In early 2004, the two most successful organizations serving the craft and hobby industry, the Hobby Industry Association (HIA) and the Association of Crafts & Creative Industries (ACCI), joined together to form the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA). Together as CHA, the new Association forms a single more dynamic and powerful force to drive the craft industry into the future.

CHA’s vision, simply stated, is to create a vibrant industry with an exciting image, an expanding customer base and successful members. The goal is to stimulate the sales growth of the craft and hobby industry worldwide by creating consumer demand, helping members succeed and leading the industry.

CHA is actively involved in national promotional events designed to increase customers’ knowledge and awareness of industry products with the branding campaign Crafts. Discover life’s little pleasures. CHA continues to inspire occasional crafters to craft more often through it’s consumer-motivated message. Craft stores from all over participate in CHA’s annual campaigns, National Craft Month in March and Celebrate the Season in September. The promotions are geared to generate excitement about crafting and to highlight the many emotional benefits it produces. In addition to the promotions, every year the Association holds two annual trade shows, the largest craft and hobby supply expositions in the world.

As public interest in crafts has increased over the years, CHA has conducted a number of research projects, including the yearly benchmark Nationwide Craft & Hobby Consumer Usage and Purchases Study that reports the most popular craft activities and total sales dollars. Other studies include The Academic Value of Hands-on Craft Projects in Elementary Schools, one of the first studies to investigate the impact of hands-on projects and academic learning, and The Impact of Hispanic Crafters on the US Craft Industry that focuses on the growing Hispanic market. The Association continues to research consumer buying habits, crafts and education, and other pertinent information to the crafts industry.

CHA has also launched a powerful multifaceted communications program that’s designed to generate consumer demand and drive retail traffic for craft and hobby supplies. The branding and public relations program generates millions of consumer impressions and stimulates sales. As a result, CHA has become a leading resource to the general consumer media on the subject of crafts and hobbies. The Association has also become an established presence on the Internet though its websites: the popular consumer website www.craftplace.org, the industry website www.craftandhobby.org, and the education website at www.teacherplace.org.