How ShoggothCraft Works
The full picture.
Nothing hidden.
ShoggothCraft envisions AI-themed products. Independent artisans make them. You buy directly from the artisan. We take zero margin.
What we do
Creative direction, curation, connection.
ShoggothCraft is built around one idea: the AI community deserves objects that are as interesting as the culture itself — not mass-produced merch, but real things made by real craftspeople.
We create product concepts inspired by AI culture — the Shoggoth meme, the aesthetics of machine intelligence, the humor and weirdness of the AI community. Then we find exceptional artisans around the world who can bring those concepts to life.
Our role
- We provide the creative direction (aesthetic vision, AI-cultural references)
- We find and vet artisans (craft quality, reliability, values alignment)
- We connect you with them (this website, product information, ordering links)
Not our role
- We don't make the products
- We don't sell the products
- We don't process your payment
- We don't ship anything
Every product on this site is made and sold by the artisan listed on the product page. When you order, you're ordering from them — not from us.
How to order
Seven steps. All of them straightforward.
You're not buying from a store — you're commissioning directly from a craftsperson. The conversation is part of the experience.
Prices on this site are estimates. When you contact the artisan, they confirm the exact price for your order — including materials, craft time, and shipping to your specific location. No surprises, no hidden fees.
The artisan typically responds within 2–3 business days. If you don't hear back, check your spam folder for their reply, or email us at shoggothcraft@gmail.com and we'll follow up.
The economics
What everything costs
(and why $0 of it goes to us).
$0
Our margin. On every product. Always.
We publish these breakdowns because you should know
exactly where your money goes.
If we take nothing, how does this work
Tips. That's it.
Voluntary, no-strings-attached tips from people who value what we do. You can support the curation work via the methods on our Support page — or not. It doesn't affect your experience or our recommendations.
The founder absorbs operational costs (hosting, domain, tools). These are minimal by design — we use free and open-source tools wherever possible.
Your choice
Multiple artisans, your pick.
For each product design, we work with multiple artisans. Each brings their own craft specialty, pricing, and timeline. You choose who makes your piece.
We present all options side by side — transparently — so you can pick the artisan whose work, pricing, and style fits what you're looking for. We don't steer you toward any particular artisan. We don't earn more (or less) based on who you choose.
The creative process
AI-assisted creative direction. Human craft.
Our product concepts are developed with the help of AI tools. We use AI for ideation, concept development, visual references, and creative direction — the same tools the AI community builds and uses every day.
The products themselves are made entirely by human artisans. Real hands, real skill, real materials. The AI helps shape the concept; the artisan brings it to life.
We think this is the right balance: AI for ideas, humans for craft. And we're transparent about it because that's what the AI community expects.
The makers
The people who make everything.
Every artisan featured on ShoggothCraft has been individually selected after a global search. For each product, we evaluate dozens of makers across multiple countries — portfolios, past work, craft tradition, production approach — before landing on a shortlist. The artisans listed here are the result of that process. They're not the most convenient option or the nearest workshop. They're the makers we found who are genuinely exceptional at what they do, among the best we could find anywhere in the world for their particular craft.
Specifically, we look for: exceptional craft quality, willingness to work within our creative direction, reliability and professionalism, and fair pricing.
Artisans keep all their rights. They can sell the same pieces through their own channels. They can stop working with us anytime. They are independent craftspeople.
We credit artisans prominently on every product page. Their name comes first. ShoggothCraft is a curator — the artisan is the star.
To be clear
What ShoggothCraft is not.
- Not a store. We don't sell anything. You can't "buy from ShoggothCraft."
- Not a marketplace. We don't host transactions or process payments.
- Not a middleman. We don't mark up prices or take a cut.
- Not a brand that makes things. Our artisans make things. We provide creative direction and connect people.
Curator. Connector. That's the full description.
If something goes wrong
The artisan is the seller. Start there.
The artisan is the seller, so they're the right first contact. Their contact information and ordering link are on the product page.
If you paid via Stripe and the artisan doesn't resolve the issue, you can file a dispute through your card issuer or Stripe's dispute process — that's your financial protection, and it's independent of ShoggothCraft.
If the artisan is unresponsive, contact us and we'll reach out on your behalf. And if an artisan treats customers badly, they don't stay in our network. Curation means maintaining standards — not just at selection, but ongoing.
We won't always be able to fix things directly (we're not the seller), but we take quality seriously and we'll do what we can.
US customers
Import duties — what to know before you order.
If you order from an international artisan and ship to a US address, import duties apply. The US $800 duty-free exemption ("de minimis") was eliminated on August 29, 2025. All international shipments to the US now incur duties regardless of the item's value.
Ordered from a US-based artisan? No import duties — it ships domestic.
You are the importer of record. Import duties are charged by US Customs and Border Protection directly to you — not to ShoggothCraft or the artisan. Depending on how the artisan ships, duties are collected by the carrier at delivery or billed separately by CBP.
Estimated duty rates by product type:
Percentages are of the artisan price. Estimates include a temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge scheduled to expire July 24, 2026 — after which rates may drop by roughly 10 percentage points for most categories. Mexico (USMCA) and metal products (Section 232) are not affected by this surcharge. We'll update estimates if the surcharge changes.
These are estimates based on current tariff schedules — actual duties are set by US Customs at the time of import. For certainty before ordering, contact the artisan directly.
International customers
EU, UK, and other non-US customers.
If you order from an artisan outside your country, VAT and customs duties will be charged at delivery by your carrier — these are government-imposed import charges, not fees from ShoggothCraft or the artisan. ShoggothCraft is a curator and connector, not the seller or shipper, and has no role in customs processing.
Duty rates vary by product type, country of origin, and destination country. For EU/UK customers: goods imported from non-EU/UK countries are subject to import VAT (charged at your local rate) plus any applicable customs duty — typically collected by the carrier before or at delivery. Contact the artisan for estimated rates before ordering.
For artisans
If you received an email from us.
ShoggothCraft is a showcase for handcrafted goods inspired by internet culture — the Shoggoth meme, the aesthetics of machine intelligence, the humor and creativity of the community around it. We collaborate on design ideas and connect skilled artisans with an audience that values exceptional craft.
The model is simple: we provide creative direction, you bring the craft. Customers who find your work through ShoggothCraft contact you directly, pay you directly, and order from you. Your pricing, your payment method, your relationship with the customer. ShoggothCraft handles the curation and the introduction — nothing more.
Being featured means a dedicated profile on this site — your craft story, your process, your portfolio — alongside the designs you've chosen to work on. Customers see your name first. You keep all your rights, and you can sell the same pieces through your own channels.
We work by invitation. We research artisans worldwide, evaluate portfolios and craft traditions, and approach the makers whose work fits what we're building. If you've received an email from us, that's how this started.
How customer emails work: When a customer clicks "Order" on your product page, their email is forwarded to you through a @shoggothcraft.com address. You'll see the customer's real email address and can reply to them directly. We don't read or store these emails — we're out of the loop once the message is delivered. If you use Gmail, the first few forwarded emails may land in your spam folder — please mark them "Not spam" and Gmail will learn to deliver them normally.
Questions are welcome: shoggothcraft@gmail.com.
Questions
If anything about how we work is unclear, ask us: shoggothcraft@gmail.com.
Transparency isn't just our business model — it's the whole point.