Does it matter to you if something is handmade?

It depends on whether or not the hand made product is an improvement over the machine made one.

Craftmanship is key.

For custom-made personal items like clothes or shoes, yes, it would add value for me. Handmade things that could arguably be art as well, like, say a sword or a vase, I would consider its manufacture when I’m pricing out something I’m interested in. Food? Depends. I adjust my expectations based on where I’m eating: I know Applebee’s is going to be a lot of pre-packaged HFCS, but Le Bernardin had better be real, fresh food gotten from the market that day prepared by a chef in that kitchen.

I only carw when there is artistry and craftmanship involved, such as furniture and clothing. When I go out to eat or shop at a chain store I don’t expect homemade, or even want it for that matter.

The strategy of implementing one brief hand-to-product interaction in order to use this descriptor in marketing has jaded me somewhat. The copy on packaging doesn’t persuade me one way or another, but if I know something is legitimately and genuinely handmade, a la etsy, I’m much more likely to purchase something. Not because hands touched it, but because of whose hands touched it.

Hand made to me has always meant that more care has been given to a particular product. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is better it just means that someone took the time to produce it manually. With some hand made items you can see an imperfection here or there but I tend to look the other way because “hey it was hand made and I know someone worked hard on this”.

On a more personal level my children make me things all the time and everything they give me is priceless.

I live in a rural area and buy lots of items from local artisans.

It’s important to me to know the person who made what I’m wearing or using.

It depends on the product and the vendor…..

For most craft type items “handmade” does add value. For example a handmade quality quilt is easily worth several hundred dollars. That same design, machine made from Wal Mart? Eh, no.

As to food….interestingly, I would feel better about corporate foods (e.g. Panera) if they had less touching by employees (in the example you give….)

In comparison, homemade jellies, breads, etc I am willing to pay more and it adds value if it is handmade.

Handmade to me means a learned skill or trade and caring enough about the product to want to make it better than machine/assembly line made.

There are some things, that are better if the aren’t handmade. In general, machines, electonics are a couple of examples that spring to mind….

This depends heavily on the product. And I was going to get into my answer, but I see that Snoopy has pretty much said everything I was going to say. So I’ll just ask you to refer to their answer :)

It only matters to me when I personally know the person who made it.

Snoopy covered it well, quite elegantly too. (Can fluther install a Snoopy add on that will remove the roughness of my Cowboyish verbage ?)

As an artist (wood carving, furniture, plaques, painting) that depended on my talent for many years, I am biased. Handmade means something to me, if it was made here or in Asia, I still appreciate it for the artestry.

I did observe an interesting behavioral pattern at the craft shows where we marketed our creations that does apply to your question, kindof..

When dealing with blue collar working folks, they felt we were always fair in our pricing and even tipped us a couple of times. They appreciated all hand made products, much more if it was quality.

When dealing with most “Rich” folks it was a different story. They figgered we should pay them for the privilege of having our work displayed in their house. They didn’t so much appreciate your work as feel they deserved it, and would try to beat you down on a price.

Always irritated me to have someone who made millions not want to pay me $5 a stinkin hour to do something that they in no way could do. Sorry, got carried away.

(blushing)

@pekenoe I developed a whole new appreciation for paying for handcrafted stuff when I tried to make some of my own. My latest (last?) project consisted of a braided wool rug. It is lovely but, sheesh, the amount of time I spent on this thing!
People forget that they are paying for not only the supplies, but also the skill and the time.

I am definitely willing to pay more for a handmade item, especially those from cultures where the maker may have few resources other than time and skill.

For me, it is very important… when it’s handmade, is not just a cold piece of (whatever), part of the person’s spirit, soul and passion that crafted your possesion is in it, it gives an amazing value (I know Harp, I’d get one of your harps someday).
The handmade swiss timepiece, the handmade voguel guitar, the handmade ferrari/aston martin, you just say handmade and something amazing comes to mind….

@flameboi : You have hand crafted something to know that, that is one of the greatest rewards of being an artist. Many people have a small piece of you in their homes and get enjoyment from it, possibly for generations.

i like the idea of things being handmade – i’m more attracted to them automatically i think. i just having something a person spent time making rather than something a machine kind of threw together because it was programmed to. especially if you’ve made that thing yourself and can really appreciate how awesome it is that someone made yours for you and it looks/tastes/whatever so wonderful.

@pekenoe
I totally agree with you, all my handcrafteds are still in my drawing book, maybe one day I’ll have the pleasure to do it :)