Due to the advancement of technology and globalization, mass-produced goods become widespread. In several countries, they even start to replace the use of traditional arts and crafts. On one hand, I agree that readily available and cheap products have multiple benefits for the people, especially for those who cannot afford handmade traditional products. However, I cannot deny the disdvantages that come with it as well.
Factory-made mass-produced things like clothes, utilities, accessories, etc are usually less expensive than traditional handmade goods. They also require less time and effort to create, therefore the goods are always available in the market. For people who do not have much time, it is easy to get those goods in no time. Moreover, they are usually more affordable than handmade goods. Even though some of the factory-made goods especially clothes are not the best in quality compare to the handmade ones, most of them are still very durable and comfortable to wear.
Meanwhile, I also cannot overlook the downside of the mass-produced goods. Factories that make the mass-produced goods often contribute to pollution and workers exploitation to maintain the cheap price for decent quality goods. Therefore, I do not support the over consumption of factory-produced items.
On the other hand, the traditional arts and crafts possess meaningful cultural heritage, and it is part of our identity as a nation. Each piece is unique because it represents certain symbol in our culture. Conversely, since majority of those goods are made by hand, the quality is top notch. Batik clothes for example, is drawn by hand to achieve beautiful pattern with rich cultural meanings. The effort is also what made these items expensive and rare. As a result, not everyone can afford to buy traditional handcrafts.
I believe that wearing ready-to-use items made by factories are not bad, as it has a lot of benefits. However, we need to be mindful and avoid over consumption. Meanwhile, we still have to preserve our cultural heritage by appreciating the traditional arts and crafts. We do not need to buy a lot of art pieces because it is expensive, but owning some can support the local producers and help to preserve our culture.