Design & the Sustainability of Craft

I know that many designers speak about craft, and I often ask myself what makes us different? The truth is that I cannot claim that what we are trying to do is more noble or outstanding to the other craft revival initiatives out there – I am content to see ourselves as part of a collective movement to preserve, promote and sustain the handcrafts and artisanal knowledge of our world. It is important that craft traditions and objects are not only promoted and exhibited, but through design we can make them easier to produce and use, so that consumers can afford them and will desire them. If it takes an artisan 8 hours to weave a chair, can we use design intervention to reduce the time by more than half while at the same time arriving at a more desirable product?

I disagree with a narcissistic approach to craft when one talks about an object that takes weeks or months to make, because that often results in an unsustainable business for the craftsman, who often does not have access to customers who are willing to pay for the total amount time taken to make the product. The way I see how craft can be accessible and fair to both the end user and maker, is if we design with efficiency in mind, to help the craftsman streamline his process to achieve a more effective end result, so that he can sell his work for a fairer price with less time invested. Only then, can he convince his children or apprentice to continue his trade and ensure the survival of his skills.

By Gabriel Tan