Why Handmade Matters in an Age of Soulless Consumerism

For years, I was swept up in the thrill of fast fashion. A self-proclaimed fashionista, I reveled in the excitement of a new outfit—the confidence boost, the fresh start. But a week later, the joy would fade, the piece relegated to the back of my closet like yesterday’s laundry. It wasn’t until recently that I truly began questioning my habits. When Target abandoned its DEI policies, I saw how easily corporations discard values for convenience. Around the same time, I watched the documentary “Buy Now” the Shopping conspiracy and learned about the mountains of discarded fast fashion polluting Ghana’s beaches, a stark reminder of our culture of waste. That’s when I knew—I couldn’t keep feeding into this cycle of careless consumption.

I wanted my purchases to matter. I wanted the things I owned to carry meaning, tell a story, and feel personal. That realization led me back to what I have always loved—creating by hand. My jewelry isn’t just an accessory; it’s an extension of me, shaped by moments, memories, and emotions.

Why do we continue to pour our dollars into big-box corporations when there are more meaningful alternatives? Art, after all, is a form of resistance. It is a rebellion against mass consumerism, against the disposability of modern products, against a world that prioritizes speed over soul. Choosing handmade means choosing connection, intention, and sustainability. It’s a deliberate stand against a system that wants us to consume thoughtlessly.

I am not a factory. I don’t have a production line. What I have is my grit, determination, and my hands, shaping each piece with intention. Selling at farmer’s markets has reinforced this belief—I see the moment a piece resonates with someone, the instant connection as they recognize the story behind it. Even the most straightforward everyday designs hold meaning: a song playing in the background, a news event that shook me, a memory woven into the metal and stone.

There have been tough nights, staring at my workbench after a month of sales, barely covering rent. Yet I persist. Like many artists before me, I rise each day with a purpose—to create, connect, and resist the status quo.

Every purchase is a choice. Every handmade piece is a story. Will you support art or let the machine win?

In a world of mass production, choosing handmade is choosing connection. It’s choosing art over apathy.