craftsare

Craftsare is a term used in contemporary design and craft discourse to describe a multidisciplinary practice that merges traditional handcraft techniques with modern fabrication methods and sustainable design principles. Practitioners emphasize durability, repairability, modular construction, and local material sourcing, often pursuing open-source patterns and transparent processes that can be replicated or adapted by communities.

The etymology and scope of craftsare are not standardized. The term has circulated since the 2010s in design and maker communities, with various proposed origins, including blends of “craft,” “care,” and “share” or other regional etymologies. Because there is no single governing body or glossary, definitions vary by context.

Practice and methods commonly combine hand skills with digital tools such as 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC routing. Projects typically emphasize repairability and modularity, using salvaged or locally sourced materials. Documentation, open-source design files, and community workshops are frequent elements to facilitate learning and reuse.

Context and reception: craftsare has been incorporated into design curricula and gallery programming as a framework for responsible making, but it also faces criticism for vagueness and potential co-option by commercial product labeling. Proponents argue that it foregrounds tacit craft knowledge, sustainability, and social learning.

Related concepts include sustainable design, the maker movement, open-source hardware, repair culture, and traditional crafts.