Are you fed up of seeing the same old products in the same old shops and on the same old shelves? If you know how to put a search engine to good use you can buy just about anything on the internet, and find some really spectacular artisan websites to visit. The next time you have to buy something that isn’t one of your grocery staples, why not look for an artisan product? Watch out for mass market stores claiming handmade because how can their items possibly possess the love and care put into a product made in someone’s garage or shed? Here’s some of my favorites. I’ve chosen them by finding a comparable US site to my favourite British ones; they are some of the best artisan websites to visit.
1. iGourmet.com
If you love cheese, this is a great artisan website to visit. iGourmet has a bewildering array of 700 artisan cheeses from over 30 countries. I really love the selections where you can buy “a little piece of …” and you get 3/4 cheeses as well as traditional accompaniments. There’s also a fantastic range of foodstuffs to satisfy any foodie as well as a whole list of must have gadgets.
2. Heardmuseumshop.com
I’ve always been fascinated by Native Americans. The one thing really lacking in UK history is an indigenous people. Brits are Brits and always have been. Ok, so we’ve been Celts and Anglos and Vikings and Saxons and Normans but they’ve all been races close to home. Maybe that’s why we went meddling in so many countries in our imperial days. I’ve chosen this supplier of Native American goods because they claim authenticity and it’s not just a retailer jumping on the bandwagon or cowboys selling fakes.
3. Threepillarstrading.com
I don’t recall how I came across this site but I love it because of its sales story and ethics. Three pillars sells artisan and handcrafted items from across the globe, mostly from areas where the income from the goods is a major economic boost to rural communities. To me, that's a key factor in finding a good, legitimate artisan website to visit.
