Most are well aware of our unique cultural heritage. A hypothetical
blend of rugged, do-it-yourself individualism tempered by a heaping
dose of the protestant work ethic — and a dash of unabashed optimism — forged a culture dedicated to the ideals of rationality, thrift
productivity and efficiency. And so spawned the DIY movement.
Ah, the American Dream. Discovering he had some crabapples in his front yard, Matthias Wandel decided he'd try to make his own crabapple cider using a home made apple press — not realizing just how bad it might taste and how mixed his results might be:
"I did however get enough crabapple juice out of this to realize that there was not much use for it. It tastes more sour than lemon (I don't mind sour) but also bitter. I couldn't think of anything that I might actually use this juice for, except for maybe etching the rust off metal or something like that."
Consider Mr. Wandel's interesting apple pressing inventions, yet further evidence of a consumer culture with an ongoing fascination for going back to the farm and doing it themselves — no matter that the apple press itself was invented in the 13th century.
DIY goes global
The DIY trend also has opened itself up to the global marketplace, as online vendors are selling their wares in huge numbers with endless opportunities for expansion.
In its fourth year, Etsy.com is now the largest independent retailer of handmade items and will only rise in popularity in 2009. Aritsans, crafters, stylists and thrifters are putting their good up for sale, allowing Etsy (and other online retailers like it) to thrive as organic marketplaces and creative online communities.
Foodzie is a virtual farmer's market where armchair shoppers can discover and buy food directly from small passionate producers and growers. Foodzie allows consumers to bypass traditional retailers for their customized food needs. One seller on Foodzie is candy artisan, Devil in an Apron, who handcrafts organic bacon caramels and rose pate jellies. Looks like it might be time to upgrade Grandma's Whitman's Sampler.
And CandyFab is an enterpirsing husband and wife team who have created the world's first fully functional open-source, 3D, free-form candy fabrication machine. They plan to begin selling consumer-grade kits in the coming months. How boring is Starburst and Jelly Belly when you can craft anything your mind imagines? CandyFab inspires the sweet-toothed DIY enthusiast, and just may be the chemistry set for the new millenium.
What's the upshot?
Look for expansion of the DIY trend as consumers seek out authentic experiences and authentic, bespoke goods on- and offline.