Handgefertigtem

Handgefertigtem is the dative singular inflection of the German adjective handgefertigt, not a standalone noun. The term arises from the combination of hand-, meaning manual, and gefertigt, the past participle of fertigen (to manufacture). Used attributively before a masculine or neuter noun in the dative case, it takes the ending -em, yielding handgefertigtem.

In practice, handgefertigtem appears in phrases that describe the material or production method of an object. Examples include aus handgefertigtem Holz (made of hand-crafted wood) and mit handgefertigtem Schmuck (with handcrafted jewelry). The form is common in product descriptions, catalogs and marketing copy to emphasize artisanal rather than mass production.

Linguistic note: handgefertigtem is one of several inflected forms of the participial adjective handgefertigt. Its exact ending depends on the noun’s gender, number and grammatical case, as well as whether a determiner is present. When the noun is in other cases or genders, different endings are used (for example, masculine or neuter nominative/accusative forms differ from this dative singular form). The general idea conveyed by handgefertigtem is that the item was produced by hand, reflecting craftsmanship and manual fabrication rather than industrial manufacture.

See also: handgefertigt, Handwerk, handgearbeitet, artisan craftsmanship.