Inside the supplier rubric
Inside the supplier rubric
Every artisan we list is scored against the same rubric. We open it up here — the four axes, what passes vs. what fails, and what an atelier can strengthen before applying. The rubric lives on the about page; this post is the practical tour.
The four axes
Each axis is scored independently. No single axis carries the verdict on its own — a strong craft score with a weak provenance paper trail is still a rejection.
- Craft — we watch a representative piece made start to finish, either in person or via live video. One applicant passed after switching from studio-shot clips to a continuous, unedited walk-through; another failed when a single cut in the recording could not be explained.
- Originality — we cross-check the maker’s catalog against public registries and our own catalog. A recent applicant was rejected when three of the submitted SKUs were already listed under a different studio; their peer atelier passed cleanly because every reference resolved to a unique maker.
- Provenance — every shipping artisan keeps a signed chain of custody, attached to the order receipt. One applicant passed after adding a notarized intake form to their workflow; another failed when their sourcing relied entirely on unverified middlemen.
- Addressable catalog — we require a published, reachable catalog (web shop, Instagram shop, or wholesale list) so buyers can verify the artisan outside of our network. The full requirement sits on For artisans; one applicant’s wholesale-only list passed after they published a public landing page.
Signals an atelier can strengthen before applying
A few practical moves shift the rubric from a borderline pass to a clean one.
- Publish a reachable catalog — a public storefront or wholesale page that resolves from a single link. Buyers should be able to verify the atelier without an account.
- Keep a signed chain of custody — at minimum, a per-piece intake form and a per-shipment handoff record. The notary flow is on the FAQ.
- Record an unedited walk-through — a single continuous take of a representative piece being made, with no cuts, carries more weight than a polished reel.
- Resolve duplicate SKUs — if anything in the catalog duplicates a piece already in the makers directory, retire or rename it before applying.
- Document the maker of record — every SKU needs a single named maker on file. Multi-maker pieces fail the rubric until one name is on the receipt.
Why we publish the rubric
The rubric is the only reason a buyer can ship to a stranger and not worry about the door. Putting it on the record, in plain language, is how we keep ourselves honest — and how an atelier can decide whether applying is worth their time. The full text is on the about page.