In a world overflowing with mass-produced goods, handmade items stand out like a warm, steady candle in the neon glow of fast shopping. People often ask, “Why does this cost more than something similar on the high street?” The answer is simple, really: when you buy handmade, you’re not buying “something similar.”
You’re buying something unique, authentic, and impossible to replicate.
Let’s take a friendly walk through what truly goes into a handmade product — from the spark of an idea to the moment it arrives beautifully wrapped at your doorstep.
Dreamcatchers – From Vision to Your Wall
Dreamcatchers might look airy and delicate, but behind every thread lies hours of skill, patience and imagination.
Where the Story Begins
No two dreamcatchers are the same. The maker starts with sketches, colours, shapes and meanings. Should it feel earthy? Magical? Minimalist?
Each decision shapes the final piece, long before any material is touched.
The Treasure Hunt
Choosing materials isn’t just “picking a string.” It’s selecting:
the hoop
the perfect yarn
the right beads
feathers with just the right movement and symbolism
Materials often come from multiple suppliers, each adding cost — and character.
The Meditative Part
The weaving alone can take hours. Knots must be placed perfectly, feathers matched, beads aligned.
Every mistake means undoing and starting again. Nothing is automated. It’s just the maker and their hands.
Because Beauty Deserves a Stage
Handmade creators rarely toss an item in a plain box.
They wrap it with care — tissue paper, twine, a handwritten note.
Unboxing becomes part of the experience.
The Hidden Extras
Listing, platform fees, packaging, postage, and sometimes replacing lost parcels — these are everyday realities of online selling.
You’re not just paying for a dreamcatcher.
You’re paying for the maker’s time, tools, heart, and the quiet magic woven into each thread.
Hand-Burned Wooden Boxes – A Different Kind of Fire
Woodburned boxes are a completely different craft, yet just as detailed.
Before the Art Even Begins
Even a purchased raw wooden box needs work.
It must be sanded smooth — often multiple rounds — dusted, and checked for flaws.
This alone can take hours.
Drawing With Fire
Pyrography is entirely hand-made.
No lasers. No machines.
Just a heated pen, a steady hand, and focus.
There is no room for error.
One wrong line, and the entire piece is ruined.
Large designs can take several days of slow, careful burning.
Bringing the Wood to Life
Once the burning is complete, the piece still needs sealing:
varnish
wax
or oil
Each finish brings a different character and requires drying and polishing.
The Final Journey
A wooden box needs proper protection: sturdy packaging, extra padding, and secure posting.
Its journey matters as much as the craftsmanship.
So Why Does Handmade Cost More?
Because you’re not just paying for materials.
You’re paying for the hours — or days — of learning, refining, failing, improving, designing, and creating.
A mass-produced item is designed to be fast, cheap and identical.
A handmade item is designed to be meaningful, lasting and personal.
That is its real value — and the reason people treasure these pieces for years.
When Crafting Becomes a Small Business
When handmade work grows beyond a hobby and becomes a small business in the UK, a few important obligations naturally influence pricing.
Anyone earning more than £1,000 a year from selling their creations must register as self-employed, keep proper records, and pay Income Tax and National Insurance once their income passes the standard thresholds.
And if the taxable turnover ever exceeds £90,000, VAT registration becomes mandatory, adding extra administration and costs.
A small creative business also has ongoing expenses such as packaging, postage, electricity, tool replacement, online shop fees, and insurance for selling to the public. These are all part of operating legally and sustainably.
So when a creative craftsman sells a product — especially online, where the displayed price includes everything — that price already absorbs all these behind-the-scenes costs.
The buyer pays nothing extra at checkout; the maker covers the full business expenses within the product’s price.
This is one of the many reasons handmade items carry such genuine value. They reflect not only the beauty of the craft, but the real cost of creating something made with care.