Why do people say "handmade"?

[Spyros]

Handmade as opposed to what? Is there such a machine that you put leather in one end and bags come out of the other?  

If you go to a production line or factory there's a tonne of people working because pretty much everything is done manually. 

There's someone dying edges, punching holes, setting hardware, even a lot of the cutting is done by hand by the time they get dies for every new design.

Even operating a sewing machine is far from automatic, in fact it's a bit of an art in itself.

But if you do all that alone in a one man workshop then it's "handmade".  Why?

 

[chrisash]

It's a open phrase, it means different things to different people 

 

[PastorBob]

2 hours ago, Spyros said:

Handmade as opposed to what? Is there such a machine that you put leather in one end and bags come out of the other?  

If you go to a production line or factory there's a tonne of people working because pretty much everything is done manually. 

There's someone dying edges, punching holes, setting hardware, even a lot of the cutting is done by hand by the time they get dies for every new design.

Even operating a sewing machine is far from automatic, in fact it's a bit of an art in itself.

But if you do all that alone in a one man workshop then it's "handmade".  Why?

 

Yesterday, when I got home from work, my 8 year old granddaughter who is staying with us for a few weeks, let me know that she and my wife made "home made" blueberry muffins.  I asked her if she made the blueberries.  She turned to my wife and asked her if we "planted" the blueberries?  My wife said, "no".  My granddaughter went on to say that "we could have planted them"?  Then I asked her if she made the plant.  She said no, but we planted the seed.  My response was, "who made the seed?"  Then to clarify, my wife said we made it from "scratch" not from a mix.

If anything, we could state our work is "artisan crafted and made" vs. mass produced where, although it may be touched by human hands, it is not start to finish created by a single person.

[Mulesaw]

Interesting question.

If a car is handmade, nobody will expect it to be made by one single person, but more skillfully put together by a dedicated team, and the engine and transmission etc. can be sourced from a regular street model (example:Lotus 7 or Caterham 7)

If a tool or a bag or another smaller item is called handmade I think the general notion is that it is constructed by one person from start till end product. 

My best guess it derives from when automation began, and handmade was a way of signaling that the stuff was made in a traditional way.

[Handstitched]

This topic has come up a few times on here:

https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/87397-what-is-handmade/?tab=comments#comment-596404

This was also a a topic of discussion between a few friends at the weekend at a local market. In particular, a friend of mine  makes & sells assorted items that include Swarovski crystals . She buys the components and  creates & makes beautiful  decorative items as well as creating and making  jewellery. However, she doesn't make the crystals, nor does she make the metallic components that holds them together. 

The very same can be said for what I  do. I buy the raw materials, ....leather, and create  and make various leather goods. But I don't have a  herd of cows, or  other animals, I don't tan my own hides,  nor do I make the hardware that go with the leather goods, but what I make is handmade.  And as for using a sewing machine, its just another tool  amongst many others to help make the end product.

But then theres  the " machine vs hand stitched" debate  . Theres a post about that too I'm sure  

To me, hand made is ::  not mass produced , not the same as..., , bespoke,  custom made, with creativity,  love & pride ,  and ....individual  etc . etc.....

HS

[chuck123wapati]

about a year or so ago this very subject was discussed. 

 

[chuck123wapati]

about a year or so ago this very subject was discussed. I believe it top be more of a open phrase, hand tooled , hand stitched, hand cut etc would be more appropriate terms but then again do you write all that down or say all of it if you do all those steps by hand or do you simply say handmade? I know of many knifemakers who source out all their parts then assemble the knives and put a final edge on them and still call themselves knifemakers isn't that the same thing?

 

[Spyros]

My point is, I can't think of any leathercraft item that is not handmade.

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, Spyros said:

My point is, I can't think of any leathercraft item that is not handmade.

Whats you definition of hand process? running a clicker press or sewing machine? There are also rules concerning truthfulness in selling that would decide if you item was handmade, jewelry especially has those rules quite stringent.

merriam Webster says    

handmade

 adjective

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hand·made | \ ˈhan(d)-ˈmād  \

Definition of handmade: made by hand or by a hand process

 

dictionary .com    SAYS    handmade[ hand-meyd ]SHOW IPA

adjective

made by hand, rather than by machine:the luxury of handmade shoes.

[Viles]

I think it is an old throwback phrase from the 80's when we were competing with Japan and China. I think in our minds back then we thought there were massive cold machines crafting different things at the touch of a button. Things, the world, and individual knowledge has moved so fast in the past 30 years that it's hard to imagine that we could believe that. 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Viles

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, Viles said:

I think it is an old throwback phrase from the 80's when we were competing with Japan and China. I think in our minds back then we thought there were massive cold machines crafting different things at the touch of a button. Things, the world, and individual knowledge has moved so fast in the past 30 years that it's hard to imagine that we could believe that. 

https://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerce-answers/how-define-handmade-items/

Webster's Dictionary defines handmade as an item made by hand or by a hand process. It was first used in the early seventeenth century.

4 hours ago, Spyros said:

My point is, I can't think of any leathercraft item that is not handmade.

