Definitions by Category
All Handmade.com sellers must pledge that everything they list on Handmade.com is made by hand, blown by hand, loomed by hand, painted by hand, embroidered by hand, or otherwise created by or significantly altered by hand, as detailed below by category.
Mass-produced products are not permitted. The following definitions are designed to celebrate the world’s vast diversity of artisans, handmade products, and crafting styles. This remains a living document; suggestions are reviewed biannually by our Village Council to reflect the ever-evolving needs of the handmade community.
Handmade definitions vary elsewhere. These are ours.
Jewelry
Qualifying as Handmade Jewelry
Hand Fabricated Pieces
Jewelry items that are mostly or entirely handcrafted.
Casting Qualifications
Cast jewelry is acceptable if the original design of the cast or mold is created by the artisan/seller, and cast/molded in small batches.
Handmade Components
Jewelry where the majority of components are crafted by hand.
Hand-Set Gemstones
Includes techniques such as hand-bezel setting, hand-prong setting, or hand-wire wrapping.
Alteration or Embellishment
Jewelry or components that are not handmade qualify only if significantly altered or embellished by hand. Example: Non-handmade chains and earring hooks qualify if the overall jewelry item includes handmade elements such as a handmade or hand-cast pendant or other notable handmade embellishments.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Jewelry
Jewelry that is produced in large quantities using automated machinery or assembly line processes without significant handmade alterations or handmade customization.
Resale or Repurposed Jewelry
Jewelry that is mass-produced then resold without significant handmade alterations or handmade customization.
Hand-Assembled but Manufactured Jewelry
Jewelry that primarily consists of pre-made components assembled without significant alteration or customization by the seller. Examples: pre-made pendants attached to pre-made chains; commercially produced charms attached to pre-made earring hooks.
Digital or Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Jewelry
Jewelry designs that are primarily created using digital software or CAD/CAM technology without substantial manual crafting by the artisan.
Outsourced Production
Jewelry items where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Apparel and Textiles
Qualifying as Handmade Apparel and Textiles
Hand-Sewn Garments
Garments sewn by hand or by hand-operated sewing machines.
Handwoven Fabrics
Fabrics woven by hand using techniques such as handloom or footloom weaving, jacquard weaving, or ikat weaving.
Hand-Knitted or Crocheted Items
Textile items crafted by hand using knitting needles, crochet hooks, or hand knitting machines to create stitches and patterns.
Hand-Embroidered Designs
Handmade or machine made fabric embellished by hand with notable embroidery, stitches, patterns, or motifs.
Hand-Printed Textile Art
Handmade or machine made fabric printed by hand with custom designs, patterns, or illustrations using techniques such as block printing, hand screen printing, or stamping.
Artisanal Dyeing Techniques
Handmade or machine made fabrics dyed by hand.
Custom Apparel and Textile Commissions
Bespoke, custom-made clothing and textile items created to fulfill specific client requests or commissions.
Limited Edition Apparel and Textile Collections
Clothing and textile collections produced in limited quantities by the artisan designer.
Alteration or Embellishment
Machine made fabrics qualify if notably altered or embellished by hand or by hand-operated sewing machines.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Clothing and Fabrics
Clothing items and fabrics produced with industrial machinery or industrial manufacturing processes do not qualify as handmade unless notably altered or embellished by hand.
Resale or Repurposed Apparel and Textiles
Clothing and textile items from mass-produced sources resold without significant alterations or customization.
Assembled Components
Apparel and textiles primarily consisting of pre-made components assembled without significant alteration or customization by the seller. Example: prefabricated garment panels, even if hand-assembled.
Outsourced Production
Apparel and textile items where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Handbags
Qualifying as Handmade Handbags
Hand-Stitched Bags
Handbags and luggage that are hand-cut, hand-stitched, and hand-finished.
Handwoven Bags
Bags crafted using traditional weaving techniques such as basket weaving, tapestry weaving, or loom weaving, where each strand is manipulated by hand.
Hand-Tooled Leather Bags
Handbags and luggage featuring decorative motifs, patterns, or designs that are hand-tooled into the surface.
Handcrafted Fabric and Other Bags
Bags and luggage items constructed from handwoven textiles, hand-dyed fabrics, hand-embroidered materials, etc.
Handmade Beaded or Embellished Bags
Bags adorned with hand-applied beadwork, embroidery, or other embellishments.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Bags
Bags and luggage items produced in large quantities using automated machinery or assembly line processes.
Resale or Repurposed Bags
Bags sourced from mass-produced sources and resold without significant alterations or customization.
