Who makes the clothes you wear and the table you’re sitting at? We often don’t know the answer, and that says a lot about the economy we live in. Olga Vincent set out to explore a group of people who have been working differently and producing consumer goods in a more sustainable way: local craft entrepreneurs. On 10 September 2026, Olga Vincent defended her doctoral thesis, ‘Crafting Postgrowth Urban Economies’, at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication. For her doctoral research, she spoke to these entrepreneurs, ranging from furniture makers to fashion designers. What do they do differently from mass production? And what can we learn from them? We spoke to Olga Vincent about this research.
What is your research about?
As the climate crisis worsens, microplastics and ‘forever chemicals’ end up in our blood, and inequality rises, more people are wondering whether endless economic growth and technological development still amount to the same thing as progress. Both in the Netherlands and globally. When it comes to progress and change, we often expect a great deal from governments and large corporations, but I wanted to look at people who are already thinking, acting, and organising differently. Local craft entrepreneurs won’t, of course, solve all the problems, but they are quietly shaping the contours of a more connected, more humane, and more sustainable economy.
I spoke to craftspeople from Rotterdam and Amsterdam who prioritise people, community, and the environment, rather than profit. They repair rather than replace, work with reused materials, produce locally, preserve knowledge and skills, and design products that last a long time. In this way, they reduce waste, strengthen the local economy, and encourage more sustainable ways of living. By highlighting the experiences of local craft entrepreneurs, this research offers a new perspective on how cities can become more resilient, circular, and sustainable.
What was your central question?
How can craft entrepreneurs shape more sustainable future of our cities? I wanted to understand what sets them apart from capitalist, growth-oriented industrial production, and how and why they engage in slower production that is more mindful of the people and the planet.
How did you go about it?
I conducted a critical review of the literature and held interviews with local craft entrepreneurs, business organisations, think tanks and local authorities.
What makes it difficult for these entrepreneurs to succeed within the current economic system?
Because they often work in the cracks of the system or even against it. Many tax rules (e.g., tax on labour instead of materials), legislation and regulations, and the pressures of the market and society are designed for companies that want to grow and produce on a massive scale. This makes life difficult for craft entrepreneurs; despite the benefits they bring to the environment and society.
So, what needs to change?
To support local craft entrepreneurs and principles that they represent, such slow and mindful making, connection between producers and consumers, more transparency about the material properties and processes, not all policies have to be paradigm changing. More incremental changes can make a difference here and now. For example, the visibility of local producers in urban spaces could be improved through rent subsidies or agreements with retailers. Entrepreneurs could also benefit from network- and coalition-building initiatives that raise awareness of the value of local production.
At the same time, companies striving to become more circular and sustainable often encounter structural limits within the current growth-oriented economic system. Several of the entrepreneurs I interviewed went bankrupt because of these constraints, while others had to compromise on their sustainability ambitions. These experiences raise broader questions about the conditions needed for more fundamental economic change. This is why, in my PhD research, I also explore postgrowth transitions that understand prosperity beyond conventional economic indicators.
What is the most important thing you discovered?
Actually, three things. Firstly, craft production is about reconnecting with the material world and learning more about the products that are part of our lives. In an age of mass production, much of which is outsourced abroad, we as consumers often know very little about the materials that touch our skin and fill our homes. Sometimes we are even given incorrect information. Local makers can help us reclaim that right to information. That way, we can decide for ourselves what we bring into our homes and understand what that means for our health and the environment. We then make choices based on our own needs, rather than on what the marketing machine feeds us.
Secondly, craft production puts the spotlight on the people who know how to make things. We are heading towards digital, knowledge-driven economies, but it is precisely these craft practices that sustain our daily lives. Our food, our clothes, our bicycles, our furniture: everything is made by someone. If you can look that person straight in the eye, talk to them and become curious about how something is made, it changes your role as a consumer.
Thirdly, craft production brings an abstract debate about alternatives to capitalist, growth-based economies into the real world. In a workshop, you can see that these alternatives already exist. Such alternatives are not about ideology or politics; they are about everyday practices that seek to meet our needs as consumers while showing care and respect for people and the materials.
You say we need to reclaim ‘our right to information’. What do you mean by that?
It starts with simple questions. How was this made, by whom and why? Was it made to meet a genuine need, or primarily to generate more profit? Was it made from safe materials? Were people, who made these objects, treated fairly?
Access to this information might be a stepping stone towards using our right to act and build more local, resilient, and humane economies. To do this, we need more producers and entrepreneurs who create value based on social needs and with a sense of responsibility towards the environment.
Every day, the news brings a new crisis. Why is it important to think about a handmade table or a mended coat?
Because it is in everyday life that you begin to bring about change. If we are confronted with a new crisis every day, the question is what we can do ourselves. Choosing where your things come from and who makes them is a concrete first step. And it brings the big questions about the economy, health, and the environment closer to home.
Has your research changed your view of the world?
I’ve come to appreciate craftsmanship even more, both as a way of life and in practice. The ‘Ambacht in Beeld’ festivals and all the entrepreneurs I spoke to have inspired me enormously.
Who or what inspired you during your PhD?
I read books by Karl Polanyi, Mariana Mazzucato and Kate Raworth. They are economists who challenge the status quo and seek out alternatives. That quest to find connections between big ideas and concrete everyday practices continues to fuel my research.
What was the biggest challenge along the way?
Balancing early motherhood with my research. This isn’t discussed enough in the academic world, and you can quickly feel alone in that struggle. It all worked out in the end, but I hope universities will offer more support and resources to early-career researchers who are becoming parents for the first time.
And what are you doing now?
I work as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Public Law and Public Administration at Tilburg Law School and at the Academic Collaboration Centre for Climate and Energy. There, I research social dynamics and transformative change in the energy transition.
If you could share just one message, what would it be?
Regaining knowledge about the materials that touch our skin and surround us at home is a political act.
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