$149 For a Crochet Hook?

Furls released their new Limited Edition Walnut and Emerald Alpha Series Crochet Hook and you can own it for a staggering $149. Is this acceptable for a collector’s item or is this another example of out-of-control inflation within the craft industry?

Furls’ new Limited Edition Walnut & Emerald Alpha Series Crochet Hook

After seeing a photo of Furls’ newest Limited Edition Alpha crochet hook teased in their newsletter, I thought it was beautiful and made a mental note to check it out once it was released. Release day came and I hopped onto Furls’ website only to be shocked by the price.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful hook. It is hand-carved in the U.S. and, from the name of the hook, sounds like it is made of walnut and emerald. However, there are no emeralds and it is unclear as to whether it is made from walnut. According to the description on Furls’ website, the hook’s “wood type” is “temperate hardwood” with “clear acrylic with hand swirled green coloring” and the material is “100% Sustainably-Sourced Wood.” This Walnut & Emerald hook can be yours for $149, or $1,645 for a set of thirteen.

I appreciate handmade artisan products and understand it comes with a higher price. In fact, I would rather pay a higher price for something that is made of quality materials and craftmanship. However, Furls has gone too far here. Considering the price, the lack of transparency as to whether the wood portion of the hook is made from 100% walnut is disappointing. The hook is called the Walnut & Emerald hook but there are no emeralds in the hook so it leads me to believe that there may be no walnut either. If it was made from 100% walnut, that would be a point of emphasis Furls would want to highlight in the description.

I’d be willing to accept this price point and this hook as a collector’s item if it contained a semi-precious stone, gold, or silver, and, at the very least, was clear it was made from 100% walnut. A quick search on Etsy results in other hand-carved, walnut crochet hooks containing zero acrylic for about a third of the price.

Inflation is affecting everything, but it also seems like it is getting out of control within the craft industry. The quality must match the value and with the Furls Limited Edition Walnut & Emerald crochet hook, I expected more quality and transparency for the price. My opinion may be an unpopular one though since at the time of publishing, the $1,645 sets containing thirteen Walnut & Emerald crochet hooks were sold out. What are your thoughts on this limited edition crochet hook or about inflation within the craft industry? Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment on my Instagram or Youtube videos where I discuss these hooks briefly.