Is making things by hand more sustainable than buying ready-made items?

Dear users, dear authors,
Is making things by hand more sustainable?

Dear Josefa,

in my opinion, handmade items are more sustainable than constantly buying new things.

Take my favorite cardigan, for example. It keeps me warm every year without fail. It’s made from a renewable resource—namely, wool. Of course, we make sure to check where the wool comes from and that it was produced in an animal-friendly way. I choose the colors and patterns myself and knit it so that it fits me perfectly: with pockets, a length that falls below my bottom, etc., and a belt—in other words, a cardigan tailored exactly to my personal preferences. With a handmade item, I can decide for myself what it should look like, and I’ll simply make it exactly the way I like it.

The wool has such excellent properties that it always keeps me warm without making me sweat. It’s breathable and simply releases excess heat through the wool fibers. So the cardigan meets my expectations for a cardigan and gives me warmth and comfort; on top of that, it’s so beautiful and handmade by me. So I’ll take special care of it—for example, by making sure to dry it flat and not use fabric softener, so the wool retains its “thermal properties.”

Since I have such a great cardigan, I’m not forced to look for an industrially manufactured one in stores. I avoid purchases and bad purchases and don’t create “clothing waste,” because the items I buy don’t meet my standards in the long run after all.

I’d rather have one favorite cardigan I knitted myself than five that aren’t any warmer or end up twice as wide as they are tall after washing.

Best regards, Ina

But the opposite can also be true—especially if you’re not (yet) very skilled at crafting. You might end up with a mistake or two that bothers you, or the item just doesn’t fit quite right. And then you don’t really want to wear it and end up throwing it away eventually.
That’s how it is for me with sewn items.
I can sew a little, but the items never turn out the way I imagine them. Sometimes a seam is a bit crooked or a zipper doesn’t sit right. In that case, I’d rather buy something than sew it myself.
And when I buy something, I can pay just as much attention to the quality of the material. 

When it comes to gifts, it depends on the recipient. I’ve experienced very different levels of “appreciation.”
My daughter (44) still treasures her crocheted christening gown. My niece kept the crocheted wool blanket she received as a baby 38 years ago and used it for her two boys. She didn’t want new blankets. “I already have my beautiful blanket.”
With my mother and sisters, it was more like they wore it once and then it ended up in the dog’s bed. A former friend was thrilled with her crocheted sweater, but then it quickly ended up in the trash.
I myself knitted a jacket about 30 years ago that I still have. I don’t wear it as often anymore, but I still do from time to time. Over 40 years ago, a dear friend gave me some pot holders. They’re not quite as pretty anymore, but I still use them, even though I’ve crocheted many pot holders myself.
When I was in school, my grandma gave me a tablecloth to embroider (cross-stitch) for my trousseau. She kept a very close eye on my progress, and it took me forever back then to finish that tablecloth. I would have loved to just throw it in the trash. Well, the tablecloth has survived and is still in great shape today, despite being 50 years old. Today, I’m grateful to my grandma for it—I still have a beautiful tablecloth and a vivid memory of her.

Best regards, Marlies

I have a black lace blouse that’s probably over 100 years old.
It was sewn by my great-aunt, whom I never got to meet because she died young.
Unfortunately, the blouse hasn’t fit me for a long time, and it’s also a bit threadbare.

Homemade items are usually more sustainable. The best example is two cardigans my husband owns—his mother knitted them when he was still in school and then doing his apprenticeship. Both cardigans are still in great shape—and my husband isn’t exactly a spring chicken anymore.
I myself have clothes in my closet that I sewed years ago and still wear, since I tend to use timeless styles anyway. If I’d bought them, most of those items would probably have been thrown away long ago.

Best regards, Inge

I have a lot of sweaters in my closet that I just can’t bring myself to part with because they hold memories for me. With each one, I can tell exactly where I was sitting when I knitted it. Whenever I take one out of the closet, it often makes me smile. Ah, Lake Garda, a hiking vacation...... It’s harder for me to part with handmade items.

In any case, handmade projects using things you’ve already bought but can’t or don’t want to wear anymore are definitely sustainable. For example, I’m currently sewing gift bags and toy storage pouches out of clothes that would otherwise have ended up in the recycling bin. 

Items you knit or crochet yourself are also easier to unravel and turn into something else if they no longer fit or you no longer like them. 

You can’t really make a blanket statement about that :)

I still have some “store-bought” scarves that I’ve been wearing since I was 15. 

That said, I’d say handmade items are more likely to be used for longer... Especially when you know how much work went into them. 

The fashion chains where teenagers and young adults tend to shop are aimed at getting you to replace your wardrobe (at least!) once a year. 
Some of these items are made in such a way that they don’t last any longer... That’s intentional.

When you crochet, knit, or sew something yourself, you want to be able to use it for as long as possible and are more likely to repair it instead of throwing it away :) 

I’m not really sure about that—I’d say it’s more a matter of mindset; even a good-quality store-bought item can last you half a lifetime.
To me, sustainability means upcycling and things like that—like unraveling an old sweater and making something new out of it, or turning old jeans into that famous bag, or making shopping bags out of leftover yarn—things like that.