Sourcing Guides

How to find, vet, and negotiate with artisan suppliers around the world.

Handicraft Sourcing Trends 2025: What Bulk Buyers Are Asking

A look at handicraft sourcing trends for 2025: sustainability, nearshoring vs Asia, AI-assisted sourcing, and rising craft categories

GEO for Suppliers: Getting Cited by AI Search

Explain Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) for handicraft suppliers: how structured data, clear specs, and llms

Negotiating MOQ and Pricing with Artisan Suppliers

Practical tactics for negotiating MOQ, unit price, and payment terms with artisan and export-house suppliers without damaging the relationship

Incoterms 2020 Explained: EXW, FOB, CIF, and DDP

Explain the 2020 Incoterms most relevant to handicraft importers: EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF, DAP, DDP

The Handmade Rug Buying Guide for Importers

A buyer's guide to importing handmade rugs (kilim, Berber, hand-knotted): knot density, materials, sizing, GoodWeave, MOQ, and quality inspection

How to Order Samples Before a Bulk Handicraft Order

How the sampling process works before a bulk handicraft order: sample fees, pre-production samples, what to inspect, and how fees are credited against orde

LC vs TT: Which Payment Method Protects Importers

Compare Letter of Credit (LC) and Telegraphic Transfer (TT/wire) for importers of handicrafts: risk, cost, documentation, and when to use each

How to Find and Vet Overseas Handicraft Suppliers

A practical guide to finding and vetting overseas handicraft suppliers: where to look, what credentials to check (BSCI, SEDEX, GI, fair trade), sample orde

Fair Trade Handicraft Certifications Explained

Explain the main fair-trade and ethical certifications relevant to handicrafts (Fair Trade Federation, WFTO, Fairtrade International, GoodWeave, BSCI, SEDE

Understanding MOQ, FOB, and CIF: A Bulk Buyer's Primer

Explain minimum order quantity, and the FOB and CIF Incoterms, for someone new to bulk importing handicrafts