The recurring issue with the term "handmade" is that some crafts incorporate both hands and machinery during crafting. For example, a garment made with store-bought fabric and sewn on a sewing machine might be considered handmade by some, but not others.

Since consumers are more willing to pay top dollar for handcrafted goods, it might be tempting for an ecommerce retailer to toss that label onto items, especially if there is no one monitoring the actual production. This is unethical and can damage a retailer's reputation. Many business owners are trying to maintain an ethical relationship with both the online community and their customers.

[chuck123wapati]

What the gubment says !!!! “23.3 Misuse of the terms “hand-made,” ‘hand-polished,”etc.
(a) It is unfair or deceptive to represent, directly or by implication, that any industry product is hand-made or hand-wrought unless the entire shaping and forming of such product from raw materials and its finishing and decoration were accomplished by hand labor and manually-controlled methods which permit the maker to control and vary the construction, shape, design, and finish of each part of each individual product.”

[chuck123wapati]

if you sell on etsy it means this.    https://whileshenaps.com/2013/09/what-does-handmade-mean.html

Etsy’s expanded definition of handmade now includes “hand-assembled.” The policy states: “Handmade items must be created by the seller operating the Etsy shop (or a member of that shop). Selling commercial or mass-produced items on Etsy’s handmade categories is not permitted.” So the stuffed animal can be made by a member of my shop, but it can’t be mass-produced. If I have four employees sewing for me, my toys are handmade. If I hire 4,000 factory workers, though, they aren’t, even if the process is exactly the same.

Edited June 8, 2021 by chuck123wapati

[Tugadude]

Words have the meaning we pour into them.  That meaning is based on how we view things.  Made in the U.S.A. has a legal definition such that certain requirements must be met in order to qualify to receive that description.  Now we have 'Assembled in the U.S.A.' and I guess that also has legal ramifications.  

Whether the use of the term handmade conjures up the intent the user intended is out of their control.  At least it mainly is.

This response was handmade, and made for the subject at hand.

[Rahere]

As far as cars are concerned, we still have one or two companies in the UK which actually do make the whole thing by one man. Rolls has just offered a similar facility, 1 per year, starting cost around 1.5m. My dad shared an office with Fred Lanchester at the end of that Renaissance Man's life, did his in-memoriam portrait. Look him up.

And then there's the home engineer maker community...of which we're part, I guess.

A starter nix in handmade is the disability community, so artisan becomes more neutral. 

Perhaps we should rebrand pigskin as lawyerhyde. Lambskin as Qwikbuck.

 

[caressofsteel]

The term handmade is mere marketing in niches where the term still implies quality.

I recently saw one YouTuber cutting leather with a scalpel. They said that all products were cut by hand and burnished by hand; that is why they were so expensive and high quality. Meanwhile, there was a motorized burnisher and clicker dies in the background. So this was pure marketing on his part. 

The thing is his stuff looked top quality even being die cut and machine burnished. But you have to tell the customer a story and that customer needs to believe they are getting something special.

[Spyros]

12 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

Whats you definition of hand process? running a clicker press or sewing machine? 

Yeah, why not?  The fact that an even more manual process exists (hand stitching), doesn't make running a sewing machine any less of a manual process that requires good hand-eye coordination, practice, knowledge and natural dexterity.      Besides, stitching (whether manual or machine) is only one part of the process of making a bag or a wallet, there are many more as you know, and they are manual.

[Frodo]

made by hand means it was made with out the aid of machines  

 

take it for what you wish,  a hand sewn quilt fetches a higher price when sold

a machine sewn quilt is literally half the value of the hand sewn 

[Tugadude]

This is an interesting discussion.  The fact that this isn't the first time it has come up on this forum is proof of that.  

There's an interesting underlying thing going on that I think is worth noting.  And it boils down to humanity versus machines.  Someone mentioned a video where someone is claiming their work is handmade yet there is a clicker press in the background.  In reality, their work is probably a combination of the two.  Some pieces that are repetitive are made on the press while some are made by hand.  So the work is a combination of the two.

I remember when one of my kids was in school they took a field trip to an auto plant.  The manufacturer was General Motors and we were to be given a look at the assembly process.  The class had been studying robotics and we were going to get a guided tour of a portion of the assembly line that utilized robots to a large degree.  I can tell you it was fascinating.  I forget the actual numbers, but the guide explained to us that one of the robots was able to be programmed to install an adhesive to within 1/2000th of an inch in space and do it consistently.  The robot moved to an exact position each time a windshield arrived on the line, laying down a perfect bead of sealant/adhesive every time.  I suppose the only need for human intervention was turning the thing on and making sure the adhesive didn't run out.  

Machines can do some amazing things, some of them much better than humans can.  There are also things that just don't make sense, like creating a clicker die for every single piece of leather you're ever going to cut.  Where would you even put them if you could afford them?  

