This series focuses on why our members shop handmade. The intent is to help give reasons to friends, family and fellow makers for why shopping handmade is so important, especially during the holiday season. I hope you will share and enjoy! You can also read the whole series here.
Eunice Charles of Natralee
Boston, MA
Why is handmade important to you? Why does handmade matter?
Handmade artisans have an opportunity to infuse thoughtfulness, ingenuity, and creativity into their products. That is something I strive for everyday: using quality materials to create body butters and body scrubs that are both good for the skin while also focused on reducing waste, promoting sustainability, and reducing our carbon footprint. Handmade matters because it allows people to share their talent and give back to their community.
Why do you shop handmade for the holidays?
Year round, I shop handmade as much as possible. During the holidays however, I’m specifically looking for unique gifts to give to friends and family. There is something special about enjoying a handmade product; buying directly from artisans lets me share that feeling with others.
Adrienne Baker-Sieffert of ReFluff
Toronto, Ontario Canada.
What does shopping local mean to you as a small business owner? What impact does people's choice to shop local make on your life?
By shopping local l'm supporting my fellow maker community to continue to be: creative, to inspire others and our youth, and to pass down trades and skills to ensure that the arts and trades continue to flourish for generations to come. Our community is made up of many small businesses both online and actual brick and mortar stores. By choosing to support and buy from them, even when it's more expensive it means we support the community, and it means we're invested in the growth and prosperity of the community at large as well as all of the individuals within it.
I like shopping local because it means l get to have a direct relationship with the person l'm buying from and l know that my hard earned dollar has a direct positive effect on the people within my community and is helping them and their dependents. It's about interaction and helping each other. Supporting the people you know.
How has running a small business changed your life?
My customers are the lifeblood of my business. Their ongoing patronage effects all areas of my life right down to having enough money to buy groceries. If they didn't support local business and instead choose value driven stores, l wouldn't be able to support myself and my family. Life would be very difficult.
