For some years now, one staple of futurological speculation has been the quest for authenticity in what seems like an anonymous and artificial world.

A new twist on all this, says Reinier Evers of the Amsterdam firm Trendwatching.com, is the sprouting of internet-based ventures that purvey handmade and highly traditional fare. In Switzerland, for example, Netgranny (netgranny.ch) is a collective comprised of 15 cheerful-looking grannies who knit socks on demand and sell them online. Customers can choose their favourite granny by picture, pick the colour of their socks, or opt for a granny "surprise" design. It takes two weeks for a granny to knit a pair of socks; at €26 ($38) a piece, including delivery, they make an excellent idea for a Christmas gift.

Something very similar is being touted by the Danish company Mormor.nu, which sells traditional handmade baby and children's wear online. Mormor.nu is Danish for "Grandma.now". All its products are handmade from pure wool, alpaca or cotton. Old knitting and crochet techniques and patterns have been revived, while the colours and materials have been updated. For a dash of extra authenticity, the company's workers are as steeped in tradition as its products; the youngest member of staff is 68.

Likewise, Etsy (etsy.com) is an online marketplace for handmade goods that features more than 26,000 vendors from across the world and sells everything from scented soy candles to a tennis-ball chair. It is only two years old, but so far more than 1m items have been sold and 300,000 people have joined as members.