The craftsman and the natural straw hat
They used to say that hatters were crazy because when making plush hats they used mercury; inhaling it caused tremors, aggression, mood swings and antisocial behavior. This disease caused by mercury was called mad hatter's disease.
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Today the hatter is a person who repairs, sells or makes hats. Many hats have an artisan behind them who designs and manufactures the hat by hand or with minimal use of the machine.
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In the world of crafts, work is not usually valued. Many times they tend to ask why the product is so expensive. In our case he usually asks us for cheap straw hats. When we are asked this question I always tell the same moral:
They say that in a distant place there existed an old craftsman, whose fame for making rare and sophisticated hats attracted the most distinguished women in the world. This craftsman with silk and cotton laces had the ability to make the most delicate and impressive headdresses.
One day a lady was looking for a natural straw hat with silk thread decorations. Since the craftsman was well known, he went to his workshop to place the order.
“I'm interested in buying one of your hats, but I think you charge too much,” said the lady. The artisan, bewildered, responded: “And how much do you think I should charge? The lady responded "Let's see... for the thread, the straw, the silk cords and I even include the scissors, I think the price should be..." and told her an amount. The price was much lower than the original one offered by the Artisan, but he told the lady “great.” You will receive your order in a week.”
The lady, very proud of herself, told everyone she knew about the offer she had managed to negotiate with the hat maker.
After a week, the lady received a delicately wrapped package. When he opened it he found the thread, the straw, the silk cords and a pair of scissors. Very angry, the lady went in search of the craftsman and told him: “How can you do this to me? I ordered a straw hat from him and he sent me a box with just the materials. The craftsman, very calm, responded: “Madam, you received exactly what you paid for. If you feel there is something missing, you should pay for that too.”
Moral: When you buy a handmade product, you are not only paying for the materials, but you are also paying for the time, effort, love and dedication with which the artisan creates a unique and unrepeatable product just for you.
In cheap straw hats, the main difference apart from the craftsman behind it is the quality of the straw with which the hat is made. Not all types of straw are the same and not all types of straw have the same characteristics so that a beautiful straw hat can come out.
That's why when I think that a product is expensive, I always tend to think about all the work that goes into that product.
It's not just the product, it's the hands behind it that create unique artisan products.