls, where every coconut bowl is handcrafted to perfection.

Watch the video below to see how our coconut bowls are lovingly crafted:

Authenticity ensured 

There was a time when luxury brands capitalized on the fact that all of their items were handcrafted to perfection. We’re not so sure about that anymore. In fact, many designer brands were exposed to mass-producing their pieces but manually attaching bag handles in an assembly line just so they could say that their products are handmade. 

When purchasing handicrafts, you can ensure that they are 100% authentic. The products are a representation of the artist’s sweat, blood, and tears. Nothing gets more real than that!

Thoughtful gift-giving

Gifting your loved ones handicrafts shows that you put thought into what you give them, even if you didn’t make them yourselves. The artist's hard work and attention to detail carry over into the energy that the recipient gets when they receive your present. 

Just about anyone can value handicrafts. Why? Not many people realize this, but handicrafts represent royalty. 

Back in the day, handcrafted items were gifted to sultans and pharaohs as a sign of respect and peace. Neighboring kingdoms would commission their best artists to embellish their work with intricacies. The more thought put into the handicraft, the higher the chances of winning the trust of an opposing ruler.

In that sense, giving your loved ones, friends, and family handicrafts is like offering them the respect you’d give to royalty.

Customizable

Take a look at our products on Rainforest Bowls. What’s one thing that they all have in common? They’re customizable! 

Take our Raw Coconut Bowls, for example, their rough finish makes it perfect for painting and turning into decorative pieces to display around your home.

Another thing you could do, that is if you have the artistic eye and crafty capability, is to carve your own decorations into the bowl. Or you can drill holes through the tops and string wire through them to create hanging planters. But be careful when handling sharp objects! 

For more ideas on how you can customize your coconut bowls check out our previous article on the many uses of Rainforest Bowls. 

There’s so much novelty into making something ‘’just for you.” You learn to appreciate and treasure that item more.

Purchasing handicrafts supports the sustainability initiative

Now before you ask, sustainability initiatives are defined as “an approach aiming to create long-term stakeholder value through the implementation of a business strategy that focuses on the ethical, social, environmental, cultural, and economic dimensions of doing business.”

Bear in mind that when you purchase handicrafts, you do it for a cause. At surface level, they seem like exotic pieces of indigenous art—which they are, but in retrospect, you’re supporting an art form, the artists, and the local economy you purchase them from.

Support a form of art

When you purchase handicrafts, you support an art form, many of which are dying. The problem with indigenous art is that it’s slowly being washed out. Culture is deeply rooted in art and handcrafted items are an ode to the past that has to be preserved for the future of the culture.

Often, it is the elders of the community who are the masters of the craft, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to pass on the skill to the younger generations.

Support the artists who handcraft them from scratch

They say that money makes the world go round. To some extent this is true. Artists can’t just create their beloved products from thin air—they also have to factor in the cost of production when they create their handicrafts. 

Rainforest Bowls ethically sources its products from Vietnam. When you purchase our coconut bowls, you support the local coconut farmers and crafters of Vietnam. Setting aside the cost of production of handicrafts, you help the artisans who work hard to produce our bowls. 

Read more about it on our About Us page.

Appreciate the craftsmanship

We need to be more mindful about the products we purchase. It’s so easy to fall into the habit of panic buying, and most of the time, we don’t even realize it. In the long run, all the panic buying we do during big sales can add up. 

Think about it! How many times have we said ‘it’s only five dollars’? Way more than we can count. And what normally happens to the things we panic buy? They end up unused. They were appealing in the store because they seemed so cheap, but they turned out to be a misfit among your items and their quality is terrible. 

Build a mindset around mindful purchases. Learn to appreciate the craftsmanship of well-made items. Handicrafts withstand the test of time; they’ll save you money in the long run. Additionally, buying handicrafts is a great way to cut down on trinkets around your house because you’re now more mindful of what goes in it.

Environmentally friendly

The concept of a ‘carbon footprint’ isn’t talked about enough. Historically, carbon footprints are defined as ‘The total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an [individual, event, organization, product] expressed as CO2e.’  In layman’s term, your carbon footprint is the number of carbon emissions you release into the air. 

Everybody has a carbon footprint, but it is our duty to keep it at a minimum. Corporate giants release excessive amounts of carbon emissions daily via power plants, manufacturing, and the like. But artisans barely release any carbon emissions because most of their work is done by hand. 

To combat their carbon emission, companies often partake in sustainability efforts. For every coconut bowl sold, Rainforest Bowls plants one coconut tree. One tree may sound like an insignificant contribution, but let us do the math for you. 

One coconut tree can produce 75 coconuts, 75 coconuts produce 150 bowls, and when those 150 bowls are sold 15 more coconut tree seedlings are planted.  Do your part and buy handicrafts. It’s more sustainable for your wallet and for the environment.

If you’d like to know more about our reforestation efforts, check out our eco-friendly goals.

Sustainably and ethically sourced products

Many Asian countries consider the coconut tree the ‘’tree of life.” Every component of the tree from its roots to its leaves serves a functional or edible purpose. Not much is thought of the coconut shells once the meat is scraped out. These shells are either discarded or burn as waste and brought to landfills. We at Rainforest Bowls wish to eliminate the waste by turning previously unwanted shells into functional, artisan-made bowls. 

Ethical sourcing is essential to businesses and suppliers because it ensures that the products were sourced in a fair way. This means workers are paid the appropriate wage, environmental rights are respected, and the communities which they source from are being impacted by a positive outcome. Moreover, it reinforces environmental and social responsibility.

Learn about our sourcing and manufacturing process.

Summary

Purchasing handicrafts gives us a sense of camaraderie. We support communities, local artists, and even our own mindful habits when we opt to buy handmade goods. There is no reason better than the other for buying handicrafts. We should all be a little more involved with the choices that we make. No matter how small the contribution may be, it all adds up to make a better and more sustainable world.

Preserve the artform and value the importance of buying handicrafts. 

Now tell us, what are your reasons for buying handicrafts? Connect with Rainforest Bowls through Instagram and join our eco-friendly conversations!

References:

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/07/26/fast-fashion-is-a-disaster-for-women-and-the-environment/#221c86a21fa4
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_sustainability
3. https://web.archive.org/web/20090511102744/http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/solutions/CarbonFootprinting/what_is_a_carbon_footprint.htm
4. https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/ethical-sourcing/

Author Profile

As someone from the tropics Trish Suarez thrives on the sun, sea, and coconut filled beaches. Her favorite poolside refreshment is açaí berry smoothie served in a beautifully crafted coconut bowl.