Best Selling Handmade Products

Handmade products are unique creations that reflect the labor, creativity, and passion of their makers. These products are rapidly gaining popularity in today's consumer world due to their originality and personalized touches.

So, which of these handmade creations are the most preferred? Here are the best-selling handmade products and other details.

What are Handmade Products?

Handmade products are non-factory-produced items created by individuals using their own skills and creativity. These types of products are generally original and unique, and can span many different categories, such as jewelry, ceramics, knitwear, hand-painted paintings, woodwork, hand-woven carpets, and textiles.

Because handmade products require special effort and care, they are often considered more valuable and meaningful than commercial products. They are especially preferred as gifts and for special occasions.

On Which Platforms Can Handmade Products Be Sold?

There are many online and physical platforms for selling handmade products. In addition to physical stores, some of the online sales platforms include:

• Etsy

• Instagram

• Facebook Marketplace

• Amazon Handmade

• Bonanza

• ArtFire

• Handmade at Amazon

• Pinterest

• Craftisart

• eBay

• Trendyol

• Hepsiburada

Each of these platforms has unique features for marketing and selling handmade products. Sellers can reach a wide range of customers by choosing the platform that is most suitable for their products.

Selling Without Establishing a Company with an Artisan Exemption Certificate

The Artisan Exemption Certificate is a right that eliminates the requirement to set up a company while selling online. With General Communiqué on Income Tax Serial No. 314 dated April 30, 2021, access to this certificate was facilitated for some individuals.

As stated in the communiqué, the secondary sale of products on the internet, works produced with manual labor, and products prepared in the home environment without mass production are exempt from tax, subject to certain conditions. 

These conditions include criteria such as not having industrial-type production equipment at home, the production being carried out personally by the individual, and the income being transferred directly to the producer. Staying below a certain income threshold is also important to benefit from this exemption.

The artisan exemption is valid for individuals whose income is below the 12-month total of the minimum wage. However, for those who exceed this limit, the government mandates the establishment of a company as taxpayers subject to the simple method.

To obtain this certificate, it is sufficient to apply to the tax office of the place of residence. Meanwhile, those who plan to generate income through buy-and-sell methods like dropshipping are excluded from this exemption and are taxed.

Things to Consider for Users Who Will Sell with an Artisan Exemption Certificate

The artisan exemption certificate is a significant advantage that eliminates the obligation to establish a company for individuals selling online, provided they do not exceed a certain income threshold during the year. However, there are some points to consider in order to benefit from the advantages of this certificate.

If the income earned during the year exceeds 12 times the gross minimum wage, the obligation to establish a company arises. Otherwise, you may have to face tax loss penalties that may come your way. 

Another important point to consider is that online sales are taxed by issuing invoices. In Turkey, a company and a tax number are required to issue invoices.

Since individuals who sell under the artisan exemption certificate do not have such a tax plate, they are not obliged to issue invoices. However, instead of an invoice, an expense compass is given to the buyers, and these compasses must be kept for five years.

When selling on different marketplaces that hold great potential for entrepreneurs, it is important to know the requirements of the platform well. For example, Etsy is an ideal platform for handmade and vintage items and allows you to sell without the obligation to set up a company.

However, you must have a company to open a store on major e-commerce sites like Hepsiburada and Trendyol. Therefore, keeping these details in mind while selling with an artisan exemption certificate will help you prevent potential problems you may encounter in the future.

Top 10 Best-Selling Handmade Products

The top 10 best-selling handmade products are as follows:

• Knitted hats and scarves

• Handmade jewelry (Necklaces, bracelets, earrings)

• Wood carved decorative items

• Ceramic plates and mugs

• Hand-painted canvas paintings

• Customized handmade soaps

• Hand-sewn bags and wallets

• Candles (Aromatherapeutic or decorative)

• Handmade stitched toys

• Hand-knitted baby and children blankets

Knitted hats and scarves

Knitted hats and scarves are popular choices for warmth in cold weather as well as for style. Hand-knitted products have a much more original and personal touch than factory-made products, reflecting the craftsperson's skill and creativity.

Particularly, knitted hats and scarves made from natural yarns are known for their soft texture and skin-friendliness. 

Featuring different colors, patterns, and designs, these knit products appeal to all age groups. They are also very popular as gifts. Many people prefer to gift their loved ones a hand-knitted hat or scarf, especially during the winter months.

For this reason, knitted hats and scarves always experience high demand among handmade products.

Handmade jewelry (Necklaces, bracelets, earrings)

Handmade jewelry is the perfect choice for those looking for uniqueness and originality. Necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are each prepared with the craftsperson's personal touch.

These jewelry items stand out from standard products and offer a special feeling to the wearer. Typically created by creatively combining natural stones, metals, beads, and other materials, these pieces bridge traditional and modern design. 

Handmade jewelry can represent an event or a special moment. That is why they carry meaning for many people. Additionally, knowing that there is a story or a source of inspiration behind such jewelry makes them even more special.

