How will the handicraft industry develop?

Dear users, dear authors,
would you like to share your thoughts on this?

If this virus situation drags on much longer, it could have a positive effect on crafts and the like, because when you’re at home working on a project, there’s hardly any risk of getting infected. I think the craft scene is on the rise, especially since even before the pandemic, the trend toward homemade sewn or knitted items was already on the rise.

The trend has always been there, but since people don’t really do it in public, it doesn’t stand out as much. I always find it cute when I wear one of my own scarves at work and customers comment on it, and I’m always surprised when I hear that they also crochet, knit, or sew. It’s not just a “grandma” thing—lots of young people do a lot of handicrafts. I grew up in a creative family; everyone did something.

I also think this trend has been around for a few years now, and there are definitely more and more people who are enjoying their free time with crafts, DIY projects, and the like.
Personally, I’ve actually been told that anyone who knows me would never guess that I crochet and knit. But I’ve had the same reaction from some of my friends, too. As someone who grew up in the GDR, I’ve sewn my own clothes before—my grandma was an amateur seamstress, and I had Barbie dolls from the West, haha—that’s how I got into sewing. These days, I can’t walk past a yarn shelf without stopping, and luckily, I have a husband who takes my various big and small yarn purchases in stride with a smile.

From my perspective, people are increasingly longing for beautiful, high-quality, and handmade items. Now that products in stores are getting cheaper and cheaper and of lower and lower quality (all “Made in China” with questionable ingredients, etc.), there’s a shift in thinking taking place. People want to know again where something comes from, how it was made, and what materials it contains. And ideally, if you’re creative, you want to make it yourself. Making things yourself also brings a lot of joy in the process of creation. Just imagine it: after a long day at work, crafting is pure relaxation. In the end, you’ve created something unique that you’re proud of. That’s simply priceless and fulfilling. It becomes a wonderful hobby that brings joy. I believe that people need and appreciate these values more than ever.

Many people are discovering their creativity right now, and crafts are definitely on the rise. For some, it’s a way to relax; for others, it opens up whole new worlds. The trend is also shifting away from cheap goods toward high-quality items, especially when it comes to clothing. And as a gift, something handmade is much more appreciated than something anyone can buy. From what I’ve observed, this is even true among young people.

I think this trend will only grow, especially now that most people don’t enjoy going shopping.

It feels like things might be on the upswing. However, when I look back at last year’s industry figures from Initiative Handarbeit, there seems to be more of a downward trend, and Google Trends confirms this as well. 

I think we’ve reached a peak right now. Handicrafts and sewing have grown tremendously over the past few decades, but many people have been observing a downward trend for a few years now.

Mask-making has given sewing a short-term boost, and there are certainly some newcomers—people will continue to sew and craft.

But the market is pretty saturated. The big players are consolidating their efforts (e.g., the merger of stoffe.de and makerist.de), there have been TV shows, etc. But since the territory has now been staked out, we won’t be seeing much that’s new for the time being.

Personally, I believe the hype has died down for now—the market is pretty saturated.

But I also think there will be a resurgence. There’s definitely still potential in the areas of upcycling and sustainability.