The disappearing artisans

Mass production vs craftmanship – rethink what you buy

We cannot deny that mass production has taken the world by storm. With its high production rates and low cost of production, it has offered inexpensive products and robots that can pack 144,000 eggs per hour. But mass production also brought along its disadvantages such as energy consumption, huge capital investment, job losses, pollution and lack of employee wellbeing.

With ethical shopping becoming more topical amongst buyers, it certainly is worth looking into where your products are made, and by who. Thrifting is a perfect example of consumers choosing to buy second-hand clothing because of ethical practises within the clothing industry. The US thrifting market is said to grow to $77 billion in the next five years. Is there perhaps a shift in the mind of the consumer?

With all the focus on mass production, the knowledge and skill of certain crafts and mastery got lost. Luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy and Mulberry wisely invested into training programmes specifically to teach youngsters the skill of craft, as they have identified that the skills are fading away thanks to mass production.

“If we look at what’s driving the luxury market; it’s about craftmanship, originality and tradition. It’s all about adding value. How many stitches in a Fendi bag, how long does it take to train a weaver, for example, are all hugely important in terms of the product proposition.” – ECCIA president Michael Ward.

Craftmanship and handcrafted products are not limited to the luxury market though. Consider South Africa’s original art treasures by The San in the Drakensberg, or all the forms of art you can still find in rural communities vibrating with colour using clay, wood, grass and even elephant dung. These items are often purchased by international tourists as memorials and also exported at premium prices.

South Africa has incredibly talented artists, artisans, designers and creators. Some of whose impressive pieces are displayed internationally. Moksi is on a mission to assist and support our local artists, craftsman and creators with our marketplace and to give South Africa handcrafted, unique products. Click [here] to view our shop and support the local Moksi Creators.