Assembled Bag Components
Bags primarily consisting of pre-made components assembled together without significant alteration or customization by the seller. Example: pre-made bag handles attached to pre-made bag bodies, even if attached by hand.
Digital or Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Bags
Bag designs primarily created using digital software or CAD/CAM technology without substantial manual crafting by the artisan.
Outsourced Production
Handbags and luggage where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Paintings & Drawings
Qualifying as Handmade Paintings & Drawings
Original paintings and drawings
Original painting and drawings must be created and signed by hand.
Limited edition paintings and drawings
Must be numbered and hand-signed to qualify as handmade.
Alteration or Embellishment
Larger run prints qualify only if individually, significantly altered or embellished by hand.
Digital Art
Qualifies if original (or numbered limited edition) that includes the artist's handwritten signature and certificate of authenticity. Digital art with substantial manual alteration also qualifies.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Prints
Reproductions of artworks produced in large quantities using automated printing processes or digital reproduction techniques unless significantly altered or embellished by hand.
Resale or Repurposed Art
Artworks sourced from mass-produced sources and resold without significant alterations or customization.
Digital Art
Doesn't qualify if it is not a limited, numbered, signed, certified edition, or doesn't contain substantial manual alteration.
Outsourced Production
Paintings where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Sculpture
Qualifying as Handmade Sculpture
Hand-Carved Wood Sculptures
Sculptures hand-carved from wood using tools such as chisels, gouges, and knives.
Hand-Modeled Clay or Ceramic Sculptures
Sculptures formed by hand using clay or ceramic materials, where the artist shapes and manipulates the medium.
Hand-Built Metal Sculptures
Sculptures constructed from metal using techniques such as welding, forging, or metal fabrication, where the artist shapes and assembles individual components by hand.
Hand-Sculpted Stone Sculptures:
Sculptures carved from stone using hand tools such as chisels, hammers, and rasps.
Hand-Cast Resin or Plaster Sculptures
Sculptures created through the process of casting using resin or plaster materials qualify if the artist molds the cast by hand to produce limited, signed and numbered editions. Or significantly alters or embellishes a non-hand cast piece by hand.
Mixed Media Sculptures
Sculptures that incorporate a combination of different materials and techniques, such as wood and metal, clay and found objects, or resin and fabric qualify if the final design is primarily constructed by hand.
Limited Edition Sculptures
Small-batch sculptures produced in limited quantities by the artist qualify if numbered and signed by the artist.
Hand-Altered Sculptures
Manufactured sculptures only qualify if significantly altered or embellished by hand.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Sculptures
Sculptures produced in large quantities using automated machinery or industrial manufacturing processes.
Resale or Repurposed Sculptures
Sculptures sourced from mass-produced sources and resold without significant alterations or customization.
Assembled Sculptural Components
Sculptures primarily consisting of pre-made components assembled together without significant alteration or customization by the seller. Examples: prefabricated metal components welded together to form a sculpture or commercially produced molds used for casting resin sculptures.
Digital or Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Sculptures
Sculptures primarily created using digital software or CAD/CAM technology without substantial manual crafting by the artisan.
Outsourced Production
Sculptures where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Photography
Qualifying as Handmade Photography
Hand-Printed Photographic Prints
Photographic prints produced by hand in a darkroom using traditional analog printing techniques.
Handmade Photographic Albums
Handcrafted albums or handcrafted books containing curated collections of photographic images qualify because of the handcrafted element, even if the featured images are not hand-printed.
Hand-Embellished Photographic Art
Photographic prints embellished by hand with additional elements such as paint, ink, collage, or mixed media, even if the base images are not hand-printed.
Hand-Framed Photographic Prints
Photographic prints offered in handmade frames qualify even if the images were not hand-printed.
Handmade Photographic Gifts and Keepsakes
Printed photographic gifts and keepsakes qualify only if the final product is significantly hand-altered or hand-embellished.
Limited Edition Photographic Prints
Limited-edition photographic prints qualify if produced in small quantities as part of a numbered series or edition signed and authenticated by the artist.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Prints
Reproductions of photographic images produced in large quantities by automated printing processes or digital reproduction techniques, that are not further embellished by hand.
Resale or Repurposed Prints
Photographic prints from mass-produced sources resold without significant alterations or customization.
Digital Art Prints
Photographic images primarily created or manipulated using digital software or computer-generated imagery without substantial manual involvement by the artist.
Outsourced Production
Photographic products where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or print labs, without hand-embellishment by the photographer/seller.
