Hartford Artisans Weaving Center: Where Community and Textiles Come Together
Discover Hartford Artisans Weaving Center, where older adults and the visually impaired weave community, purpose, and beautiful textiles in a vibrant, inclusive studio.
Material Grrrlz Blends Craft and Community in the UK
Material Grrrlz redefines fiber arts with a bold, feminist focus, blending craft and community in the hands of today’s DIY enthusiasts.
Congratulations to our 2024 Scholarship Winners
We are very excited to announce the 10 small business winners of our 2024 Craft Industry Alliance scholarship.
Craft Industry Alliance Members Celebrate Pride
Some craft businesses plan special activities during the month to celebrate Pride Month and to show their allyship. We speak to several Craft Industry Alliance members about their plans for June.
The Gift of Representation: Cinnamon Annie Dolls
Stephanie Dean is the creator of Cinnamon Annie Dolls, a version of the classic Raggedy Anne in a variety of skin tones.
Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation for Craft Businesses
Over the past 10 years, the concept of cultural appropriation has become part of our regular vocabulary in the crafts industry. It’s a complex subject with many nuances. Let’s look at the concept and provide ideas for businesses to move forward with.
Bringing Accessibility into Your Business with Renee Van Hoy
Making your business accessible means offering equal access to everyone, including people with disabilities. In the process, everyone benefits. Join us for this session with accessibility consultant and knitwear designer Renee Van Hoy.
8 Apps for Video Captions, Transcripts, and Teleprompters
Creative professionals who make videos may need captions or transcriptions and perhaps a teleprompter to say the right words during the filming process. Here are the top apps you can use to create these video elements in an instant.
Anti-Racism on Social Media with Queenie Johnson
In this webinar taught by Queenie Johnson, you’ll learn how to incorporate anti-racist content into your social media and business messaging, and when and how to post with confidence. This session is designed for white and BIPOC business owners, creators, and crafters who want to be change agents for equity.
How to Write a Diversity and Inclusion Statement for Your Business
Over the past year, there have been many conversations centered on change through diversity, equity, and inclusion, and social justice. This increased focus has given forward-thinking businesses the mandate to develop a brand strategy that addresses the diverse and evolving customer needs and expectations. One important starting point is drafting a diversity and inclusion statement for your website.
Buying and Wearing African Wax Prints: An Exploration
African wax prints are fabrics with a complex and nuanced history and, although they’re trending on the fashion runways, some consumers question whether wearing these garments is cultural appropriation.
Inclusive Leadership for Creative Businesses with Lauren Lambrecht
In this interactive webinar executive coach and Craft Industry Alliance member Lauren Lambrecht will help you define what inclusive leadership looks like and identify areas in which inclusivity shows up in business.
15 Percent Pledge Calls on Retailers to Support Black-Owned Businesses
A new “15 Percent Pledge” calls for major retailers to pledge 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. Will craft industry retailers take action?
How to Make Your Website ADA Compliant: A Basic Guide
Curious about ADA requirements for business websites? An increasing number of plaintiffs are filing claims for damages against businesses, alleging that their websites aren’t accessible to all. Take your first steps at making your digital presence compliant with the ADA.
Swatched is a New Documentary Series Showcasing the Diversity of the Knitting Industry
Swatched is a new documentary series featuring knitwear and crochet designers. The pilot features designer Andrea Tong. The project’s goal is to showcase the diversity of stories within the industry.
OLFA Announces Charitable Initiative in Diverse Communities
OLFA has launched a new charitable initiative intended to help support creative endeavors in diverse communities throughout the US. Called OLFA Builds Diversity, the program will gift OLFA cutting solutions to individuals, organizations, classrooms, and training programs that demonstrate a focus on creative and professional skill development for people from diverse backgrounds.
UK Sewing Magazines Show Lack of Diversity in Cover Models
In 2016 Rumana Lasker looked at 52 sewing magazines published in the UK that year and realized that every single one featured a white woman on the cover.
“One of the things that struck me the most…is the feeling of being undervalued- as a consumer, as a person,” says Lasker a British sewer who was a quarter-finalist on the Great British Sewing Bee. “Because it is no exaggeration to say that by failing to represent us, they are telling people of color that we don’t matter.”
How Craft Events Can Welcome People with Physical Disabilities
Craft fair organizers can take specific steps to make their events accessible to disabled attendees and vendors.
10 Ways to Make Your Craft Business More Inclusive
We all want to make the world a more inclusive place, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Take this survey to identify what you are doing well and what you can work on.
Being Inclusive and Accountable in Craft Industry Marketing
The craft industry is a perfect microcosm of the larger tensions that are pulsing through our national and global cultures in 2017: racial, social, economic. And corporations everywhere—their advertising choices, their mistakes, and their responses to those mistakes—are often the battlegrounds where those tensions come to the forefront.