I wouldn't necessarily pin it on the crafters either. It's a problem with the system and how the game is designed. If crafters don't need to buy HQ mats to make HQ items, then I wouldn't expect them buy my HQ mats. It sucks, but until there becomes a necessity to buy HQ mats, it'll increasingly become more popular to just farm 25 NQ rather than go for the lower yield and higher potential for HQ.