Recognising a genuinely handmade piece
Irregularity is not a flaw: it is often the only visible proof that a hand was involved.
LS
Laure Simonin
21 July 2026
5 min read
3 334
The word “artisanal” is protected by no strict commercial definition. On a photo, you therefore look for material clues rather than marketing claims.
Signs that do not lie
- Variation between two units. If the photos show six strictly identical plates, the run is probably moulded.
- Tool marks, visible on the foot of a pot or the back of a weave.
- Irregular edges, owned and stated on the page.
- The stated making time. A hand-knotted 2 m² rug represents 150 to 200 hours. A seller who does not know this did not have it made.
What is not proof
A “handmade” label, rustic decoration or kraft paper packaging say nothing about the process. Neither does price: an industrial piece can be expensive, and a craft piece affordable when the chain is short.
Asking the right question
Ask the seller how many hours the piece represents and who made it. A shop working with named workshops answers in one sentence. A shop reselling a wholesale catalogue changes the subject.
The name of the person who made the object is the hardest piece of information to invent.
This advice comes from the marketplace
Browse products from the shops our guides talk about.
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