The Handmade Revolution: Or, Why Etsy Will Take Over the World

The revolution has started. As thousands of foreign made items are being recalled and more consumers are doing business online than ever before, handmade items are quickly gaining popularity in the resale arena. The most popular online resource for selling and purchasing handmade goods is Etsy (www.etsy.com). For a small fee, Etsy provides a forum for crafters to set up a virtual shop and display their wares to buyers from all over the world. In essence, it's a great big international craft fair.

According to the Etsy website, "The connection between producer and consumer has been lost. We created Etsy to help them reconnect, and swing the pendulum back to a time when we bought our bread from the baker, food from the grocer, and shoes from the cobbler. Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade."

But don't be fooled, these aren't your grandma's crafts. On average, Etsy denizens are young, tech-savvy individuals who are fed up with the spawn of mass consumerism and are looking for unique wares as well as a place to sell their own creations. Everything from Goth Girl art to web avatars are up for grabs, and the great thing is that there's something for every budget.

Clearly the demand for such an enterprise is apparent by the numbers alone. Since its debut in 2005, Etsy's membership has experienced astounding growth, with over half a million registered users, including over 60,000 crafters and 45 full-time employees in their New York and San Francisco offices.