Ever wondered why food made in handmade earthen pots tastes better and is healthier than plastic utensils? In today’s era, the effect of many artificial or machine-made products on our health is a cause of major concern. In recent times, there has been a growing demand for healthy products that are eco-friendly and sustainable, and the handicrafts and handloom industry in India has responded to this demand by producing a wide range of such products. It is important for us as consumers to make sure that the products we buy do not have any side effects on us or the environment. The best option to ensure this is to welcome handmade products into our lives!! Let us discover the beauty and benefits of these unique and healthy products.

The handmade industry has existed ever since the establishment of human civilization. Artists and craftsmen have survived by producing and selling items made by them with the skill that has been passed on for generations. They know the value of quality unlike the mass-produced items, whose quality is usually neglected in the greed of maximizing profit margins. In fact, a huge dip in the health conditions of people across the world has been observed after the replacement of naturally-sourced materials with plastics as the base raw material by numerous large-scale industries. 

Plastics evolved during the last 60 years into a necessary and adaptable material with a diverse variety of characteristics, chemical makeup, and applications. Although plastic was initially thought to be innocuous and inert, years of environmental plastic waste have resulted in a variety of related issues. It can end up in rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water, where it can harm or kill wildlife. Plastic waste can also accumulate in landfills, where it can take hundreds of years to break down. This leads to increased pollution levels leading to the degradation of the health of people living nearby. Whereas, handmade products are usually made up of nature-based materials which are biodegradable. So, you need not worry about the wooden or clay showpiece even if it breaks because it can be easily decomposed. 

Research shows that not only plastics, but the additives present in plastic-made products are also health-threatening. Endocrine-disrupting substances (EDCs) are among them; they have been connected to a number of diseases such as infertility, obesity, diabetes, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. In addition to these problems, chemicals have also been related to issues of neurodevelopment, growth, and reproduction. This obliges us to rethink our choice of utensils because the food we intake is in direct contact with them. Now it’s high time that we return back to our roots and encourage the use of handmade utensils and cooking ware made from clay and metals like copper as they have endless health benefits. For example, brass utensils help in blood purification, boost hemoglobin count, and improve immunity. Megastores offer a variety of kitchen and dining handmade items from wooden cutlery to brass containers and many more.

One more benefit of using handmade healthy products comes in the case of toys for children. The safety and well-being of a child is the biggest concern that parents have, and when they play with machine-made plastic toys, both factors are at stake. Most plastic toys contain toxic chemicals, such as phthalates, which can leach out of the toy and be ingested by children. Phthalates are used to make plastic soft and pliable, but they have been linked to a range of health problems, including developmental and reproductive problems, asthma, and cancer. 

So rather than buying toys that can deteriorate your child’s health, it’s better to switch to handmade healthy toys made from safe, non-toxic materials, such as wood, clay, or cloth because the welfare of the customer is a craftsman’s priority, and thus safety and quality will never be compromised. Also, each handmade toy is distinct and produced in a way that enhances the inherent beauty of the material. Each wooden toy is unique because the grain and knots in the wood are allowed to show. Your child owns something truly unique because it was handcrafted by a person with extreme love, care, and skill, meaning that even two pieces of the same model might not be the same. 

Therefore, it is better that we accept handmade healthy products in the form of handicrafts and handloom as they often use natural materials, such as wood, cloth, clay, or paper, which are more eco-friendly than plastic. Plastic production requires the use of non-renewable resources, such as oil and natural gas, and it can contribute to pollution and waste, which could adversely affect the health of living beings and nature. So let’s pledge to buy handmade healthy products in India and support good health because good health is the greatest gift you can give yourself!