craft

Craft is a discipline focused on skilled handwork and the knowledge of materials used to create functional or decorative objects. It encompasses the methods, techniques, and practices by which objects are produced, often integrating design with workmanship. Crafts emphasize technique, repetition, and mastery of tools, and frequently aim for utility, durability, or aesthetic value. The term is sometimes distinguished from art by its emphasis on process and function, though many craftspeople pursue expressive goals as well.

Historically, craft has been organized around communities of practice, such as guilds that regulated training, quality, and apprenticeship in medieval Europe. Everyday crafts included pottery, textiles, metalwork, woodworking, leather, and glassmaking. With industrialization, mass production reduced some traditional crafts, even as new craft movements emerged to preserve techniques and promote artisanal products. In the 20th and 21st centuries, craft has experienced revivals in the context of the arts and crafts movement, as well as the modern maker movement, which emphasizes DIY fabrication, small-batch production, and community workshops.

Practice and learning typically involve apprenticeship, formal schooling, or self-directed study, and may include standards for tools, safety, and finishing. Craft requires deep knowledge of materials—wood, clay, metal, textiles, glass, paper, and more—and often a relationship to place and tradition. In contemporary economies, crafts contribute to cultural heritage, tourism, and niche manufacturing, while digital technologies such as laser cutting, CNC milling, and 3D printing expand the possibilities for design, adaptation, and production.