SAN ANTONIO, Texas
Americans are putting down their phones and picking up hammers, kilns, and torches.
The trend has a name in wellness circles: analog hobbies. And the numbers behind it are hard to ignore. Seventy-one percent of Americans now identify as crafters, according to Mintel’s 2025 US Arts and Crafts Consumer Report, up from 62 percent just five years ago. The global arts and crafts market reached $44.6 billion last year and is projected to more than double to $106.6 billion by 2034. Within that boom, the pottery studio experience market alone is growing at 8.7 percent annually, and that doesn’t include the exploding glass fusing, casting, and blowing market or the blademaking, metalsmithing, and jewelry categories.
But the growth is not just about art. It is about mental health.
Nearly half of U.S. adults reported experiencing stress in the past year and are actively turning away from screens, seeking creative outlets to cope. Psychology Today recently identified analog hobbies as “the new self-care trend,” citing benefits that include nervous system regulation, focused attention, and relief from the constant stimulation of digital devices. Searches for “analog hobbies” on the Michaels craft store website surged 136 percent in the past six months. Seventy-five percent of American adults completed at least one crafting project last year, up from 62 percent in 2019.
At Kiln Frog, a woman-owned Texas-based e-commerce company that sells kilns, forges, and all types of studio equipment for clay, glass, and metalwork, this shift has been building for years.
“This trend is unmistakable. Since the beginning of the pandemic era, there has been tremendous growth in the share of hobby or analog-crafter customers. These crafters are different from customers in the pre-pandemic era who were exploring art as a business. These new-era customers are seeking “making” as their refuge, not as a potential revenue source. ,” said Gail Stouffer, founder of Kiln Frog.com, and author of Kiln Academy – The Ultimate Guide to Kilns and Ovens. “They are parents setting up a studio in the garage. Retirees who want something meaningful to do with their hands. Younger people who are deliberately choosing to spend their evenings making something real instead of scrolling.”
Gail Stouffer, who holds BFA and MFA degrees in Art Education and has spent more than 20 years teaching technique to artists around the world, founded Kiln Frog in 2010 from a glass-and-metalsmithing supply gallery in San Antonio. What began as a kiln-focused retailer has expanded to serve potters, glass artists, and a fast-growing community of metalworkers and knife makers. Her book, Kiln Academy – The Ultimate Guide to Kilns and Ovens, is endorsed by kiln manufacturers and has quickly become the go-to guide for the industry.
Beyond Clay: The Full Spectrum of Creative Wellness
The wellness benefits of hands-on making are not limited to pottery. Glass fusing, metalsmithing, enameling, and blacksmithing all share the same core appeal: focused, tactile, screen-free work that produces something tangible.
Stouffer has watched the customer base evolve and how it is reshaping itself in real time.
“The person calling us today looks a lot like the person who called us ten years ago. Just as new to kilns, just as full of questions, just as unsure of what they need. That part has not really changed,” said Stouffer. “What has changed is how many of them there are. The volume has grown exponentially, and the reason they are reaching out is different. A decade ago, most callers were thinking about whether they could turn this into a business. Today, almost nobody opens with that. They want to know what it will feel like to spend a Saturday in their garage making something with their hands. They are after the process itself, the quiet, the focus, the mental clarity. The finished piece is almost a side effect.”
The home studio trend, accelerated by post-pandemic lifestyle shifts, has been particularly strong. Stouffer has responded by expanding Kiln Frog’s educational resources and launching KilnAcademy.com, which includes kiln-focused educational videos, digital downloads of activities checklists, and Stouffer’s 300+ page The Ultimate Guide to Kilns and Ovens (endorsed by the presidents of leading kiln manufacturers: Evenheat Kilns, Jen-Ken Kilns, Hot Shot Ovens, Olympic Kilns, and Paragon Industries). She is a frequent visiting lecturer at online venues and group meetings, including her Kiln Academy workshops offered through Bullseye Glass
About Kiln Frog
Kiln Frog is an online destination for kilns, ovens, furnaces, and related equipment in the United States. Founded in 2010 by Gail Stouffer in San Antonio, Texas, Kiln Frog serves potters,, glass artists, metalworkers, and knife makers nationwide. The company is known for its industry-leading educational content and commitment to customer trust, earning a 4.9 out of 5-star rating from more than 900 reviews. Learn more at kilnfrog.com.
Contact details:
Organization: Kiln Frog
Website URL: kilnfrog.com
Name: Gail Stouffer
Email Address: [email protected]
Last modified: May 19, 2026
