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Handmade Lie Revisited

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Categories: Everything and the kitchen sink

Word count/read time: 507 words; 2 minutes

More blogs about handmade jewelry can be found here and here.

Handmade jewelry has been clearly defined by USA law to protect consumers. The average fourth-grader should understand the law (and hopefully follow it) yet most sellers are lying when they say their jewelry is handmade.

I've mentioned this to innumerable sellers of fake handmade jewelry. It's excuse after excuse. Basic psychology explains that it is a cognitive and/or character flaw exacerbated by the lure of money. Whatever the original cause or reason, it is fraud. Chainmaillers in general have little integrity or skill and embrace such lies and arm themselves with insults and scapegoating when caught.

People with a conscience would be horrified to learn they've deceived every person and defrauded every client forever. For others, it should be an impetus to start telling the truth. Of those I've followed after sharing the handmade law, I've yet to see one of the hundreds change anything.

Often these offenders turn to social media for support when they are called out. There is no shortage of like-minded individuals. Many are doing the same (illegal) things so they have to band together and defend each other.

Who's gonna say anything if they are all wrong? Basically "no one" and those scant honest people who speak up will be chastised and harassed as whiners and tattletales. If that's the price of enlightenment by warning deceived and defrauded clients then so be it; there is no incentive to change otherwise. Legal ramifications are basically nil at such small levels so everyone does it without retribution.

These scheisters steal customers from honest sellers because they don't have to charge for the non-existent "handmade" labor in their illegal jewelry. They defraud customers because they don't tell the truth. Sometimes customers don't care but at least they should know the truth and haggle the price much lower to reflect the fakeness and true value.

Those who ignore the law probably aren't aware of its teeth, either. A provision allows anyone to file a lawsuit against any entity or person involved in the scam. The government lawyer responsible for handling this law thought I was joking about the magnitude of the problem. She was floored as we scrolled through hundreds of fake listings.

Court injunctions and/or confiscating their goods would be bad for business. The financial impact could ruin them (good riddance). Though suing could be quite lucrative, the purpose is holding people accountable and leveling the playing field.

It's like this: If you run a stop sign and no one is around, no one cares. However, if someone is in the crosswalk then running that stop sign has threatened, harmed, or killed them. Likewise, tell yourself whatever you want in private about fake handmade stuff. When those lies go public then you have crossed a line.

Chainmaille is ubiquitous with low-quality over-priced goods. It is only marginally more complicated than connect-the-dots. You could easily make a piece as good as just about anything. Or look here for exceptional handmade goods with an unmatched pedigree.

Posted by M: April 28, 2022

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