Cottage Industries, Modern Times
November 16, 2006
By DAN LEVIN
WORRIED about finding original gifts this year? Then forget about one of the chain-store Web sites - surf the Internet for an original, handmade gift. Items like a sushi-themed iPod cover, gilded army-surplus grenade candlesticks and hand-painted pendants are available on Brooklyn's own etsy.com, a site dedicated to clothing, furniture and jewelry made by individuals. Last year, etsy.com sold more than $10 million worth of goods - all made in someone's apartment, studio or garage. Since launching in June 2005, it's grown to include more than 110,000 members and 26,000 sellers from all over the world.
"Handmade items have a whole other layer of meaning," says founder Robert Kalin, comparing his site's popularity to the phenomenon of farmers' markets selling locally grown fruits and vegetables.
"It's something you want to keep, to cherish - and you're supporting individuals, not huge corporations."
Besides the strange and cute, etsy.com also sells beautiful mainstream fare, from a mohair scarf ($30) to Adirondack chairs ($275) to hand-printed hipster T-shirts ($5 and up).
Best of all is the site's ease of use: Users not only browse by category, but also by color and country. Desperate for a scrapbook made of Thai palm leaves? Use the geo-locator to zero in on Bangkok. And a split screen feature allows users to browse and shop together in real time.
And with the Alchemy feature, you can set a price and date you need it by, and etsy sellers will then bid on the right to make a truly couture creation.
With the opening of a new studio space in Brooklyn, members will be able to meet face to face and use sewing machines, printmaking equipment and other equipment free of charge, as well as get help on improving their online shops.
"You find kindred spirits," said 28-year-old artist Kate Black, who sells paper goods, sassy pocket mirrors and bottle-opener key chains which she makes at her home in Williamsburg. "It's like myspace.com, but for creatives. I'm kind of obsessed."