5 Reasons to Choose Handmade Products

We all know how dangerously easy it is to choose the (seemingly) miraculous, light-speed option of ordering from Amazon Prime. This, however, often means that we are also choosing cheap labour, overseas manufacturing, low quality and mass-produced.

We don't want this, of course, but it's OH so tempting when we know it'll arrive in the next 24 hours.

However, choosing Amazon over an independent company means we end up knowing very little about the conception, production or delivery of the product we are purchasing.

This is in stark contrast with the experience of choosing independent, handmade products. 

 

If nothing else, choosing handmade allows for a guilt-free shopping experience, and at best, can transform the life of a local maker!

 

We’ve put together 5 reasons why we think choosing handmade products makes a lot more sense.

 

🌿 They’re Green 🌿

Products made by hand use less energy than mass-produced, as they avoid factory use and long distance shipping. Instead, the work is completed by hand, often locally.

All our pods are made in the UK. Nothing is manufactured overseas, which is rare these days! Instead, we prioritise working with small companies or individuals within England, sourcing our materials from the UK as well whenever possible. 

 

👛 They’re Worth More 👛 

Often part of a small batch, a limited edition, or even totally original, handmade products cannot be reproduced and therefor often hold a higher value! In time they often increase in value, whereas mass-produced products decrease in value.

 

Each of our pods are handmade by British basketmakers, so they are essentially all unique! Your pod will have it's own story, someone spent time weaving each piece of willow into the frame and carefully crafting the shape to feel cosy and welcoming when curled up inside. This is quite different to being mass-produced in a factory!

 

🔨 They Support a Tradition of Skilled Work 🔨 

This is key! Handcrafted products produce work for HUMANS instead of machines, and by investing in these over cheaper, machine produced items, we are in turn supporting other people’s livelihoods.

We work with local metalworkers and provide work for British female basketmakers. These women are incredibly skilled at what they do and we are proud to be supporting women as well as celebrating a traditional craft that may otherwise be forgotten. 

 

✨ They’re unique ✨

There is nothing that can replace the feeling of using a handmade product as oppose to a mass-produced. The piece often comes with a story, and you have a relationship in someway with the makers. These objects are often the ones you cherish and keep for years to come!

Our hanging chairs feel very different to mass-produced swing seats. When you receive your pod and trace your hand across the woven willow, you'll soon realise the difference in quality and finish. There's something irreplaceable about handmade work. 

 

☺️ They Make you Feel Good! ☺️

Saving up and spending a little more to choose handmade over mass-produced, if nothing else, provides a good night’s sleep! You can rest well knowing you’ve supported traditional crafts and chosen a sustainable and ethical option. Well done!

Our customers have often told us they cherish their pods. They become focal points in the house and all the family use them in different ways. The kids often as a den or a nest, the parents as a place to switch off and take 5 minutes of peace. Or partners as a place to leave the phone behind and spend quality time... But always a special place that feels separate from the rest of the furniture in the home. 

 

 

To find out more about our making process at Pearpod click here.

OR watch this Instagram reel for a sneak peek into the process of making the pods.