All industries throughout the globe engage in some kind of craft manufacturing. This article sets the stage for research into the industries that produce and retail handmade goods. Crafts are an integral part of the global political economy, serving as a method of economic and cultural expression, a form of resistance against dominance and oppression, and a vehicle for people and communities to adjust to new modes of production. Crafts are a way to keep (or construct) traditions alive and sell them to customers who give them new significance. In the face of de-industrialization, new occupational strategies based on pre-industrial forms may be gleaned from an examination of the craft production mode. The Arts and Crafts Movement popularised the aesthetic and therapeutic value of handiwork throughout Europe and the United States. Selling handmade goods has become more important to economies and cultures throughout the globe.
Key words: craft, manufacturing, economy, dominance, traditional, Art and Craft Movement
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