Craft websites function as virtual storefronts for crafters and, as such, should feature competent e-commerce platforms with secure payment portals and inventory tracking. Crafters should also use their website design to establish their brand and stand out from the competition. Be sure to be consistent in your color palette and branding, and add social media links.
I have gathered five examples of live websites from across the web to inspire you when designing your own site, but remember to be unique in your creations. Try our craft AI website builder, which will create a site with content that you can customize to your needs.
Zarla checks that sites meet basic web standards for mobile and desktop. We also use Google's PageSpeed Insights, and WAVE, a service that evaluates accessibility for individuals with disabilities. PageSpeed scores and accessibility are important factors for search engine rankings. PageSpeed scores may not match user experience and can vary substantially.
Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S.
Crafter's Corner sells handcrafted items for individuals or shops to resell. The site is clean, minimalistic, and contemporary, suggesting the trendy items on offer. The shop is conveniently divided by category, and a simple contact form is provided.
I found this site to be simple to use and it fulfills its function perfectly. However, I do think the business bio deserves its own link in the menu, rather than appearing further down the home page.
According to accessScan, this site is compatible with assistive technologies, making the site available to all. High-quality images entice purchases, and the shopping feature includes clear pricing with descriptions of the products.
WAVE reports over 15 broken ARIA references on the site, which impacts accessibility. The lack of alternative contact details is notable, and the social media links should be more prominent.
When opening the desktop site, the first thing I noticed was the logo and business name neatly and prominently centered, immediately establishing the brand identity. I loved how the hero image made me think about how stylish the products could be and how I could accessorize with them — a great marketing ploy.
However, I would have appreciated an introduction to the business before jumping straight into looking at the available products. The site was ranked exceptionally well on PageSpeed Insights, with scores in the 90s for performance, accessibility, and best practices, as well as a score of 100/100 for SEO.
On the mobile site, all I could see was the CTA placed right over the model's face in the hero image, and that gave me pause and threw me off a little. I found that the different sizing of the featured images didn't work as well as on the desktop site, as the mobile site's grid layout left some gaps that could look like the page didn't load properly.
The social media icons are a touch more visible in the hamburger menu compared to being in the top left corner of the desktop site. PageSpeed Insights awarded the site 76/100 for performance, confirming my smooth real-world tests.
https://adelestewartmaker.co.nz/
Hokitika, New Zealand
Adele Stewart Maker works with natural gemstones and precious metals to create jewelry inspired by nature. The site features a short artist bio on the home page, with high-quality images of the products, product descriptions, and clear pricing. Visitors can also find a list of physical stores and galleries that stock these products.
While the menu font could be a touch larger, navigation is simple on the site with the products divided into clear categories, based on the metal used and the collection. I appreciated the quotes from the crafter about the rings, pendants, and earrings she makes.
The site is clean and minimalistic, drawing all attention to the photos of the products. Small blocks of information on the crafter and her inspiration are dotted around the site, so visitors can always access the inspiration and processes behind the designs.
The site is only semi-compliant with assistive technologies and WAVE reports a number of broken ARIA references, which impact the accessibility of the site. The site only provides an email address for contact, and the font in certain sections could be bigger.
I enjoyed the layout of the desktop site, as the clean design and grid layout hinted at a luxury aesthetic, giving me the impression that this handcrafted jewelry is of good quality. However, I found the text blocks and CTA in the hero image lacked enough contrast to be easily legible.
In my real-world tests, the desktop site performed very well, and this was confirmed by PageSpeed Insights, with scores in the 90s for performance, accessibility, and SEO, and a score of 100/100 for best practices.
The site looks good on mobile screens, with the resized images maintaining their high quality. However, I found the checkout page loaded slower than the rest of the site, and the form is a little more difficult to fill out than on a desktop screen.
I did appreciate the stronger color palette, which improved the legibility of the mobile site compared to the desktop site. PageSpeed Insights reported the same high scores for the mobile site, with a performance score of 94/100.
https://rachelwebbceramics.ie/
Galway, Connacht, Republic of Ireland
Rachel Webb creates and sells contemporary pieces in porcelain, from tea light holders to vases. The site welcomes visitors with a casual message from the artist, creating a personal link between the customer and the seller.
Large, high-quality images introduce the different categories of crafts for sale and are also used in the store to showcase the quality of the work. With short descriptions of each work and clear pricing, the online shop encourages customers to go through the intuitive payment process.
accessScan notes that the site is compatible with assistive technologies, ensuring availability to all potential customers. WAVE reports only an empty heading and some contrast errors. The images in the online shop feature a zoom-in function.
