The humanities and crafts market is flourishing, with 72% of adults in the USA (US) finishing a craft up to now 12 months. This text supplies an in depth arts and crafts {industry} evaluation, exploring developments throughout the US and Canada. We’ll have a look at motivations for client participation, cross-industry developments, and alternatives for {industry} gamers to develop—so you may strategize with data-driven insights.
Motivations for Participation
Motivations for collaborating in arts and crafts span from escapism to affordability. Exploring these motivations can allow manufacturers to faucet into what makes customers choose up—and preserve selecting up—the pastime.
Crafting is a welcome escapism
Almost half of US adults have reported experiencing stress up to now 12 months and search leisure actions like arts and crafts as a strategy to unwind. Crafting is seen as a type of self-focused leisure, aligning with a post-pandemic mindset that emphasizes private success and individuality. This positions crafting as an excellent pursuit for adults in search of tangible outcomes that improve well-being in a world with challenges to navigate.
Mother and father crave crafts as a display screen break for his or her youngsters
87% of Canadian mother and father get pleasure from arts and crafts with their youngsters, reflecting the potential of selling the pursuit to folks. For these mother and father, crafting affords the twin benefit of being a bonding expertise with their kids and an alternative choice to display screen time. That is very true as nearly three-quarters of fogeys desire to have interaction in screen-free actions with their kids. Manufacturers can leverage this distinctive parent-child dynamic by emphasizing arts and crafts as a invaluable different to display screen time and a chance to attach.
It’s budget-friendly
Affordability is a key motivator for crafters, particularly amongst younger adults who’re probably the most lively crafters and usually tend to have restricted budgets. Crafting is commonly seen as a budget-savvy pursuit since the price of provides is often lower than shopping for completed items. On-line promoting platforms have additionally made it simpler to promote handmade items, which provides an financial enchantment to the exercise. Participating youthful customers means highlighting the potential to create outcomes at a low value.
House Enchancment Is Linked to Crafting
Elevated engagement with arts and crafts has continued alongside elevated engagement with house enchancment even in gentle of eased pandemic restrictions. Contemplating the similarities and mixed advantages of those two at-home actions can allow manufacturers to reply successfully. As we’ll talk about, well-being facets are key.
The similarities make sense…
The house enchancment class exhibits similarities with arts and crafts, particularly from a well-being perspective. House enchancment tasks usually contain artistic duties like ornamental portray, which permits people to precise their distinctive model and create personalised dwelling areas.
With house decor a number one motivator for US arts and crafts participation—as nearly half of customers state this—manufacturers can refine messaging not simply across the potential of each crafting and residential enchancment to raise well-being, but additionally to lean into their mutually artistic nature.
…And may drive model consciousness
As present in Mintel’s house enchancment market report, enjoyment, ability, and spending on house enchancment tasks are positively correlated. This underlines the significance of enjoyment and its relevance to engagement with artistic house tasks.
In Canada, nearly three-quarters of crafters agree that they benefit from the crafting expertise greater than the tip product, indicating a excessive degree of engagement with the method itself. Showcasing the inherent enjoyment of each house enchancment and humanities and crafts can deliver manufacturers high of thoughts for customers in search of a satisfying and productive exercise at house.
Neighborhood is an opportunity for retailers to enchantment
The place enjoyment usually meets engagement for customers, neighborhood meets alternative for manufacturers. House enchancment retailers are well-positioned—with their current footprint in house items and decor—to enchantment to crafters and residential improvers alike.
Fostering a way of neighborhood amongst these customers by providing in-store workshops and selling artistic tasks like refinishing or portray furnishings can improve the sensation of belonging and connectedness amongst customers. This not solely encourages in-store purchases however can additional encourage the uplifting notion of DIY house actions.
Development Alternatives
The humanities and crafts market is numerous, with widespread participation throughout varied sorts of crafts. Canadian and US customers skew total barely towards portray and drawing on account of their accessibility and enchantment to a variety of ability ranges. But, there are numerous entry factors for customers, and with some customers uninspired or more and more conscious of finances and house constraints, manufacturers have the duty of interesting.
Encourage the uninspired
A 3rd of Canadian non-crafters say they don’t craft due to a scarcity of creativity. On the identical word, crafters who’re crafting much less state feeling uninspired (39%). Arts and crafts might be inspiring for customers, and types want to attract consideration to this. Tutorial movies make 82% of customers extra keen to attempt a brand new craft, indicating the potential for partnering with influencers—whether or not crafters or not—to create these.
Partnering with non-crafting influencers permits manufacturers to achieve untapped audiences, leveraging current follower belief by creating genuine and relatable content material that resonates with the influencers’ current viewers. For example, non-crafting influencers can showcase crafting tasks that align with their traditional content material, making crafting seem approachable and fulfilling.
Allow cost-friendly choices
As customers face tightened budgets on account of excessive inflation, manufacturers ought to deal with cost-conscious choices. This resonates significantly with ladies and crafters aged 55+ who’re particularly cost-conscious. Methods akin to free samples, free in-person lessons, or discounted upgrades can enchantment to open-minded artistic customers who’re cautious about monetary investments.
Main the best way for customers can present potential and pre-existing crafters that the pastime is accessible at completely different value factors.
Innovate for house
Many would-be crafting fanatics see house constraints as a barrier to entry, with almost half of Canadians stating this, defining a transparent alternative to reply. Manufacturers can design and promote crafting merchandise which can be compact and transportable, making them appropriate to be used in small areas or on the go—one thing manufacturers can normalize.
What’s Subsequent for the Arts and Crafts Market?
The humanities and crafts market within the US and Canada is experiencing development and innovation. Understanding and capitalizing on developments can allow manufacturers to evolve alongside customers.
The US arts and crafts market is rising however does face challenges akin to client house and finances limitations. But, total participation is wanting optimistic. Trying forward, development methods will probably leverage crafting’s position in self-expression and psychological wellness, whether or not in product growth or advertising.
The Canadian arts and crafts market is poised for development regardless of financial challenges. Crafting stays a cost-effective and uplifting leisure exercise, with over half of Canadians participating in artistic tasks over the previous 12 months. Manufacturers can capitalize on this by selling the worth of DIY and luxurious crafting, constructing neighborhood via occasions and on-line platforms, and making crafting extra inclusive and accessible, significantly for financially involved customers.
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