Every craftsperson depends on a wide range of suppliers to obtain the necessary materials and supplies to produce the work. Some are more important than others, and likewise, materials are more important in some craft media than others. A jeweler specializing in gold and diamond rings places more emphasis on her supplier relationships than, say, a potter. It’s just common sense: (a)diamonds cost more than mud, and (2) the diamond as-purchased is an integral component of the finished piece, while that one-of-a-kind vessel bears little resemblance to the mud it started as.
