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Why Craft?

For centuries, craftspeople around the world have played critical roles in reviving and sustaining local creative economies, often working from their homes and community workshops.

The scale of these informal workers is larger than many realize. Upwards of 300 million people around the world work from home, engaged in primarily craft-based handwork. Predominantly women, these workers are often unrecognized and the implementation of their social protections is the exception rather than the norm.

Unlocking the Power of Craft to Change Our World

We believe that when artisan and maker businesses, brands and philanthropists come together, we can unlock the potential of the handworker economy to grow with economic dignity and greater social inclusion—enabling millions of individuals and their surrounding communities to thrive.

What We Stand For

Advancing Gender Equity By Celebrating Women’s Work

Craft work is a fundamental source of employment for women globally, yet has been historically dismissed as niche, non-scalable, or "women's work." Nest advocates to prioritize gender equity in economic investments in the global handcraft sector to ensure these investments benefit women's wellbeing.

Driving Diversity & Inclusion in the Makers Movement

We are committed to building a more vibrant and inclusive makers movement by providing maker entrepreneurs who often face barriers to accessing the support they need with the resources and market opportunities they need to thrive

Expanding Economic Opportunity through Craft

Handworkers contribute over $718BN in value to our global GDP, yet the implementation of their social and economic protections are often the exception rather than the norm. We believe that in partnership with brands and philanthropy, we can harness the massive potential of craft to drive economic opportunity for workers everywhere.

Shining Light on Unseen Workforces

In recent years, Nest's scope has expanded to include programming specific to other forms of handwork, like wastepicking, to bring greater attention and opportunity to these overlooked and underrepresented workers within the informal economy.

How Do We Use Craft to Expand Opportunity?

For more than 16 years, Nest has been delivering programs in artisan communities around the world. Our comprehensive range of programming is designed to meet our artisan and maker partners where they are in the business cycle. In partnership with brands, philanthropists, and our network of more than 2,000 artisan businesses, we are unlocking the potential of craft-based employment to advance gender and economic equity worldwide.

Our Impact
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