While the term handmade may or may not be accurate in all instances, I still believe there is a connotation that when something is handmade, its construction was done largely by humans and it was made one-at-a-time, and not part of a mass production.  The quality control of mass production often comes at the end of the process.  Of course it depends on what it is that is being produced.  There are items that have QC all along the way, but some things are either right or not and they don't know until it is finished.  With handmade items there is a sense that the QC process begins the moment the worker chooses a piece of leather for the project.  And it never stops.  It is an ongoing thing and when the product is finished, it is right.  At least that's my way of looking at it.

In my career I've been fortunate to have visited numerous manufacturing plants.  Some of the equipment I've seen was simply incredible.  The things that can be done would amaze most people, who have no idea how things are accomplished.  That's why there are popular television programs where they show how things get made.  Because it is often surprising and interesting.

Anyway, I don't think I helped to distinguish handmade any more than anyone else.  But when I hear that something is handmade, I just know that it conjures up certain thoughts and emotions which guide how I perceive it.  In the end, is handmade better?  Depends.  Depends on the hands I suppose.

[chuck123wapati]

8 hours ago, Spyros said:

Yeah, why not?  The fact that an even more manual process exists (hand stitching), doesn't make running a sewing machine any less of a manual process that requires good hand-eye coordination, practice, knowledge and natural dexterity.      Besides, stitching (whether manual or machine) is only one part of the process of making a bag or a wallet, there are many more as you know, and they are manual.

why not? because your customer might not agree maybe a good reason. After all its the consumer that really decides what they feel they are buying is handmade or not nowadays it turns into a review, or a comment on your work. 

[Spyros]

3 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

why not? because your customer might not agree maybe a good reason. After all its the consumer that really decides what they feel they are buying is handmade or not nowadays it turns into a review, or a comment on your work. 

Too bad then.  What a customer thinks does not change the truth.

[Frodo]

Please correct me if i am wrong ,   saddle stitch is stronger than a machine loop or lock stitch

So, in my opinion hand sewing is far superior to machine sewing. in this regard.  I am not an expert but I new an experts neighbors mechanics pool cleaner  at one time. 

[chuck123wapati]

56 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

This is an interesting discussion.  The fact that this isn't the first time it has come up on this forum is proof of that.  

There's an interesting underlying thing going on that I think is worth noting.  And it boils down to humanity versus machines.  Someone mentioned a video where someone is claiming their work is handmade yet there is a clicker press in the background.  In reality, their work is probably a combination of the two.  Some pieces that are repetitive are made on the press while some are made by hand.  So the work is a combination of the two.

I remember when one of my kids was in school they took a field trip to an auto plant.  The manufacturer was General Motors and we were to be given a look at the assembly process.  The class had been studying robotics and we were going to get a guided tour of a portion of the assembly line that utilized robots to a large degree.  I can tell you it was fascinating.  I forget the actual numbers, but the guide explained to us that one of the robots was able to be programmed to install an adhesive to within 1/2000th of an inch in space and do it consistently.  The robot moved to an exact position each time a windshield arrived on the line, laying down a perfect bead of sealant/adhesive every time.  I suppose the only need for human intervention was turning the thing on and making sure the adhesive didn't run out.  

Machines can do some amazing things, some of them much better than humans can.  There are also things that just don't make sense, like creating a clicker die for every single piece of leather you're ever going to cut.  Where would you even put them if you could afford them?  

While the term handmade may or may not be accurate in all instances, I still believe there is a connotation that when something is handmade, its construction was done largely by humans and it was made one-at-a-time, and not part of a mass production.  The quality control of mass production often comes at the end of the process.  Of course it depends on what it is that is being produced.  There are items that have QC all along the way, but some things are either right or not and they don't know until it is finished.  With handmade items there is a sense that the QC process begins the moment the worker chooses a piece of leather for the project.  And it never stops.  It is an ongoing thing and when the product is finished, it is right.  At least that's my way of looking at it.

In my career I've been fortunate to have visited numerous manufacturing plants.  Some of the equipment I've seen was simply incredible.  The things that can be done would amaze most people, who have no idea how things are accomplished.  That's why there are popular television programs where they show how things get made.  Because it is often surprising and interesting.

Anyway, I don't think I helped to distinguish handmade any more than anyone else.  But when I hear that something is handmade, I just know that it conjures up certain thoughts and emotions which guide how I perceive it.  In the end, is handmade better?  Depends.  Depends on the hands I suppose.

So what say does your customer have in the end its really them who decide if your work is handmade isn't it?  You as the maker can call it whatever you want but if you sell it  then someone will decide if they got what they paid for.

[Frodo]

I believe Chuck brought this point up in the last discussion on this topic

the only true hand made leather items were made by the Indians who killed, tanned and sewn the skin with the aid of ZERO machines

they made everything from the knives to the needles.  Machines were not involved

[chuck123wapati]

Just now, Spyros said:

Too bad then.  What a customer thinks does not change the truth.

Really?  then why even ask the question you have made it a moot point? the word Truth is as ambiguous and personal  as handmade.

6 minutes ago, Frodo said:

Please correct me if i am wrong ,   saddle stitch is stronger than a machine loop or lock stitch

So, in my opinion hand sewing is far superior to machine sewing. in this regard.  I am not an expert but I new an experts neighbors mechanics pool cleaner  at one time. 

i think it is also.