Etsy to Acquire Resale Marketplace Depop
Etsy announced yesterday that it is acquiring resale marketplace, Depop, for $1.6 million. We look at why they made this acquisition and what it might mean for sellers.
Where’s My Fabric? Craft Businesses Continue to Face Delivery Challenges
A combination of increased demand, shipping delays, and the labor shortage coming out of the pandemic is causing craft companies to struggle with product delivery delays.
What the Ribbon Skirt Means to Agnes Woodward, Creator of Deb Haaland’s Swearing In Ceremony Ensemble
Agnes Woodward, a Plains Cree artist, designed and sewed a ribbon skirt that was worn by Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, at her swearing-in ceremony.
The Size of the Quilting Market: Quilting Trends Survey Results 2021
Every year for the past ten years Premier Needle Arts has conducted The Quilter’s Survey in order to understand the quilting market, assess its size and growth potential, and to collect data about the typical quilter and her consumer behavior. Here are the 2021 results.
Can Cricut Recover From Its Stumble Over Design Space?
On March 12, Cricut tried to limit free use of the app to 20 uploads a month; to get more users had to subscribe igniting a firestorm of user backlash. They rolled back the announcement, but can they rebuild consumer trust?
Private Equity Firm Makes $5 Billion Offer for Michaels
As the craft retailer, Michaels, goes private — again — JOANN and Cricut are going public. Here’s how to understand the implications of these changes.
Local Yarn Store Day is Returning April 17, 2021
Local Yarn Store Day is a special event designed to bring consumers into local yarn stores. It’s taking place for the fourth time and will be held this year on April 17, 2021.
Stationery Community Rallies Together After Paper Source Bankruptcy Announcement
Small stationery designers received a shock last week when Paper Source, a popular retail chain and dream customer for many small makers, declared bankruptcy. The company, which is now planning to sell itself to lenders and close 11 of its retail locations, has stated that pandemic-related debts caused this decision.
Etsy’s Blockbuster Pandemic Year
Product sales on the craft marketplace Etsy more than doubled in 2020, to $10.3 billion making this a blockbuster year.
Changes at Swarovski Impact Jewelry Designers
The world-renowned Austrian crystal manufacturer, Swarovski, recently announced it will soon no longer manufacture crystals for the DIY market, leaving retailers and designers scrambling to find worthy replacements for these top-of-the-line components.
The Biggest Threat to Etsy at 15? Becoming Just Another Marketplace
According to Abby Glassenberg, Etsy is facing a crisis of resellers that threatens to erode the value of the marketplace’s brand.
WEBS Acquired by LoveCrafts
Kathy and Steve Elkins, owners of WEBS, announced today that they’ve sold the business to LoveCrafts, a UK-based venture-funded startup.
Pandemic Crafting Props Up Michaels’ Sales in Third Quarter
Mega-retailer Michaels is doing OK, but it’s not out of the woods yet.
News Roundup from the Scrapbook Industry: Winter 2020
Each quarter Nancy Nally rounds up the latest news from the scrapbook industry including product releases, lawsuits, mergers and acquisitions, new hires, and more. Check out this Winter 2020 update.
International Quilt Association, Host of World of Beauty Show at Quilt Festival in Houston, to Shut Down
The International Quilt Association, the non-profit that runs the World of Beauty quilt show at International Quilt Festival in Houston each November, announced today that it will be closing down due to low membership numbers and the impact of COVID-19.
The Ins and Outs of Selling Your Handmade Products with Uncommon Goods
Uncommon Goods is a catalog and website known for unique and quirky gifts. For makers, selling wholesale to Uncommon Goods can be a great opportunity to find a new, and large, audience.
McCall Printing Facility, Out of Commission Since Mid-October, Causes Delays
The McCall printing facility in Manhattan, Kansas has been offline since mid-October due to a network outage causing printing delays for indie pattern designers.
Missouri Star to Open a Yarn Shop
Missouri Star is opening a yarn shop. One Big Happy Yarn Co. will be both a brick-and-mortar in Hamilton, MO and will offer ecommerce.
2020 Trends in the European Craft Market, Looking Ahead to 2021
Representatives of a cross section of the European craft industry to weigh in on what changes they have seen in their business this year, and what trends they foresee for 2021.
Bolstered by High Sales, Etsy Prepares for a Highly Unusual Holiday Season
Etsy reported $2.6 billion in sales for Q3 2020, the second-highest quarter in its history. Mask sales are cooling as holiday shopping begins.