The social media links should be more prominent on the site, and only a simple form is provided for contacting the artist. The lack of a news section or blog to keep customers updated on any new products or features is noticeable.
The desktop site welcomes visitors with a message thanking them for visiting the site. I found this message reassuring customers that the artist is working on restocking the shop very reassuring and friendly, creating a sense of a personal connection.
My real-world tests showed seamless transitions between the pages, and the images look good with the available space of desktop sites. PageSpeed Insights confirmed my tests and awarded this site a fantastic score of 100/100 for performance with 87/100 for accessibility.
The hero image shines on the mobile site, drawing visitors in and encouraging art lovers to continue scrolling through the site. I appreciated the simple shop set-up, which meant I didn't have to scroll too much on my phone. While PageSpeed Insights confirmed my smooth loading times, the report noted large content and awarded the mobile site a performance score of 60/100.
https://hellofriendfabrics.com.au/
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hello Friend Fabrics collaborates with various local artists to print their designs on fabric which they then sell together with sewing accessories like labels. The site features bright colors and patterns that highlight the products, and there are plenty of CTAs to guide visitors around the site.
There are also many images of the company founders, which create a personal, intimate feel that gives customers the impression of personal service and supporting small businesses. The addition of FAQs is a great touch on this site.
The use of colors and patterns highlights the business niche without overwhelming the visitor, and the various CTAs also stand out in bright colors. The online shop is well-organized, and images of the owners and artists show the customers who they're ordering from.
The site is only semi-compliant with assistive technologies, and WAVE reported a number of missing alternative text and contrast errors. The social media icons lack prominence and while visitors can change the currency and location, this feature is hidden behind a sticky rewards CTA.
The desktop site is an explosion of colors and graphics, which I thought was a great way to highlight the business niche. I found the minimal use of animated graphics provided visual interest, while the clean background kept me from being overwhelmed by the patterns and colors. However, while my real-world tests performed well, PageSpeed Insights reported slower loading times with a performance score of 56/100.
The fabric rolls hero image makes more of an impact on the mobile site, due to the compact size of the screen and the brighter color palette used. I found it was simple to navigate around the site but on the shopping pages, I had to scroll down past a number of additions to find the fabrics for sale, which caused me a bit of confusion wondering if the page loaded correctly.
The additional information on how to place an order could have its own dedicated page. PageSpeed Insights was able to load the mobile site and noted both large content and slow loading times, leading to an overall performance score of 43/100.
https://www.darksideleathercraft.co.za/
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Dark Side LeatherCraft handcrafts custom, durable pieces from quality materials. The company does both made-to-order and popular leather products, such as wallets and purses. The site features a black background with white text and an accent of orange in the logo, all of which highlight the business's focus on elegance and darker desires.
High quality images show off the products available, and the site includes a handy "leather care guide" for customers. Customers can contact the business through the online contact form or via a provided email address and phone number.
The dark mode is a nice touch on this site. The images are good quality and can be magnified to view the details of each product. The shopping is seamless, and each ready-made product includes a short description with a recommendation for leather care.
WAVE reported a number of broken ARIA references and contrast errors on the site, which impacts the accessibility of the site for people who use assistive technologies. The social media links should be more prominent, and some of the information pages are text-heavy and lacking in images.
The desktop site had a great feel to it, with the images being made the star of the site. I found the shopping experience ran smoothly, with easily completed shipping forms, and my real-world testing showed the site loaded quickly. PageSpeed Insights agreed with this assessment, scoring the desktop site exceptionally well with 94/100 for performance and 91/100 for accessibility.
The logo is nicely centered on the mobile site, drawing attention to the brand. While scrolling, I found that some of the mask images with their dark backgrounds don't stand out as well on the mobile site as on the desktop, but otherwise the mobile site has a good user experience. In real-world tests, the shopping cart loaded slower on the mobile site, but PageSpeed Insights scored the site well with 67/100 for performance and 91/100 for accessibility.
The idea of "best" is subjective, but we've curated a list of great craft website examples for you to browse. Our favorites include Crafter's Corner NY and Dark Side LeatherCraft.
Zarla's AI website builder will create a site with AI-generated content for you for free, which will give you a great idea of what your craft website could look like.
If you have little to no design experience, a craft website template is a great idea. There are a range of website builders available online that provide free templates for anyone to use.
Take a look at our list of examples. We've reviewed five creative craft websites to help you when designing your own website.
There are a range of craft website templates available on the web and a number of website builders to choose from. Zarla is a good option that uses AI to create a site with content already added.
