HandMade in America was founded in 1993 with a belief that economic revitalization wasn’t necessarily tied to luring "modern" industry to the region but in making known the hidden heritage and craftspeople that are so vitally a part of western North Carolina. Since then, HandMade has evolved into a nationally recognized, multidimensional institution that has sparked initiatives and creative collaborations in education, small town revitalization and community development, economic development, environmentally sustainable strategies and enhanced opportunities for makers of the handmade object, heritage tourism, and incorporating crafts into building design and furnishing.

HandMade has been listed beside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Worth Magazine as one of 25 American organizations representing “the best of our country’s culture.”

HandMade's contributions to the economy, culture, and heritage of the region have been acknowledged by national media such as The New York Times, U.S. News and World Reports, National Geographic, and CBS Sunday Morning.