The Rise of Crafting and Gen Z

If you’re taking a casual scroll through TikTok and Instagram, you might find yourself going down a crafty, DIY rabbit hole. We’re not talking about those wild videos showing how to make shoes out of hot glue, but younger millennials and Gen Zers crocheting, knitting, sewing, embroidering, and more.

CraftTok has a slew of teens and young adults showing their processes for designing, making, and styling their own clothes and accessories. But where did all the interest and popularity come from?

In early 2020, in the midst of the first lockdowns at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone was feeling the lockdown blues. All of us were unsure of what to do with ourselves and uncertain about what was coming next.

Feeling the brunt of digital burnout, some Gen Zers turned toward crafting and DIY projects for something more physical and tangible to do with their time. Some returned to crafts they may have learned when they were younger while others decided to give something new a try.

An increase in knit and crochet kit companies and video podcasters dedicated to sewing and other crafting content can also account for some of the rise in crafting’s popularity.

Thrift flips, process videos, and finished garment or accessory styling are all popular forms of content online, and a chance for creators to show what they can do while inspiring others to give tactile crafts a try.

Crafting and pop culture have also crossed paths, as makers and professional independent pattern designers recreated Harry Styles’ JW Anderson cardigan, Taylor Swift’s cardigan from her eponymous music video, and the sweater Jennifer Lawrence’s character wore in Don’t Look Up.

The rise in DIY is not only a new hobby, but a new mode of self expression. People who make their own apparel, homeware, and accessories are free to make and customize anything they want if they have the time and patience to use their skills.

This often leads to more intentional crafting – there’s no “impulse buying” a sweater when choosing a pattern to knit up. Wearable garments can take 10s to 100s of hours to create, so makers often choose what they add to their wardrobe carefully.

Makers aren’t limited to pre-set styles, fits, or colors. But they’re encouraged to explore what will be the most versatile item to add to their wardrobe, if they don’t want to spend the time on a new garment they won’t end up wearing.

The emphasis on slow and intentional fashion and making has also given rise to more conversations around sustainability and consumerism.

The problems around the fast fashion industry and its contribution to waste and harm on the environment are relatively well known. The popularity of making garments has brought “slow fashion” to the forefront of a generation.

Younger consumers are more aware of and concerned with the sustainability practices of clothing companies, and will take into account the prices of each piece and the wage that the person making these garments may have been paid.

When crochet tops were popular over the summer, many TikTokers were commenting on the cheap prices and the implications for what workers were being paid, especially as true crocheted fabric can’t be created by machine and is often done by hand.

DIY and crafting is only one of the many alternatives to fast fashion and rapid consumerism that Gen Z has adopted.