Crafting Health and Wellbeing: A European Crafts Alliance Sector Report

European countires are under-utilising a powerful public health resource. A new ECA study shows that crafting is a highly effective tool that deserves a formal place in preventative healthcare.

The European Crafts Alliance (ECA) has published the Crafting Health and Wellbeing study, conducted by a research team from the University of Eastern Finland. It offers robust evidence for what makers have long known: working with our hands is a highly effective, complementary tool for mental health. The report demonstrates that traditional craft acts as a powerful form of preventative medicine. However, it also highlights a critical structural flaw. We rely heavily on underfunded professional makers to deliver these community wellbeing programmes. By doing this, we push the very people who keep these skills alive to the brink of burnout.

“Crafting is an evidence-based complementary approach that engages the brain, reduces stress, and strengthens social connections. As an innovative recommendation, it merits systematic integration into a preventative, multidisciplinary healthcare model, with a recognised role in social prescribing pathways across Europe,”

— Ana Cristina Mendes, ECA President

Over 90% of people surveyed confirmed that crafting supports their mental health. The research shows that the hand-eye coordination required for activities like woodworking or throwing a clay pot actively protects cognitive function as we age.

The report shares examples of this protective effect, including a 101-year-old blind knitter who still finds comfort and crucial brain stimulation in the familiar rhythm of working with yarn.

The study points to social prescribing as a gold standard for care. Ireland provides a compelling example through platforms like Arts+Health, showing exactly how craft can serve as preventative infrastructure. Healthcare professionals see the results firsthand. This proves that learning to print or weave is a highly cost-effective way to support people facing moderate mental health challenges before they require clinical intervention.

“Because they have to concentrate, their mind is taken up with that activity instead of worrying about other things. I notice that when people make very small steps towards achieving something… an inner confidence is gained.”

— Artisan Art-Therapist

We live in an increasingly fragmented, screen-heavy world. The study highlights a concerning trend: as craft activities are replaced by mobile devices, there is a noticeable decline in hands-on making among younger generations.

“Children should first learn to read, write, calculate, and think, and only then be given smart devices… Not everything is learned from books. You also need to use your mind and your hands.”

— Primary Educator

Furthermore, while community crafting spaces offer a crucial offline refuge, they remain largely female-dominated. Aligning directly with the EU’s Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030, which calls for the integration of more boys and men into HEAL (Health, Education, Administration, and Literacy) and care-oriented sectors, crafting offers a highly effective, non-clinical pathway. Bringing men into these tactile environments provides a powerful antidote to digital isolation.

The report highlights a strong link between craft skills and environmental care. The findings conclude that craft practices act as direct agents of change in contemporary consumption culture. When people learn to repair and care for products, they actively reject fast fashion and throwaway culture. Ultimately, crafting offers an environmentally responsible alternative to mass production, giving citizens a practical, hands-on way to engage with the green transition.

“Achieving a deep material understanding is required to produce genuinely sustainable items. The human touch acts as an assurance of uniqueness and quality, something impossible to achieve on an industrial scale.”

— Tom Bensari, Professional Woodworker

As craft programmes become more common in social prescribing, professional makers are increasingly central to their success. Yet these practitioners operate entirely outside the medical system. The UEF survey reveals a harsh reality: for professional crafters, financial instability and severe imbalances between work, family, and leisure are the most common negative consequences of their profession. They are burning out because the legislation and financial backing from national governments are not there to protect them.

“The tailor providing the service must account for their time, materials, tools, electricity, workspace costs, VAT, personal taxes, and insurances for healthcare and pension funds.”

— from the report

If Europe intends to rely on craft to support public health, we must invest in the people who make it happen through structured funding models.

Concrete policy recommendations

The report outlines clear recommendations for national and European policymakers. Healthcare would benefit from integrating craft into their systems. Furthermore, professionals require better safety standards and legislative support to keep their micro-enterprises afloat.

“”Craftspeople are already delivering measurable public health value. This community impact needs to be formally recognised and structurally supported across Europe.”

— Laura Miguel Baumann, ECA Secretary General

The study was conducted by Dr. Sirpa Kokko (Professor of Craft Science), Dr. Niina Väänänen (University Lecturer), and Dr. Riikka Hirvonen (University Lecturer) from the University of Eastern Finland. They reviewed scientific literature from 2010 to 2025 and surveyed 458 people across Europe. They also conducted thematic interviews with craft practitioners, educators, and healthcare staff.

This study was commissioned by the European Crafts Alliance as the sixth report in its ongoing research series analysing the state of the European crafts sector. The research was co-funded by the European Union.