Glass
Qualifying as Handmade Glass
Hand-Blown Glass Art
Glass objects formed by glassblowing, where molten glass is manipulated by an artisan using a blowpipe or blow tube to create unique shapes and forms.
Hand-Pressed Glass
Glass objects created through the process of hand-pressing, where molten glass is poured into molds shaped by hand to achieve desired forms and designs.
Hand-Cut Crystal
Glass objects crafted from crystal glass using traditional hand-cutting techniques to carve patterns, motifs, or designs into the surface of the glass.
Hand-Fused Glass Creations
Glass objects formed by hand fusing multiple layers of glass together through heat and pressure.
Hand-Engraved Glass
Glass objects embellished with hand-engraved designs, patterns, or personalizations.
Hand-Painted Glass Art
Glass objects adorned with hand-painted designs, motifs, or illustrations.
Limited Edition Glass
Small-batch glassware designed and produced in limited quantities by the artist as part of a numbered series or edition, even if not hand-blown.
Alteration or Embellishment
Machine made glass qualifies if significantly altered or embellished by hand.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Glass
Glass objects produced in large quantities using automated machinery or industrial manufacturing processes.
Resale or Repurposed Glass
Glass objects from mass-produced sources resold without significant alterations or customization.
Assembled Glass Components
Glass objects primarily consisting of pre-made components assembled without significant alteration or customization by the artisan/seller.
Digital or Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Glass
Glass designs primarily created using digital software or CAD/CAM technology without substantial manual crafting by the artisan.
Outsourced Production
Glass objects where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Ceramics
Qualifying as Handmade Ceramics
Hand-Thrown and Hand-Molded Ceramics
Ceramic designs crafted by hand using techniques such as wheel-throwing or hand-building in clay.
Hand-Glazed Ceramics
Ceramics decorated by hand with custom glazes, colors, and surface treatments
Limited Edition Ceramic Collections
Small-batch ceramics produced in limited quantities by the artisan qualify if they're part of a numbered series or edition, signed and authenticated by the artist.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Pottery
Pottery items produced in large quantities using automated machinery or industrial manufacturing processes, unless significantly altered or embellished by hand.
Resale or Repurposed Ceramics
Ceramic items sourced from mass-produced sources and resold without significant alterations or customization.
Assembled Components
Ceramic items primarily consisting of pre-made components assembled together without significant alteration or customization by the artisan/seller.
Digital or Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Ceramics
Ceramic designs primarily created using digital software or CAD/CAM technology without substantial manual crafting by the artisan.
Outsourced Production
Ceramic items where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Metalwork
Qualifying as Handmade Metalwork
Hand-Forged Metalwork
Metal objects forged by hand using traditional blacksmithing techniques such as hammering, shaping, and welding.
Hand-Engraved Metal Art
Metal objects, even if not handmade, qualify if they are significantly altered or embellished by hand.
Custom Metal Fabrications
Custom-made metal created to fulfill specific client requests or commissions.
Limited Edition Metal
Non-handmade metal creations qualify if designed by hand and produced as a limited edition that is numbered and signed by the artisan/designer.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Metal Products
Metal objects produced in large quantities using automated machinery or industrial manufacturing processes.
Resale or Repurposed Metal Items
Metal items sourced from mass-produced sources and resold without significant alterations or customization.
Assembled Components
Metal objects primarily consisting of pre-made components assembled without significant alteration or customization by the seller. Example: pre-fabricated metal parts hand-assembled into finished products.
Digital or Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Metalwork
Metal designs primarily created using digital software or CAD/CAM technology without substantial manual crafting by the artisan.
Outsourced Production
Metal items where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Musical Instruments
Qualifying as Handmade Musical Instruments
Handcrafted Instruments
Instruments crafted by hand.
Limited Edition Instruments
Small-batch musical instruments manufactured in limited quantities qualify if numbered and hand-signed by the artisan/designer.
What Doesn't Qualify
Mass-Produced Instruments
Musical instruments produced in large quantities using automated machinery or industrial manufacturing processes do not qualify as handmade unless significantly altered or embellished by hand.
Resale or Repurposed Instruments
Musical instruments sourced from mass-produced sources and resold without significant alterations or customization.
Assembled Components
Instruments primarily consisting of pre-made components assembled together without significant alteration or customization by the seller. This includes items like DIY instrument kits or pre-fabricated instrument parts assembled by the seller.
Digital or Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Instruments
Instrument designs primarily created using digital software or CAD/CAM technology without substantial manual crafting by the artisan.
Outsourced Production
Instruments where the majority of the production process is outsourced to third-party manufacturers or artisans who are not credited by name, with minimal direct involvement or customization by the seller.
Other
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