Handmade Furniture vs Machine-made Furniture: Why is Handmade Furniture Better?

Once upon a time, if something was made in a factory it used to be a good thing. However, have you ever heard of the phrase, they just don’t make it like they use to?

With the increase in mass production across the furniture industry, the quality has understandably dropped, along with a host of other factors, to ensure they can keep up with demand. This has resulted in many consumers turning their backs on plat-packed mass-produced furniture, often lead by the likes of companies such as Ikea and Argos.

This movement, along with the growing popularity to have something unique and bespoke to you, has resulted in the comeback of handmade furniture.

 

 

What is the Difference Between Handmade Furniture and Machine-Made Furniture?

Machine-made furniture as the name suggests is a piece of furniture that has been made by a machine, usually as part of a larger production line in a factory. The machine will often cut, glue, and carry out any additional work without input from a human.

Whereas a handmade piece of furniture is made using only hand tools and small manually operated machinery, as well as manual labour, usually by an individual or a small team within a workshop.

 

 

There has long been a discussion over the benefits of machine-made furniture versus handmade furniture. However, handmade furniture is by far the superior choice.

You can Expect a Much Higher Quality Product with Handmade Furniture

Because of the economy of scale associated with larger production lines, machine-made or factory-made furniture is often cheaper to purchase, simply because it relies on cheaper materials and cheaper labour. However, cheap materials and labour produce a cheap product, in both price and quality.

Additionally, machine-made is generally designed for mass manufacturing and therefore, shortcuts are made in the design to make the manufacturing process as efficient as possible. These efficient processes are often the result of reducing time spent on quality control procedures, resulting in furniture that contains imperfections and faults.

Whereas handmade furniture is made using high-quality materials and by skilled craftsmen who have honed their skills over many years. When making something by hand the craftsmen work one-on-one with each piece of furniture, ensuring that it is made to the highest standard and that any faults or imperfections are dealt with along the way.

 

Handmade Furniture Produces a Cost-Effective Piece of Furniture

Although at first handmade furniture may seem to be the more expensive option, a solid piece of wooden handmade furniture can last a lifetime. Therefore, when looking at the potential lifespan of a piece of mass-made factory furniture, a piece of handmade furniture would come out considerably cheaper.

Additionally, because of the lifespan of handmade furniture, it makes a great heirloom piece that can be passed on to future generations for years to come.

 

It is Easier to Repair and Recycle Handmade Furniture

Handmade wooden furniture can often be repaired or recycled when it reaches its lifespan. Whereas cheaper machine-made furniture is often made from compressed broken wood and chemicals and therefore, once it has been damaged it is much harder to repair; almost certainly ending up in landfill.

 

Handmade Wooden Furniture is Better for The Environment

Handmade furniture is more often than not better for the environment than its mass-produced counterpart. Small businesses understand the importance of ethically sourcing their materials; a value that is often overlooked by larger corporations, in favour of more efficient and cost-effective alternatives.

 

Handmade Furniture is Special, Unique and One-of-a-Kind

When choosing handmade furniture you’ll know that you’ll receive a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture that has character, charm, and history. Compared to purchasing a factory-made piece of furniture where you’ll receive a mass-produced, one-of-many product.

Handmade furniture is personal, it holds history, its wood grain will have a unique character and no two pieces will be identical. Additionally, the craftsmen making your piece of furniture can add extra details specific to your requirements that truly make your handmade furniture a completely bespoke, one-of-a-kind piece.

 

Buying Handmade Furniture Helps Small Businesses

One of the overlooked benefits of buying handmade furniture is that you’re buying from a small business. By purchasing handmade furniture you’re maintaining someone’s job, paying their rent or mortgage, sustaining a family, and putting food on their table.

Or you could purchase factory-made furniture from a large corporation and further line the pockets of often greedy corporate companies?!

When buying from a small business you really can’t go wrong; you’ll receive a high-quality product and be supporting a small dream at the same time.

 

So, when it comes to purchasing your next piece of furniture, there really is only one choice!