Wood carved decorative items

Wood carved decorative items are a perfect combination of craft and natural beauty. With its warmth and naturalness, wood adds a special touch to indoor spaces. Wood products carefully carved and shaped by master hands enrich both traditional and modern living spaces.

Depending on the type of wood, the tool used, and the skill of the artisan, each carved product possesses its own unique character.

With a wide area of use ranging from wall panels to tabletop decorations, door ornaments to furniture details, wood carvings also reflect a historical and cultural heritage. 

Ceramic Plates and Mugs

Ceramic plates and cups are handmade products that have been used for centuries and have established an indispensable place in people's daily lives.

Formed by kneading natural clay with water, shaping it, and firing it at high temperatures, these unique pieces combine functionality and aesthetics. Each ceramic piece is unique as it reflects its maker's handprints, techniques, and creativity. 

Colorful glazes, fine details, and original patterns turn these products from mere kitchenware into works of art. Sipping a hot beverage from a ceramic mug or serving a carefully prepared meal on a ceramic plate turns a simple experience into a special moment.

Furthermore, ceramic, which is a sustainable and eco-friendly material, offers an ecological alternative to plastic and other single-use materials. 

Hand-painted canvas paintings

Hand-painted canvas paintings are original works in which the artist projects their soul, emotions, and vision onto the canvas. Each brushstroke, color choice, and composition is an expression of the artist's individual creativity.

These paintings add depth to spaces, turning walls into art galleries. Oil, acrylic, or water-based paints applied on canvas give the painting different textures and tones. 

Unlike print or digital reproductions, these hand-painted works are unique and unrepeatable. Consequently, hand-painted canvas paintings are both a valuable collector's item for art lovers and an indispensable decorative element for those wishing to personalize their spaces. 

Customized handmade soaps

Customized handmade soaps are prepared with natural ingredients to offer a skin-friendly experience. Formulated using completely natural oils, botanical extracts, and essential oils free from chemical additives, these soaps gently cleanse the skin while providing it with the nourishment and hydration it needs. Each soap can be individualized according to the ingredients, colors, and shapes used, creating a personalized experience. 

Prepared with different bases such as lavender, rose, olive, or goat milk, these soaps also possess aromatherapeutic properties.

Particularly popular among gift choices, customized handmade soaps also transform bathrooms into a spa environment with their aesthetic presentation. 

Hand-sewn bags and wallets

Hand-sewn bags and wallets are products where every detail has been carefully designed and brought to life by master hands. Unlike industrial production, these unique pieces acquire a distinct character through the touches of individual artisans.

Resulting from the combination of quality materials, careful craftsmanship, and design, hand-sewn bags and wallets are extraordinary in terms of durability and aesthetics. 

Especially those produced with natural leather, linen, or quality fabrics grow even more valuable over time, bearing witness to the user's life story.

Hand-sewn bags and wallets are not just a fashion element, but also works of art that will accompany their owner for many years.

Candles (Aromatherapeutic or decorative)

Candles are unique objects that have been used throughout history for lighting, ritual, and decoration. Today, handmade candles maintain their popularity both for aromatherapy and for their decorative qualities.

Aromatherapeutic candles, thanks to the natural essential oils they contain, not only add a pleasant scent to the room but also offer emotional and mental benefits such as relaxation, energy, or focus. Decorative candles, on the other hand, bring warmth and elegance to spaces with their aesthetic forms, colors, and designs. 

Unlike industrial production, handmade candles are prepared with the unique touches of individual artisans. Produced with natural materials without chemical additives, handmade candles are also more preferable for health and the environment.

Whether reading a book or taking a bath, the peaceful atmosphere and aromas provided by candles are one of the simple ways to improve the quality of life.

Handmade stitched toys

Handmade stitched toys are the product of special interest and care. Unlike industrial production, these toys are prepared with the manual skill, creativity, and love of their makers.

Each having a unique character and story, these toys are mostly produced with natural and high-quality materials. 

Using materials such as cotton, wool, or felt, these toys are both a fun and safe playmate for children.

Sometimes prepared with traditional motifs and sometimes with modern designs, handmade toys are also used as collection pieces or decorative objects.

The biggest feature that distinguishes handmade toys from machine-made ones is that each is unique. This offers the child not just a toy, but a memory, a story, and a real friendship.

Consequently, handmade stitched toys are preferred both as a valuable gift for children and as a special collector's item for adults.

Hand-knitted baby and children blankets

Hand-knitted baby and children blankets are special products prepared with love and care. Beyond their function of keeping warm, these blankets are a keepsake that will accompany a baby or child during their first years of life.

Knitted using natural yarns, these blankets do not irritate the skin and are suitable for a baby's sensitive skin. With knitting motifs, color choices, and the techniques used, each blanket is a unique work of art in itself.

Handmade products are a way of keeping traditional arts and crafts alive in the modern world. Every single product carries its uniqueness, labor, and the touch of its creator. Handmade products are valuable not only for their intended use but also for the stories, culture, and heritage behind them.

From knitted hats to ceramic mugs, hand-painted paintings to stitched toys, each piece is a reflection of human capability and creativity.