Makes you think!

In a well known big shop earlier and they have some gorgeous stuff, home Decor section! How to compete with wooden Bunting, polka dots about 8 or 10? Strung, reduced to £4 :confounded: oh well, the poor souls that made them probably got about 10p an hour. It wasvery nice.

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I think that’s the problem! I’ve more or less stopped doing bead-work (except on request) because people don’t see it as valuable, but it takes much more of my time to make than the silver-work. The reason for this is essentially that they can buy bead-work in a certain high street shop that makes a great play of how fairly it treats its workers in the subcontinent, at incredibly low prices. Now I know how difficult and skilled some of the beading on their clothing is and there is no way they are paying those ladies a reasonable rate of pay to charge those prices! The big companies rely on the ignorance of their customers. But if people will work for those rates in other countries, then that will price us out of the market. We all just have to hope that our customers here on Folksy are more discerning.

Love Sam x

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One of the reasons I like to shop on Folksy is because it means I know exactly where the item has come from and who has made it! That’s worth a lot to me.

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Unfortunately, there are lots of examples like that in various fields. Knitting is no exception. Lots of knitters seriously undercharge their work. I’ve seen items on online marketplaces and in large shops that make some of us look unreasonable.

I once saw a long hand knitted scarf in a large, well-known shop sold at a decent price - in the customer’s eyes. But I know that took some time to make at a very low pay rate. The label said where it was created.

Also, I do not work with beads, but I have occasionally added beads or sequins to my knitting and yes, that can take some time.

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I know, it is so frustrating when you see how much the “shops” charge and you know that they paid a tip pence for the work to be done. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother, but then I remember how much I enjoy doing my crafts and the escape to my own little craft world and I carry on regardless…

Happy crafting everyone and have a lovely weekend! x

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It’s all to do with profit. The High Street stores have their products made abroad where the cost of living is very low so they can pay the workers a lot less than they would need to pay staff based here and therefore hugely increase their profit margin. For us £1 an hour is a pittance, but for someone in a country where £1 is equivalent to a weeks wage and will buy a whole months worth of food then it’s a lot…

A friend of mine knits the most beautiful things but seriously under values them. I keep telling her off… :wink:

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I would not even try and compete with the High Street to be honest. It’s just not the same ethos as handmade by a designer/maker in the UK. Even if it’s being touted as hand made, it’s still mass produced if it’s in a High street shop (unless it’s an independent one) and the point for me when I buy handmade is I’m buying something that’s limited edition. I’m also looking for something a bit different, so always put your own spin on what you produce that makes it unique to you.

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There is certainly no point participating in a ‘price war’. There will always be someone else who will be dropping their prices and making things in more economical ways etc. Espcially larger companies. It’s best to stick to your prices having the pride and joy that you created something of quality and value.

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